Happy Mother's Day, finally
By Tiffany Cannon
As the old Jewish proverb says, "God could not be everywhere and therefore He made mothers." This proverb could have been written for all foster mothers, especially Angela Cleckler.
Cleckler married her husband David in 1993. The two always knew that they wanted to have children, so they began trying to conceive in 1997. After repeated attempts and continuous failure Angela decided to try fertility, but that too failed. Angela was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and at that time she was uncertain about what her future had in store.
One day while traveling, Angela heard a commercial on the radio and it said, "Do what's possible for you and leave the impossible to God." She said right then she knew that's exactly what she needed to do.
She and David decided that fostering children would be the right answer, so in March 2001 they received their first foster child.
"Fostering children was just something that I felt God led us to do," she said. "I just knew in my heart that this was the way for us to go. I've always loved kids and since I couldn't have any of my own, David and I thought that this would be the best choice."
On Aug. 1, 2001, the Clecklers received a gift of a 9-month old baby boy named Justin.
Angela said that there was an instant bond between them.
"It was different when we received Justin than it was with any of the other children," she said. "You could just sense a different feeling between us and it was just a connection like no other."
After two and a half years with the Cleckler's, Justin finally became part of their family as they received legal custody.
"I always felt as if he was one of us before we received legal custody of him," she said. "He's always been one of us, even the first day we got him."
As of today, Angela and David have taken in 14 foster children ranging from 5 months to 13 years. Even now, she and David are opening their door to two foster children.
"Sometimes it's tough," she said. "But it's something that God has called us to do. Our door has had long-term and short-term children come through it. Our home is filled with light-hearted chaos and lots of love."
Angela has been raising Justin as her own from the beginning, and she finds the greatest joy in seeing him grow into a fine young boy. Today is the first Mother's Day that Angela will have as Justin as her own, but she says it's not the last.
"I've been a foster mother for years now, but today is special," she said. "We have taken in so many children, but now we have one as our own. It's a wonderful thing and the love that a mother has for her child is unexplainable. Unless you're a mother, you can't ever understand."
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Happy Mother's Day, finally 
