The Call That Changed Our Lives

“The Call That Changed Our Lives”: Josh & Amber’s Journey to Becoming a Family of Four

On a warm July evening in 2022, Josh and Amber received a phone call they will never forget, an opportunity to open their home to two young siblings who needed a steady, loving place to land. Newly licensed foster parents, they had completed their training only weeks earlier, but both felt an immediate pull to say yes.

Amber now calls it “the call that changed our lives.”

A New Beginning for Dustin and Jaymee

When four-year-old Dustin and two-year-old Jaymee arrived, their young lives had already included frequent moves and far too much instability. With no relatives able to step in, Josh and Amber welcomed the children with open hearts and open arms.

Little by little, the siblings settled into their new home, finding safety, routine, and warmth in a place where they could finally let their guards down and just be kids.

Learning What Love Looks Like

Josh and Amber had long felt called to foster care. Josh, already the father of two adult children, and Amber, who had hoped for children for many years, knew they had room in their home and in their hearts for kids who needed stability and connection.

But the early months weren’t easy. Dustin and Jaymee came with deep emotional wounds that don’t fade overnight. Sleep was often interrupted by bad dreams and a fear of being alone. Mealtimes brought challenges too, as the kids weren’t used to knowing when food would be available. Patience, consistency, and endless reassurance became part of Josh and Amber’s everyday routines.

With time and lots of love the children slowly learned that they were safe, cared for, and never alone. Therapists, teachers, and The Villages’ team wrapped around them, offering extra support along the way.

“It took all of us working together,” Amber said. “The school, the therapists, us – it really does take a village.”

Finding Joy, Confidence, and Childhood Again

As healing took root, the children began to blossom.

Dustin discovered he loved swimming and equine therapy. And when he found football, it was like a spark lit inside him. This year, he began taking brave steps toward a goal he once doubted he could reach – spending more time in the general-education classroom. He hopes to one day be there 100% of the time and is gradually working toward that goal with courage and determination. “He told us he was scared,” Amber shared, “but that he chose to be brave instead.”

Now seven, Dustin is growing academically and socially, and proudly says he’s finally making friends.

Jaymee, now five, is the family’s “sparkle.” Outgoing, imaginative, and full of personality, she loves dancing, singing, soccer, and anything covered in glitter. She’s her brother’s biggest cheerleader on the flag-football sidelines and is thriving in kindergarten.

Welcoming the Whole Family

From the very beginning, Josh and Amber believed in partnering with birth families. They welcomed the children’s father, grandparents, aunt, and uncle into their lives with healthy boundaries and lots of communication. Family dinners, birthday parties, and small celebrations often included relatives gathered around the same table.

When it came time to make long-term plans, the children’s father signed consent for adoption with an agreement for ongoing contact, exhibiting an act of love that honored his children’s relationship with their birth family.

A Family That Made an Immediate Impact

Reflecting on the journey, Jennifer Hamilton, The Villages’ Clinical Director, shared:

“We absolutely love this family. They are wonderful examples of therapeutic foster parents who used trauma-informed parenting skills and excellent co-care with the father and extended family. I wish we could clone them!”

Her words speak to the heart Josh and Amber put into every step of their fostering and adoption journey.

A Forever Family

After 20 months of loving, nurturing, guiding, and cheering on Dustin and Jaymee, Josh and Amber stood before a judge on February 26, 2024. Surrounded by friends, family, and supporters from every chapter of the children’s lives, they officially became a forever family of four.

“We always believed in reunification first,” Amber said. “But we also hoped that if we ever adopted, it would be children we had walked alongside through their healing. We loved Dustin and Jaymee from the moment they came into our home.”

Honoring Their Past, Building Their Future

The Perkins family continues to walk forward with compassion, maintaining thoughtful contact with the children’s birth family and ensuring Dustin and Jaymee always know their story.

“We want the kids to know where they came from, to know their birth family cares about them,” Amber explained. “We’re building a bridge, not erasing their story.”

Today, when you meet the Perkins family, you see a home full of laughter, hugs, and a deep appreciation for the big and small victories that fill their days.

You see two parents who answered a call and said yes.

You see two children who are safe, joyful, and deeply loved.

And you see a story still unfolding, filled with resilience, connection, and hope lighting every chapter.