For Washington County foster parents, years of care yield sweet memories

Jean Gleason hasn't kept track of the number of foster children who have come through her home over the past 27 years. What she holds onto instead are what she calls "nuggets" — tokens of memories of the many faces, the giggles, the stories with happy endings.

There's the little girl feeling the prickle of grass for the first time, her eyes wide and hands grasping at the sky. There's another small girl with glasses sitting at the kitchen counter, trying to thank Gleason through a mouthful of peanut butter and jelly.

And there's the young boy with so many medical needs, finally getting to be a kid — smiling and running around Gleason's Woodbury home, a golden star-shaped balloon bouncing behind him.

Gleason is one of several Washington County foster care providers recently recognized for more than two decades of service. At a banquet in May, she was honored for her 25-plus years of dedication to fostering, as were Penny and Mike Krebsbach and Jenifer and Tim Seiler.

At the end of the evening, Judy and Bill Wetterstrom were called forward for 35 years of answering calls from the county, taking in kids of all ages at all hours of the day and night.

"It's just breathtaking to know we have people this dedicated and caring," said Becky Barnhart, licensing supervisor with Washington County Foster Care.

Gleason often takes in medically fragile children, the Seilers care for adults in the system, and the Wetterstroms agree to take the kids who need emergency placements.

Gleason always wanted to be a foster parent. She can't remember why she first felt the pull, but she said she hasn't looked back since: "It's something I just love."

That's the word the Wetterstroms use, too. About the teenager who skipped school, Judy Wetterstrom told Barnhart, "I just loved her." About another teen who had planned to steal the couple's car with her boyfriend: "I just love her to death." About the many babies they've comforted: "I just love them."

Gleason is careful not to cross boundaries with the children she works with. She stays in touch with their parents, always committed to the goal of reunification. She often asks moms to bring over a favorite toy or blanket, even just a shirt with her scent on it, for the child to sleep with. Nights are often when the tears come.

"My role is to keep the kiddos safe and happy while their parents work out whatever they need to so they can be reunited with their children," she said.

Gleason is one of 33 licensed foster care providers in Washington County. Twice a year she speaks to new foster parents about what to expect, what to prepare their hearts for.

Gleason plans to continue fostering. Her 13-year-old adopted daughter loves the kids just as much as she does, she said.

"She knows the county's number and comes running with the phone when we get a call," Gleason said. "Our house just feels empty when we don't have kids here. I wouldn't give up the memories for anything in the world."