Three Little Words / A Memoir (YA) Biography by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

Lorraine was seven-teen when Ashley was born. Lorraine was too self-absorbed to care for Ashley. Dusty was Lorraine's boyfriend and they tried to be a family. Lorraine was on drugs and Dusty was in and out of jail. Child Welfare was called when Ashley and her baby brother Luke were left alone at home. Child Welfare removed the children from the home and placed them in foster care. Lorraine promised Ashley she would get herself together and come back for them. Ashley went to foster care kicking and screaming. That day would be the last time Ashely would live with her mother. In spite of Lorrainne's inability to care for her, Ashley loved her mother. Eventually, Luke and Ashley were seperated and could not live together in foster care. Ashley often felt abandoned, neglected, and she was trapped in a failing foster care system. Ashley stayed in nine foster homes which included a total of 19 foster parents.

Ashley eventually ended up in a Children's Home Institution waitng to be adopted. Gay and Phil Courter had grown children who were no longer at home. The Courter's thought that raising a daughter might fill their empty nest. Ashley got a chance to meet the Courter's. As time went by it was obvious that they all wanted to be a family. When the Courter's asked Ashely if she wanted them to adopt her; still feeling insecure that they might give her back, she uttered three little words, " I guess so." The Courter's eventually adopted her. Ashley is proud to call the Courters' her parents. Ashley has since graduated from college. Gay, who is a best selling author, guided and helped Ashley to produce this biography.