Our Foster Care Journey: The Williamson Family

In 2014, as Heather and Matt Williamson were finalizing preparations to serve as foster parents, they set aside a little bedroom in their house and prayed, “If this is right for us, let us know.” The next day, they received a call from a friend whose grandsons were going into foster care. The Williamsons welcomed the two young brothers into their home. The boys had experienced significant trauma and the couple worked hard for the next four months to help the boys heal and grow. When a relative stepped forward to care for the siblings, it left a big hole in Heather and Matt’s hearts, but they realized they had been available to stand in the gap for the children. 

While the couple was fostering, Heather became very sick. After the boys went to live with relatives, she visited Mayo Clinic and was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, type 3. This changed the trajectory of Heather’s life as she couldn’t further her education to become a professor of psychology and temporarily had to walk with a cane. This also meant that having children posed a 50/50 chance of having a child born with EDS. Fighting discouragement, Heather launched a new business, The Dainty Blossom Company, an award-winning home and body product business. 

Heather was seeking her new path forward when, while cleaning a closet, a photo of the little brothers she had fostered fell from a shelf.  After the picture literally hit Heather in the face, the Williamsons decided to get certified as foster parents again, with the intention of serving a legally free child through adoption. In 2018, the couple first learned about a little boy named Jace when Matt’s sister, a Grand Junction police officer, had to remove him from his home. Heather prayed that they would be able to care for Jace. Jace first went to another foster home, but when an adoptive family was needed, the Williamsons were approached as potential parents and adopted Jace in 2020. Heather describes Jace as sweet, artistic, caring and kind. Since his adoption, Jace, now seven, has really blossomed. 

Jax* joined the family just two months after Jace’s adoption. He had moved from five foster homes in the past year because of behaviors that stemmed from neglect. Jax, four, screamed a lot and greatly struggled with verbal, social, and emotional skills. Heather felt her psychology background could help Jax heal and grow. Jax’s behaviors, at times, were a lot to handle and Heather sometimes questioned if she was the right person for Jax. Heather recognized this feeling as a need for time for her own self-care. Meanwhile, with the help of a steady routine, positive affirmations, and realistic expectations,  Jax began to make significant progress. He has now graduated from speech and play therapy,  and is doing exceptionally  well in kindergarten. The Williamson’s are hoping to adopt Jax soon. The Williamsons, now a family of four, have fun together four-wheeling, fishing, foraging, kayaking, hiking and working in their huge garden.

Heather and Matt aren’t sure what’s ahead in terms of fostering, but they want to stay involved in serving vulnerable children. Heather is a board member for CASA Mesa County and serves on the fundraising committee. The couple recently drove from Grand Junction to Denver to give testimony for recently passed HB22-1113, a bill that provides for a timelier path to permanency for children in foster care. Heather shares about her testimony, “Kids are missing out on valuable learning and growth time while they wait. When a child doesn’t have permanency, he must constantly deal with the worry of being moved again. I wanted to advocate so that kids don’t lose any more time than necessary.” 

Heather plans to continue advocating for kids, encouraging others to become a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate), foster or adoptive parent. She also enjoys supporting other foster parents who are struggling with kids that have difficult trauma-related behaviors.

When asked what advice she has for other people considering foster care, Heather responded, “Do it! Go to an Info Meeting. There’s never a perfect time. Foster care, like anything else truly good in life, requires a leap of faith. I really stress the faith part. The more we looked for what God wanted us to do, the further we went into foster care. Post a question on Facebook, ‘Looking for people involved in foster care’ and you will find your community.”
*Name changed to protect confidentiality.