The Grose family, who we interviewed in May of 2023, have begun the adoption process for one of two foster children they are raising. Their 4-year-old foster daughter joined the family in April of 2020 and has a personality that is “larger than life,” says Barbara Grose.
Despite being medically fragile, she is an independent child who happily takes on the big sister role.
“She knows how to open all the doors. She will use a stool to get her clothes from the closet. She also takes her brother by the hand and makes sure he gets on and off the bus,” says Barbara. Coloring, drawing, learning, and socializing take priority over watching television and no one enters or leaves the house without a hug from her.
Between Barbara’s experience as a special education teacher and her husband’s medical background, the couple had no concerns about caring for five medically complex children.
“He [Bobby] manages the appointments and schedules for the kids. We are a really good team, and everybody in the house shares responsibilities. There are many kids out there who need to know what a true, loving family relationship looks like and there are a lot of families who need a model of what a true family looks like. We can show and model that for families who are struggling,” she says. The couple is parenting nine children which include their four bio kids, three adoptees and two foster children. “All the kids just love and care for each other and that is what makes my heart happy.”
P.S. Our St. Joe’s kids need loving people who are willing to be foster care parents or respite providers. Want to know more? Come see us at the Community Health Fair September 23, 10am-2pm on the Holy Trinity St. Matthews campus, or contact Lisa Barber-Atwell (alicab@sjkids.org) for more details.
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