Editor's Note: Window on the Clearwater has joined the Wednesday's Child network to help spread the word about children that are waiting for families to give them the loving care that they need. Each Wednesday we will profile a different child. For more information about Wednesday's Child and how you can be involved check the web site at: http://www.idahowednesdayschild.org/.

Jacob

Age: 17

"Dear Family,

My name is Jacob, but I go by Jake. I am 17 years old. My dream is to find a family before I turn 18. Other teenagers might wonder why I would want a mom and dad at this age, or they just complain about their parents, but I think I will get further in life with parents. Teenagers should tough it out and listen to their parents because it's the right thing to do.

I hope to have a family that will call me and that I could still visit even after I leave home as an adult. I want to spend holidays together. I want parents who will show me what it means to be a family and will help me to know when it is right to have a family of my own one day. I want parents to help me know the right time and right person to marry. I want a model for what a family should be like. I want to learn how to drive, and I love to cook. I want a family to teach me about these things.

I sometimes want to do my own thing, but I remember one of my foster parents who would tell me to do the right things and keep me safe. I hope that a family will do the same for me. I have been through a lot of tough things in my life, and have learned to tough it out.

I am not too old to be adopted. I am just like every one of you who needs the support of parents as I head into the adult world."

Jacob is an active youth who enjoys a wide variety of activities. He loves basketball and football and the Boise State Broncos. He loves the outdoors, especially fishing and swimming, and also enjoys riding bikes. Jacob has taken a liking to cooking, the arts (pottery, oil marbling, drawing, etc.), and is very interested in working on cars one day. He likes pets, especially kittens and dogs.

Jacob is eager to find a family that will provide a nurturing, consistent environment. He may take a while to open up to strangers, but he has a big heart and responds very well to one-on-one attention. He will do best in a family that can be patient with him and encourage him to express feelings and emotions in appropriate ways.

While Jacob was used to being one of the older children in his family, the adoption team feels a family with older children would be a great option for him--as would parents who want to focus on preparing him for adulthood and the greatest degree of independence possible.

School can be a challenge for Jacob. He will need a family that will be diligently involved in his education. He would be most successful with parents who utilize community resources, including medication management and counseling. An adoptive family that understands issues that arise from abuse and neglect will have the empathy, as well as the personal values that will show Jacob what kind of young man he can become.

Jacob's current progress is an indication that he responds well to a safe, predictable environment where he can depend on adults to make good decisions. He is building his own capacity to do the same. Jacob yearns for the stability his younger brother, Greg and a few other siblings have found. He is optimistic, but also a bit discouraged that this goal has eluded him for so long. He is ready for someone who will call him their own son.

According to Jake's past foster mom, he is a gentle, compassionate, polite boy who likes to share and help others. He also likes to work on projects with adults or on his own. "He will surprise you with his creative skills," she said. "He can cook, crochet, tie quilts, build wood projects, and work in the garage. Jake does best when his hands are busy." Karen would love to see Jake adopted by folks who could give him the love he deserves and keep him connected to Greg. "These brothers care about each other, so we hope Jake's family will help them stay in touch.

Portrait by Barb from Barb Bergeson Studio Gallery

To find out more about Jacob, adoption or becoming a foster parent, email the Idaho CareLine or call 1-800-926-2588. You may be asked to provide this reference number: 30242.

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