学进去

   Being a parent is without doubt among the most challenging jobs in the world. But no matter how _________ it is, some people voluntarily（主动地）take this role—even if they don’t have to. We know them as “foster（收养） parents”.

Katie Holstein is one such example. In 2017, though unmarried, she decided to become a mother. Eight months later, she got a license and was _________ to become a first﹣time mom to two babies. It was not an easy _________ for Katie. However, she made it. The babies were looked after very well.

Over the next three years, this _________ mom fostered 16 children. They were all under five years old because she wasn’t willing to take teenagers. However, her attitude changed when she met a teenage girl named Akyra.

Akyra’s foster family needed a break. Katie was asked to let Akyra _________ with her for a week. To Katie’s surprise, she and Akyra got on well. They had the same _________ such as watching movies and reading novels. As time went on, the pair grew _________. Katie made up her mind to foster her for real. Akyra was 14 at that time and planned to live with Katie until she aged out of the system at 18 years old.

Now Katie’s story is _________ known. She hopes it will encourage other people to _________ their homes to foster kids. “Being a real family doesn’t always mean being connected by blood. Sometimes, it just means being connected by the __________. I promise you there are children in your community right now who need a safe place to land. They need willing families, not perfect ones,” explained Katie.