Jerrett was at work when he received an urgent call from a foster care caseworker. His niece and nephew, *Cassie and *Markus, needed an emergency placement – a safe place to stay while things were sorted out at home. He quickly called his wife, Tina, and together, they made the decision to welcome the kids into their home. By the time Jerrett finished his shift at 10 p.m., the two kids had just arrived.

Just nine months earlier, Jerrett and Tina had downsized their home, having successfully raised their three now-adult children and welcomed four grandchildren into the world. They both worked two jobs and had settled into a slower pace of life. But two months before that urgent phone call, they had already opened their home to *Evie, another one of Jerrett’s nieces, who needed temporary placement. By the time Cassie and Markus arrived, their household had grown to five.

“So, here we were, in a two-bedroom house with three kids and two adults,” Tina laughed. “We knew we needed something bigger.”

Luckily, things worked out in their favor. By November 2023, they had moved into a larger home, with space for everyone to be together and have alone time as needed. But this was only the beginning of the adjustments Tina and Jerrett would have to navigate together.

“It was a drastic change,” said Jerrett. “I worked two jobs because I was bored, and now I’m down to one. Suddenly, I’m taking care of kids all over again.”

Managing transportation quickly became a challenge, as Tina and Jerrett had to coordinate weekend visits for Evie and Cassie with their respective fathers. Both fathers must meet specific requirements for reunification to happen, which adds layers of complexity to the situation.

The uncertainty of their cases has weighed heavily on the children, as they sometimes overhear conflicting updates from different people, creating a false sense of hope. This lack of clear communication has been accentuated by a turnover of caseworkers for the kids.

One constant for the family has been Johnna Tyson, Kinship Family Advocate, who has partnered with the family from the beginning, providing a consistent level of support and communication that has helped them every step of the way.

“I think the hardest thing is seeing them go through it over and over because they don’t fully understand the whole process,” said Jerrett. He and Tina do their best to explain what they know and help each child work through their disappointment and frustration, which is sometimes directed at them.

“We’re not trying to prevent you from going to your father’s; we’re trying to prevent you from being hurt,” explained Tina.

The initial transition was especially tough for Markus, who had been living in a foster home for two years before moving in with Tina and Jerrett. School was a struggle, and he often tried to run away.

“It was rough at first,” said Tina. “We had to share him with another family, and he was constantly told, ‘This isn’t your home, this isn’t your school, you’re only here temporarily.’”

Emergency placements are typically short-term, lasting up to 90 days. But Markus ended up living with Tina and Jerrett for nine months. During that time, his parents lost custody, and in June 2024, Jerrett and Tina officially adopted Markus.

“Everything changed after that,” said Tina. “He adjusted and finally realized this was home.”

One thing that helped Markus adjust is Tina and Jerrett’s approach to their roles as caregivers. They don’t stress over what Markus calls them, understanding that kinship care can be complex.

“We let him call us whatever he feels comfortable with,” said Tina. “We just go with the flow.”

That flexibility has been a cornerstone of Tina and Jerrett’s parenting since the beginning of their kinship journey, as they’ve had to be patient, adaptable, and willing to reshape their lives for the kids in their care. Fortunately, they’ve had strong support from their three biological children, as well as other family and friends.

“Our children support us 100 percent,” said Tina. “If we need something, they’ve got us. At first, they wondered why we were doing this – why would you start over? But it grew on them.”

Their children’s acceptance and willingness to help, whether through transportation or childcare, might stem from how they were raised. Tina and Jerrett have always maintained an “open door policy” when their biological children were young, often supporting youth who needed a meal or place to stay. Both had siblings who struggled with addiction, and they stepped in to support other nieces and nephews before.

“I get tired of seeing kids bounce from house to house,” said Jerrett. “If we can open the door and give them the structure and guidance they need – really, what’s one more person in the house? We enjoy having the kids here.”

Tina had long considered becoming a foster parent to provide for children who lacked that stability.

Although taking in more kids isn’t necessarily part of the plan, the couple is currently working on becoming licensed foster parents. Once licensed, they will receive additional resources and a higher monthly stipend to support the children in their home.

“My hope is that we give these kids a safe place to be and that if they ever needed to come back, they know the door is open,” said Tina. “We want them to know that if they ever find themselves in a tough spot, we’re one phone call away.”

“For their sake, I hope the reintegration goes like it should, and they are able to be back with their dads,” added Jerrett, referring to Cassie and Evie. “But if something does happen, we want them to know they can always come back – no questions asked.”

*names changed to protect privacy