This book is the second edition of Mary S. Jones’ true story as a foster mom and her experiences as a foster mother in the Washington State foster care system. Baby Mathew had half a heart, Hannah was in an infant detox facility, and baby Claire needed an HIV test. No one seemed to care when these babies were born, but Mary was waiting for them.

Will You Take This Baby? is about fourteen babies, their incredible strength, their will to live, and one ordinary foster mom who learned how to get the best for the babies with the least. From emergency rooms to ambulances, fire trucks, and a medevac, it was a journey few would have chosen. Together they struggled through opiate withdrawals, fetal alcohol syndrome, birth defects, and life-threatening communicable diseases. For 31 years, Mary cared for infants in Washington state’s foster care system. Her journey evolved from one-on-one care to advocacy for critical care babies, ultimately through the doors of the Washington State Legislature.