Shelly Hansen and her husband did not hesitate to say yes to welcoming their grandchildren into their home. Child Protective Services placed the children in their care after their daughter made the difficult decision to relinquish her rights. The Hansens chose to move forward with permanent managing conservatorship and adoption.
“We have had the children with us since they were babies, so it was an easy decision to keep the siblings together and give them a loving and stable environment to thrive in,” Hansen said. “We absolutely adore them; we see them as precious gifts from the Lord.”
The journey has been full of love but not without challenges.
Raising three children under the age of three requires constant energy. Shelly said the emotional toll of watching their daughter struggle with addiction weighed heavily, and the children faced confusion as they navigated the instability of visitation.
This year, the family attended Arrow’s Kinship Camp, hosted by Camp for All, for the first time after being invited by Arrow staff. Hansen said it was presented as a way to connect with other families and create special memories with their grandchildren.
It turned out to be just that!
“What we loved most was spending time watching them enjoy the activities and meeting the family we shared a cabin with,” Hansen said. “The other family is also nearing retirement and raising three grandchildren, so it helped my husband and I realize we are not alone in this demanding journey.”
According to Hansen, their grandchildren especially loved swimming at night, eating ice cream and fishing. To add to the already meaningful memories made, Hansen said on the drive home, her 3-year-old asked when they would be going back.
The Hansens left camp encouraged and are already planning to return next year if the opportunity is available.
Hansen said Arrow has supported her family in meaningful ways, from guiding them through adoption to hosting activities and other outings like Kinship Camp through Camp for All.
The Hansens first connected with Arrow through their kinship CPS worker, who introduced them to resources, helping them understand the foster-to-adopt process. Hansen said they were especially grateful for the guidance of Staphany Marin during licensing.
“She is efficient, knowledgeable, helpful and was a tremendous help in guiding us through each step,” Hansen said.
Hansen shared a thank you to both Camp for All and Arrow Child and Family Ministries.
“Thank you for all you are doing to help families like us navigate our journeys of love through kinship adoption,” Hansen said.
Hansen did share that her daughter is doing well in her recovery!