By Brenda Sexton
The Courier-Herald
Denise Keating's calendar notes she will be at a Cal Ripken League baseball game cheering for her son on Mother's Day.
The bleachers of a baseball field is one of the many places she's at every week. Her calendar is filled with soccer stops and Special Olympics events. She also wedges in 60 to 90 medical appointments a month, not for her, but for a number of her children.
“We live by three calendars,” Denise laughs.
“And a white board,” chimes in her daughter Amanda, who wrote a letter to The Courier-Herald to tell everyone how important her mom and dad are in her life.
“I want to let you know how special my adoptive parents are,” Amanda wrote. “They adopted me when I was 22 months. I had a disability called Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, but they brought me home anyway. I am 14, and overcoming a lot of obstacles, but I know they are behind me all the way.”
Amanda is one of 10 children the Keatings have - two biological, one adopted, four under guardianship, one was under their care but old enough to be on their own and two foster children. Those 10 are a handful of the approximately 70 that have passed through the door of their Plateau home in their 19 years as foster parents. The last nine years the Keatings have been concentrating on foster care for medically fragile and special needs children.
“She's incredible,” fellow Plateau foster parent Ramsey Graham said. “She is somebody that totally deserves mother-of-the-year kudos.”
If Denise were to receive Mother of the Year honors, Amanda believes Dave should also earn the Father of the Year award.
“We're a good team,” Denise agreed, pointing out the two will celebrate their 27th wedding anniversary May 19. “I couldn't do it without him.”
Caring for children has always been their calling, the pair said. They've been foster care and daycare providers for a number of years, but said when they brought home their first special needs child, “It became quite apparent to both of us this is where we need to be.”
“Our role is to take these kids give them the best we can and make them the best they can be,” Denise said.
“They're our kids,” Denise said. “We take them unconditionally and we love them unconditionally. We're always there.”
An example of that caring came a number of years ago when Denise was tagged with the “Mother Theresa of the Northwest” moniker by a pediatrician after saving the life of one of the children in her care.
Denise blushes at the reference.
One of the Keatings' more medically needy children was in pain. Even though he wasn't a talker, Denise could tell. Days went by with out a doctor giving her a good diagnosis or tests showing any cause for concern. Denise said she finally sat down in the hospital and said she wasn't leaving until doctors knew what was wrong.
They found the toddlers' spleen was sliced. The child would have bled to death had Denise not held firm.
“Had I not listened to him, even though he's non verbal, he would have died. Now he's 7,” she says proudly.
His photograph hangs in the hall - the Hall of Fame - with the others, all the others.
“The positive thing is some of the kids we've had have been able to return home,” Dave said.
Amanda said she has a lot of respect for her parents.
“I always have. I wouldn't be able to survive doing what they do. I'm grateful and respectful.”
And the Keatings say they're not done.
“We'll be raising babies with our grandbabies,” Dave said.
“We can never imagine ourselves with an empty nest,” Denise said. “Some of the kids we have can never be on their own so we're in it for the long run.
“It's rewarding. It's challenging. It's fun. It's all we know,” Denise said.
Children have the right to a home, Dave said.
In addition to their duties raising children, the Keatings are also active helping others provide homes. They are facilitators for Families For Kids, a support group for foster parents. In addition to helping foster parents work their way through the millions of questions, the Keatings also offer a monthly on-line support group chat room.
Graham points out May is National Foster Care Awareness Month and there are other ways Plateau residents can get involved in foster parenting. For general information on becoming a foster parent call 800-760-5340 or visit the Web site at www.whyfoster.org.
According to Graham, there are several options with regards to licensing either through the State of Washington Office of Foster Care Licensing or through a private agency. Below is a list of private agencies in the community:
€ AMARA Parenting and Adoption Services, foster care and adoption services for children ages 0-17, contact Billy Hancock at 206-260-1700.
€ Bethany Christian Services, foster care and adoption services for children ages 0-17, contact Erin Mathias at 206-367-4604.
€ Catholic Community Services, foster care and adoption services for children ages 0-17, contact Jess Mattina at 206-328-5914
€ Casey Family Programs, foster care and kinship care services for children ages 11-17, contact Vergie Burks at 206-322-6711 ext. 2240.
€ Friends of Youth, foster care services for children ages 8-17, contact Shawn Sivly at 425-228-5776 ext. 115.
€ United Indians of All Tribes, foster care and adoption services for children ages 0-17, contact Lynnette Jordan at 206-325-0070 ext. 30.
€ Olive Crest Foster Family Agency, foster care and adoption services for children ages 5-17, contact Paula Head at 425-462-1612 ext. 1314.
€ Seattle Mental Health, foster care services for children ages 5-17, contact Shannon McCulloch at 206-302-2968.
€ Service Alternatives, foster care services for children ages 0-17, contact Leah Mattos at 425-432-0230.
€ Snoqualmie Tribe, foster care and adoption services for children ages 0-17, contact Kim O'Hagan at 425-333-5425
€ YMCA Foster Care Program, foster care services for children ages 8-17, contact Pat Graham at 206-382-4921.
€ Youth Advocates, foster care for children ages 9-17, contact Jamie Rettinger at 206-388-5866 or cell, 253-250-7765.
Brenda Sexton can be reached at bsexton@courierherald.com.
