Meet Mark Try

Our October "dad next door" was nominated by his wife, Faun, who sang Mark's praises in a three-Kleenex e-mail. The Folsom couple has a 4-year-old daughter, Brooklyn, and a baby girl named Avery. They are also in the process of adopting Cheyann, their 10-year-old foster daughter, who has Asperger’s, and they have been foster parents to 14 children (ages newborn to 12) in the past 18 months. 

CPS called with one of their first placements while Faun was away on a trip with then-3-year-old Brooklyn. Mark didn’t hesitate. “Home alone, he stepped right in to care for a 2-day-old baby (who was born addicted to meth) and his frightened 5 and 6-year-old brother and sister,” Faun told us. A few days later, on what happened to be the 6-year-old’s birthday, Faun came home to find three happy kids—and a birthday party! “My husband had arranged for gifts, a cake—even a bounce house. We found out later, it was the first birthday party she had ever had!”

It’s things like that which Faun says made her think, month after month, “I should really nominate my husband!” Finally, she says, “events in our life really confirmed that I have a keeper.”

Those events began when baby Avery was born at 23 weeks, weighing just 1 pound. Asked how she's doing now, Mark tells us, "She is 5-months-old and weighs just under 8 pounds, but she is doing great   !" 

Mom is doing fine now too, but in the weeks before and after Avery's birth, Faun was frequently in the hospital. “My husband was in charge of everything," she told us, "carting the kids to school, doctor appointments, meeting with social workers… He did such a good job. He also somehow found time to visit me at UC Davis and Avery in the NICU. It was the most stressful time in our life, and seeing his face every day is one of the only things that got me through… He is so wonderful!”

We completely agree.

At first, I wanted to do medically fragile foster kids. I have a brother, DJ, who was born with severe CP. I witnessed his struggles. I wanted to help kids like DJ who didn’t have great parents like mine. After meeting with the director of St. Francis Home for Children, we decided to start out with non-medically fragile kids. We quickly learned the kids may not have medical issues, but they are emotionally fragile.

And to adopt Cheyann? 
Deciding to take an older kid who has experienced unspeakable things and commit to supporting and being her parent for the rest of your life is not something I take lightly. But every kid deserves a family and Cheyann is just a good fit with us. Most kids with Asberger’s have some early intervention. Cheyann’s was basically ignored for the first 8 years of her life. We’ve had a learning curve, that’s for sure! But, really, you’d just have to meet her to understand… She’s pretty funny!

The best part of being a dad is… 
just seeing my kids so happy.

The toughest part is… 
Honestly, it's dealing with kids who come to our home hungry, dirty, broken, and scared. Teaching them to trust again…

Hardly anybody knows… 
that I really like SpongeBob and watch it when the kids aren’t there!

When I need to de-stress, I… 
go to the gym (I know, boring).

With a whole day, all to myself, I would… 
Sleep in, make a big breakfast of chorizo and eggs, and watch a movie from beginning to end without ANY INTERRUPTIONS! Imagine that!

I couldn’t live without… 
Mexican Food and Sports Center

Nothing makes me laugh like… 
Brooklyn’s belly laugh!

The best decision I ever made was… 
well, marrying my wife, Faun, of course! And deciding to be a father.

Life has taught me… 
it really does take a village to raise a child (foster or otherwise). Faun and I could not do what we do without the help of my parents, my in-laws and friends... Even people like our pediatrician and FFA social worker play an important part in all our lives.

If you know a local mom or dad you’d like other readers to meet, why not nominate them?  E-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .