I can still remember that day, I was eleven sooner or later going on twelve, I was in the grade of 6th and in my art class laughing and giggling with my friends, when I got called to the office. I seen a lady standing there that I didn’t know of, that was the day my life changed, that’s how I became the person I am now.

I was so scared that day, she told me it wouldn’t take me long she just wanted to talk to me. Well instead of being talked to I found myself in tears asking why is this happening to me! I sooner found out that I was going into DHS custody, and DHS means department of human services, meaning (foster care). All I remember is that I was sitting in a place that I didn’t want to be. I couldn’t stop crying, my eyes felt like potato sacks because they were so swollen, my legs & hands shook, my cheeks was soaked, and I was just scared out my mind.

I was in the shelter for a while so I started to get use to begin in there, I was in there for like a month. There was kids there of all ages with all different reason. Some needed help & some homeless, some just got taken for no reason…like me. The shelter had three different buildings (big house, middle house, and small house) all the color of tan. I ended up having my 12th birthday in the shelter, almost Christmas as well. The best part about being there is that you can make a Christmas list & get everything on it, also I got to see my little brothers & sis from now and then, but I hated visiting my littlest brother who is now 5, because he always started crying and that made me cry.

I still remember my first foster parents (Mr. & Mrs. Deville), oh my gosh they were mean at times but I enjoyed my laughter with them. And my foster little bro & sis was also cool. They was the closest to friends I had when I was there for the short period of time. I spent Christmas there and my whole 6th grade year there. It was horrible with out my mom, I cried every time I talked to my mom and dad. We did get to see each other through visitation, but it was a long time before we got that, and when we did visit with each other my mom would walk down the long white hall to the front of the building crying. I loved the smell of my mom’s perfume, so when she gave me a brown valentines bear with a heart and rose in its hand that scent was on it and it made me cry. After going into two foster homes, I finally got released to go home to my real family. It was the best day of my life, I was so happy that, that horrible year was over. I said good-bye to my uncomfortable feelings and hello to freedom.
If there’s one thing I learned from this terror in my life is that, no matter what I go through or how many rocks that get thrown at me, is to stand as tall as I possibly can and even with tears running down my face, I will cry on the inside to show no weakness to those who tried to tear me down. So I’m very caring & strong & loving because when people try to tell me who I am, or make me who I’m not, I just completely prove them wrong, because “what doesn’t kill me definitely makes me stronger.” Life lesson learned.



09-18-09