Meet the Cronen Family!
Adoption has blessed us with two wonderful sons. Ryan, now age 21, and Jack, age 6, each came to us on a foster care basis. We were fortunate to become each boy’s permanent family.
Ryan arrived at our home in the summer of 2015, and his adoption was completed the next year. Following Ryan’s adoption, we participated in VFA’s 2016 Adoptive Family Portrait Project.
Shortly after Ryan graduated from high school in 2018, we again started the foster care adoption licensing process. In late October of 2019 we received a call from our social worker about a 5-year-old in need of a family ‘committed to forever.’ In less than 48 hours, Jack moved home with us. Jack had lived almost three years in foster care before we were able to finalize his adoption this past August.
An active, lively youngster, Jack spends most of his time outdoors, regardless of season or weather. He can often be found playing with our three pet beagles, riding his bike, playing with cars, or playing basketball, soccer, football, and baseball. Anyone within earshot can hear Jack singing joyously while participating in these activities. Jack expresses a deep faith in God, and a determination to do well in everything he undertakes.
Our son has been working diligently to address challenges. Jack receives speech therapy, occupational therapy, and in-home therapy. He has made great progress in healing, but he continues to struggle with self-regulating and transitions.
Many people in our “village” – friends, family, church acquaintances, and school personnel – eased the pathway for us as. The teachers, staff, and families at Jack’s school have provided a tremendous amount of support and understanding. From welcoming Jack, providing extra support to him, and hosting his virtual adoption hearing, the school has been a critical piece in our adoption story.
The adoption process had its rough spots. The Covid19 pandemic caused delays in finalizing and required a virtual hearing. The county attorney’s office, social workers, and our agency worked diligently to keep the adoption on track. The permanency was something Jack asked about frequently prior to the hearing. We had a great virtual event with participation from family, friends, school staff, and social workers.
To encourage more families to adopt and successfully parent former foster children, we would ask our federal government to continue the adoption tax credit, help our schools to be knowledgeable about how trauma impacts children, and provide more funding to child welfare agencies.
Our foster-adoption experiences have been overall very positive. We enjoy spending time with Jack - whether playing sports, hanging out at the lake, or reading books together. Jack loves to show off his singing voice and dance moves, which he uses to cheer everyone up after a long day. Watching him learn a new skill or master something he's been working on brings us great joy.
Adoption has given a lasting gift to our family. It has added purpose and happiness to our lives.
