Star Spotlight: Esmi Bostick
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Written by Madison Melancon
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Written by Madison Melancon
At Destira, we are featuring members of the community who are making an impact on someone in some way. Our next Star Spotlight is Esmi Bostick, a mom from Texas who has made a huge impact in her community.
Parenthood is the state of being a parent and the responsibilities involved. Esmi has embraced the term of parenthood in its fullness. Esmi is the mom of one of our Destira Stars, Isabella. Isabella is a 7 year old gymnast who has already experienced a lot of change in her life. Her mom, Esmi, has helped lead her and her siblings through this change.
In 2018, Izzy and her siblings were placed with Esmi and her family through foster care. Esmi and her husband had decided to foster children when they realized the training and care they have learned through raising their son with autism could also benefit children that were currently in the system.
Esmi welcomed Izzy and her siblings warmly. The original goal was always to get Izzy and her siblings back to their birth mom. In the time the spent with the Bostick’s, the children were working toward gaining as many skills as possible to help them succeed. Esmi worked hard with each of the children to make sure they felt loved and wanted while preparing them to go home.
As many of us know, life doesn’t always work out the way we planned it. The Bostick family ended up adopting Izzy and two of her siblings in 2020. Something that Esmi stresses when talking about the adoption of her children is that the children were suffering. They were going through a major trauma at such young ages. Yes, they were gaining a new family who loves them unconditionally, but they were also losing their first family at the same time. They had severe loss in the midst of all of this change.
Esmi knew it would be hard and an adjustment. “If not us, then who will? Who will take these kids and love them?” This is where Esmi’s motto comes in - “Things that matter are hard.” The family had to remember that throughout the entire fostering, adoption, and post-adoption.
Esmi worked hard to ensure that all of the Bostick children know how important each one is. There are a lot of kids doing a lot of different activities, but Esmi and her husband work hard to support each one’s dreams, goals, and achievements.
We asked Esmi if there was any advice she had to give for people looking toward fostering and adoption. She states that there are so many ways to help. While yes, there is always a need for parents to foster and adopt, there are smaller ways that make big differences as well. Whether it be offering a night of babysitting for a family transitioning still from adoption or making a meal for a new family. All of the little things make a big difference for a family going through major change. “There is always an opportunity to help.”
Izzy and all of her siblings are thriving in the supportive and warm environment of the Bostick house. While things aren’t always perfect, they are surrounded by love and support each day.
