**phone ringing**

Me: “Hello?”

Wife: “Hey B, How are you?”

Me: “Pretty good, how’s your day going?”

Wife: “Good. I’ve been thinking and I have something to run by you…”

Me: “Okaaay…”

Wife: “What do you think about me starting a non-profit?”

Me: “………’

 

and that is how it all started. I am used to getting phone calls from my wife about ideas that she has. Some are small things that I can grab onto quickly and others are big ideas that are going to cause life change, a lot of work and open ended, unknown tomorrows. This was one of those big ideas and while I still had a lot of uncertainty in my head, she knew that this is what she was supposed to do, so I eventually said yes and that is the moment that I was first introduced to Foster Arizona.

As the days, weeks, months and now years have unfolded, Foster Arizona has gone from a non-profit that made videos to find adoptable kids forever homes to two non-profits that provide Arizonans with a wide range of foster and adoptive support. My wife and I do things together as a team, so it was a given that I would be a part of Foster Arizona, but even if she wasn’t my wife, Foster Arizona would still be a non-profit that speaks to my heart. As a foster-adoptive dad, the issue of foster care is a big part of my life.

When I got that phone call from my wife, we were coming off of adopting two of our kids in addition to raising our two birth children and not yet knowing that our family would soon grow by three more. The nights were still very long and the days were very tiring and to be honest, if I knew what Foster Arizona would grow into I may have been a little more hesitant. The role that I play on the team is one that is a lot more behind the scenes. I sometimes consider myself part of the “Can You?” team (not that the team actually exists). I get a call from my wife and she asks “Hey, can you…” and I say yes. This has led me to pick up donations of all different sorts from our community partners, design print and digital media, run irrigation at the office, build bed frames in our aged-out housing apartments, make auction donation request for our gala and so much more.

The beauty of the volunteering that I do is that while it is not mentoring, leading Kid Connection Event teams or anything like that, it is still important work and it makes a huge difference. If foster care or adoption has played a role in or touched your life and you want to do more, I would encourage you to get involved. Foster Arizona is a small team that does some mighty things and if making a positive impact in your community and the world is a value of yours, then reach out and let’s connect.

For me life is still busy and tiring and the continual push can at times be difficult, but as Mia Love once said, “Difficult things aren’t easy, but they’re worth it.” and I couldn’t agree more!

Brian Vehon

Foster Arizona Lead Team