A little Fayth changes a woman’s life

As laughter squeals through the baby monitor, Nina Friedman smiles and walks to the stairs, excited to greet her daughter after nap time.

“She wakes up like this almost every day,” said Friedman, glancing over her shoulder. “It’s one of my favorite times of the day. She is just so happy to be awake!”

Listening to Fayth’s contagious laugh, it’s hard to imagine that her life has not always been so happy. She was born premature to a mother addicted to drugs and fought to survive for weeks in the hospital. That’s when Friedman stepped in as Fayth’s caregiver and changed both their lives forever. A foster to adopt parent through Lutheran Social Services, Friedman sat in the hospital day in and day out, nurturing the 2.4 pound baby with her prayers and loving touch.

A few days later, Friedman took Fayth home from the hospital. Her round-the-clock care had paid off. Fayth weighed 4.5 pounds and was growing stronger by the day. Once home, Friedman devoted her life to Fayth, taking her to physical therapy three times a week, visiting doctors on a daily basis and making sure Fayth had everything she needed to thrive.

Freidman’s tendency to put the needs of others before her own is nothing new. She has been a Child Advocate for more than four years and is a self proclaimed match-maker who works tirelessly to find that special someone for her single acquaintances. When it comes to her own love life, she has found her perfect match – Fayth.

“It was love at first sight,” said Friedman of meeting her daughter for the first time. “She looked at me with those big, bright eyes filled with innocence and hope and I knew that my purpose in life was to be a mother to this beautiful little girl.”

After nine months of caring for Fayth as a foster child, Friedman’s destiny was fulfilled – the adoption was finalized. She was Fayth’s mother.

“Adopting Fayth is the best thing that I have ever done,” said Friedman. “Every day she teaches me something new about life, love and laughter. We have our struggles and will have many more in the future, but I have Fayth – and that’s all I need.”

For more about the LSS foster care and adoption programs, click here, or call (800) 396-4611.

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