Two years ago, John Mark and Kathleen Moman decided to get their licensure to be a foster family. With two children of their own, their goal has been to work toward the eventual unification of those foster families.
Last week, they celebrated a permanent addition to their own.
Leland came to live with the Momans as a foster child when he was just 11 months old. From the moment he walked through the door, he fit right in.
“He meshed really well with our family and made it easy to feel like he was one of ours,” Kathleen said. “He’s just a great little boy. He’s sweet and happy.”
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Leland — also known as Mr. Smiles — is now 2 1/2, and has gone from foster child to an official Moman. His adoption was final on Sept. 11.
Due to COVID restrictions, the Momans decided to hold a drive-by parade in honor of his joining the family.
Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and more gathered on the front lawn of the Moman home, all wearing matching shirts that read “We are the village.” At the bottom of the shirt was a Bible reference from John, where Jesus says, “Love one another as I have loved you.”
That love was palpable in the air as friends, neighbors, church family, law enforcement and volunteer fire fighters drove by and yelled “Congratulations” to the family.
John and Kathleen got married nearly 10 years ago. A Marine Corps veteran, John has always had heart for service, his wife said. When he left the Marines and they came back to Indiana, they eventually settled in Nashville.
They have a 4 1/2-year-old daughter and 9-month-old son. After becoming licensed to foster, they’ve had nine placements, most in their home for an average of a year.
They had been on a break from fostering, but instead, they took in three more children — a 2 1/2-year-old and 13-month-old twins.
Kathleen said if people are willing to provide a temporary home and say “yes” to kids, help is needed.
“COVID has messed things up. (Group) homes were having to shut down,” she said. “Maybe there was a medically fragile kid. The need has still been great.”
Fostering would not be possible for the Moman family if they didn’t have people supporting them.
“We have a wonderful support system and village,” Kathleen said, emphasizing the importance of community when making the decision to foster. “There’s no way we could continue juggling all that without people to help us. It makes it doable.”
John works at PCA in Columbus and Kathleen recently began selling Mary Kay so that they could save money to finish their walkout basement.
“We have an additional bedroom, a great big open area for the kids,” she said. “It’s just great that we’ve been able to have that space now.”
Kathleen said they’ve also been blessed that their older child seems to understand their mission. “Knowing that your kids are okay with it helps when their hearts are at ease,” she said.
The Momans’ goal of fostering kids is to help them be reunited with their families when possible.
“During the case, we work hard to start and maintain relationships,” Kathleen said. “(Biological families) don’t necessarily have support systems that believe in them.”
With Leland, that was not possible, so they took him in as their own.
Seeing how much kids love and miss their parents, John and Kathleen make sure to help their foster children remember their roots.
Kathleen said there is a balance of celebration and mourning when a child returns to their biological family. When they told their daughter that one of their fosters was going to go back home, she said, “That’s exciting!”
“Saying goodbye is hard, but knowing that a family is back together and is home (is good),” Kathleen said. “You put your mourning aside so you can celebrate for someone else.”
After an adoption of their own now, “It’s nice this time to be able to just celebrate,” she said.
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If interested in becoming a foster parent or family, visit indianafostercare.org or call 888-631-9510 for more information.
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