Hope

As many of you know, on the night of September 13, 1999, we discovered that a newly-born 6 lb., 2 oz., baby girl had been left in a cardboard box in the back of a pickup truck parked in the driveway of our home.

Baby Jane Doe, who we like to call Hope, is very healthy. She has a full head of dark brown hair, expressive lips, and gently curving eyes. She quietly watches all that goes around her. Unaware of all the excitement she has caused, she sleeps soundly through the night.

Hope has brought great joy to our home. Joe has not been feeling well lately, but since Hope arrived he has forgotten that he is sick and smiles throughout the day. Amparo has taken her first “maternity leave” from the hospital gift shop to spend fulltime with Hope. Both of us, our children and grandchildren feel so blessed by this gift of joy in our lives.

Hope has also put our family to a hard choice – whether or not we should adopt her. On the one hand, we wish to protect her, while, on the other hand, we know there are many other families, some childless, who would like to take Hope into their homes and shower her with their love and care.

At this point in our lives, we have 10 children, 36 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren, ranging from ages 1 1/2 years old to 48.

At our age, we cannot be assured of our own continuing health for all the years required to raise Hope through her childhood. So, by means of a family meeting, we decided that it is in Hope’s best interests to be adopted by a younger couple.

We have learned that DYS has a long list of pre-screened applicants with good households that eagerly want to adopt a child. We have received phone calls from community members who want to adopt a child. There are many good homes available to Hope and we trust that the courts will ensure that parents are selected who will care for and love Hope as much as we do. We give her today back to Youth Services and the court. We will always remember her.

We want to thank DYS and the court for permitting us to be foster parents over the past two weeks, the House of Representatives for its kind resolution of support for us, the EMS unit of the Fire Department, DPS officers and CHC staff for taking care of Hope when she was first discovered.

We ask that our friends remember on Thanksgiving Day to say a prayer for Hope and her new family. We thank the Lord for the abundant love which motivates so many persons to volunteer their homes and their hearts to children in need.

Jose and Amparo Tenorio