This couple adopted 7 siblings out of foster care just in time for the holidays.
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This couple adopted 7 siblings out of foster care just before Christmas. Terri and Michael Hawthorn became foster parents several years ago after already having 4 kids of their own
Terri Hawthorn: ‘When we first started fostering, we said we’d just check for a couple of years. We had no intentions of ever adopting.’
But that changed when the couple adopted two siblings Haizlee and Korgen in April 2018.
Terri Hawthorn: ‘Gosh. We felt like they were family from day one. We fostered over 80 kids and when you’re a foster parent you treat them like they’re your own.’
After adopting the two babies, they continued pushing to adopt 7 other siblings, who had been in foster care for nearly 3 years and had been in and out of the Hawthorns’ home during that time
Terri Hawthorn: ‘And we knew when they left we were miserable without them. And we knew we were going to fight and do everything we could to get the kids and keep them together. We always told them that we loved them from day one and that we would be here for them and we didn’t know what the future held but we were here. ‘
The Hawthorns say they contacted one of their state senators to help speed up the adoption process
Michael Hawthorn: ‘I contacted one of our state senators Alan Clark and got him involved and he was trying to help us out there.
And finally the senator called the head of DHS and told them that he felt comfortable putting all the kids in our home thought we could handle them. And they went ahead and made the decision to let them come. It’s been a long drawn out process.’
On Dec 3 a judge approved their request to adopt all 7 siblings just in time for Christmas. The kids say they are looking forward to having a home this Christmas and a set of loving parents to come home to.
Layna Hawthorn: ‘It’s important because there’s big families in foster care too and some people want to split them up but the families should all be together and we’re trying to get other people to open their homes to other families.’
Kyndal Hawthorn, 11-year-old sibling: ‘My name’s Kyndal and I am 11 years old. And I think it’s important because a lot of people don’t have a family and they don’t have a Christmas to spend with a family and they really want one. And it’s one of the best Christmases knowing I have a family and knowing they will always be there for me.’
‘It’s good to actually have a mom and dad to come home to and people actually need a mom and dad and it feels really good to come home to them every day knowing that they’ll be there, knowing that they are not going to hurt you or anything and that they’re going to be there for you forever and help you through hard times. ‘
‘And we kept stay in touch with the senator and he kept working with DHS and I guess it was right around Thanksgiving like finally said if we could see them and they let them stay one night with us and spend Thanksgiving Day with us and then we had to take them back. I think it’s Friday morning after Thanksgiving and after that we we didn’t know where we were born from that point. ‘
Terri: ‘I get up and go to work and then she takes over. Thank goodness they’re school aged so they can get themselves dressed and brush their teeth and get themselves ready for school. And so we try to get the homework done, the dinner cooked. Sometimes it’s a little crazy but we’re getting in a routine.’
#Family #Christmas #Adoption #FosterCare #FeelGood
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