Robert and Jessica Hensley were more than ready to start a family when they found out that it wasn’t an easy possibility for them, if at all. The news never deterred the couple, and they easily made the decision to look into adopting a child. This is where Eleanora’s story really begins. Dani, the biological mother, was still pregnant when the Hensleys were matched up with her about the little girl. Even though she knew that she would not be able to raise the child herself, she still cared about what happened to her and wanted to choose the adoptive parents on her own. Dani felt a connection with Jessica—like she was someone she would have wanted to raise herself and the decision was made. Three months later, they were bringing baby Eleanora (or Ellie as she is affectionately called) home.

Ellie was loved and adored by everyone, especially her new parents whom never seemed to want to put the baby down during the first year of her life. As she grew older (and heavier), however, they held her less not only because she was beginning to get too heavy to carry around but also because she had yet to start even attempting to walk on her own. Naturally, baby Ellie was not the most appreciative baby about not being carried around as often anymore—she didn’t just cry, she threw tantrums. It was a tactic that she learned to always try although the success rate would dwindle more and more as she got older.

As Eleanora approached her third birthday, the Hensleys decided to adopt another baby—this time a little boy. It would take nearly a year before the adoption became a reality, but even at four years old, Ellie was ready to become a big sister. She practically became obsessed with the new addition and would often get in trouble for being too affectionate to the infant.

Wanting both of their children to have fulfilling lives, they were always in some sort of activity or another. For Eleanora, it was dance class that had the most success. She was somewhat hyperactive so all of the moving around was the perfect way to keep her interested and burn off excess energy much to her parents’ delight.

For many years, the Hensley household was a happy quartet. They did family vacations every summer, had a game night once a week, and often spent weekends camped out on the living room having movie nights or sleepovers. They had their difficulties like most families, but overall, it was a fairly well-adjusted living situation.

Eight years after their second adoption, Bobby and Jessica decided to try their hand at fostering children. They were pretty family-oriented, and it seemed like a no-brainer decision for them. It wasn’t uncommon to hear on the news about children in the foster system being treated like burdens, and they didn’t feel like any child should feel that way. For the next 10 years, they would foster over 20 kids ranging from the age of 3 (and a half!) to 16. Many different personalities came through their house—some were fairly easy going while there were a few that could make the most laid-back person question their sanity.

One foster kid in particular had perhaps the greatest impact on Eleanora. Her name was Natasha, and she was rebellious by nature. Because the two girls were the same age, it was really easy for Natasha’s bad influence to affect Eleanora’s own behavior. At first the girls clashed, but it didn’t take long before sharing secrets and hanging out all of the time. It was a trying time for her parents, but eventually both girls calmed down. They still rebelled from time to time, but it was never as blatant as it had been in the very beginning.

After high school, Eleanora end up going to a community college instead of a university. At one point, she wanted to be a teacher but quickly realized that it was not something she had the patience for after getting a job at a daycare one summer. She liked kids, well enough, but only in moderation. SHe didn't want to attend college at all, but community college ended up being a compromise between her and her parents.