My family | Toccoa GA

July 28, 2013
 |  1,701 Comments

I don’t typically share many personal posts on my business FB page or here on my website. But I can’t help it right now..I am happy, blessed, thankful and want people to know. My husband and I have shared a desire to adopt for many years now. We found out when our biological daughter was just 4 months old the next parenting classes were starting. (This is the first step to completing the steps in adoption) It made me sad to leave Madalyn for about 2 hours every week for 6 weeks…but I was so excited that we were actually starting the process. I wont go into all the long details of how God led Kyndal into our home. I will say that there were many people who played a special role into helping us and we are forever grateful for them. And they know who they are(: After the training we had a home study which takes months to complete and become approved. We were officially approved in July of 2011. We got the call that we had been matched with kyndal…who at the time had a different name. We were told very little about baby *T*…and as months went by we were given very little info but every little thing meant so much to us. We prayed so hard that God would please just be with us and help us make the choice for this precious baby, for ourselves and for our own Madalyn. There are so many misconceptions about adoption. So many things people just don’t understand. Maybe because the only adoptions they know are of the ones they hear about on tv and on the tabloids about celebrities. My four younger brothers were adopted many years ago and because of that, I was educated a good bit on what to expect. I knew it would be hard, sad, scary, and very unpredictable. I also knew it would bring a child a forever, loving home. And it would bring us a child to share all what we had with. We aren’t guaranteed our biological children will look like us, be like us or respect us and love us every day, haha. We arent guaranteed they will be happy and healthy either. Loving my bio child or adopted child would be easy for me wether they were healthy/sick pretty/not so pretty..they are mine and loving a child should not have limits. So every time someone would make a comment about our decision to adopt, every time someone would try and bring up all the negatives, it never bothered Jonathon or myself. I don’t have a love for Madalyn because I carried her in my belly and delivered her..I love her because God gave her to me. Because I am her mom. We have all probably heard stories on the news or seen on a tv show/movie where a hospital calls a family and admits a horrible mistake. The day their child was born, their bio child was switched with another child. The child they call theirs now, isn’t their blood child. I don’t know how often this happens. It would be so difficult to take in. To understand what that means. But, if you got that call…would you want to switch your child, who you now are told isn’t really *yours* with your blood child? For me, the answer is easy. Part of me would hurt. Hurt bad. To know that the child I carried isn’t the child I nursed, the child tucked into bed every night, the child I kissed & hugged and held for years now. The child I have thousands of pictures of. Wether or not she shared my DNA/blood wouldn’t matter to me. She calls me Mommy and she calls herself “Daddy’s princess”. Could I really switch this child back just because I didn’t conceive her? NO. Would I want a relationship with my blood child. Maybe. I don’t know honestly. But I do know I would fight with all I have to keep my baby mine. Thats how I view adoption. And I am so, so, so thankful my husband feels the same way.

We met baby *T* when she was 11 months old. She was beautiful! She ate lots of gold fish that day and crawled everywhere. She loved her foster parents and they obviously loved her. Leaving her that day, Jonathon and I were filled with so many mixed emotions. Happy we met her, sad we were leaving her, thankful beyond thankful that she had such an amazing family taking care of her since she was just days old. They were all she knew for a mom and a dad and I knew right away I would always be grateful for them. We weren’t sure how long it would be before we would see her again, before we could introduce Madalyn to her. Days turned to weeks and it was hard. VERY hard. We weren’t even sure this would work out because the parental rights hadn’t been terminated yet. When would they be? Would one parent or a relative decide to fight for her now? These are all part of the adoption process…the scary parts. BUT, what so many people dont seem to get is that you are never told this child (or at least you should not be told) will for sure be yours. Social workers and the court are honest with you. They never raised our hopes. In fact, they would always try and tell us not to get excited until parental rights are terminated. Once this happens, that child is no longer legally related to their birth family. Meaning, a relative cant come forward and try and fight for them. So we knew we could breath easier once that was done. We told Madalyn we had a friend we wanted her to meet. It was hard explaining all of this to a 2 year old…but honestly I think this was easier than explaining how and why a baby comes out of their mommy’s tummy (; Madalyn begged to look at the photos of *T* and we had a few videos of her from the day we met her. It was a happy kind of sad when Madalyn would ask to see her. On December 18th Madalyn and *T* met and for me…it was magical. And you will se from some of these first few photos..they truly became sister & friends from day one. We started our visits and enjoyed every minute we spent as a family of four. She was already ours in our hearts and our minds. February 9th she moved into our home, her home. Life was truly as perfect as it could be. Our girls love one another so much it truly and honestly blows my mind. Of course its what I had hoped for, what I had prayed for. But I never expected them to become sisters so quickly. They hug, kiss, play and even fight just like real sisters. Even now Madalyn cant hardly walk into church or a family members home without saying “This is my baby sister Kyndal!” You would think the newness would be worn off by now, but it hasn’t. We can’t wake Kyndal up in the morning unless Madalyn is with us…it breaks her heart if she cant run into her baby sisters room and help wake her up. People ask if Madalyn has shown any signs of jealousy. The truth? NO. ZERO. NONE. But, little miss K on the other hand…well, lets just say she knows exactly how to be the baby in the family. She loves attention and gets very upset if an adult is giving another child attention…she wants it all! haha. And she especially wants ALL of her daddy’s attention. She loves him so much. She is a true daddy’s girl. She is a copy cat. Whatever Madalyn does, good or bad, she will literally do the same thing or at least give it her best try immediately. Which is why potty training her has been so easy! She is a good baby, a loving baby! She LOVES hugs. But gets upset when Madalyn *over hugs and over kisses* haha. She loves to rub mine or Jonathon’s back if she is sitting next to one of us. She will pat and rub our leg and just say “hi” in her soft little voice.She love food. All food. And lots of it! She loves her cousins, Aunts, Uncles, her Grandparents and her Great Grandparents. And everyone loves her…because she is so easy to love! She has only been in our home 6 months now and I can tell you with a honest heart, that my love for Kyndal is just as strong as the love I have for Madalyn. Is is different though. When I look at Madalyn…sometimes I am really blown away by how incredibly beautiful she is. I just can’t believe she was created by Jonathon & I. How did the two of us..ordinary people, make such a smart and gorgeous child? I love to look at her while she sleeps. I love knowing that part of me and part of Jonathon is in her. I love seeing me in her and I love seeing her daddy in her even more (: When I look at Kyndal….I first check to see if she is getting into something, haha…then I see a serious but happy child that had a rough and unfair start in life. But it doesnt take long to see that the start she had is a distant memory. It faded the moment her foster parents took her into their home and became her loving parents while we waited to be chosen. While God guided us in the path we needed to go. I see a beautiful, light eyed, tan skinned little girl with wild curly hair who we are beyond lucky to call ours. Sometimes I feel sadness when I think her biological family couldn’t get past their struggles in life to fight for her. Then I quickly and selfishly thank God they didn’t–because then she wouldn’t be my baby. I do pray for her biological family and I pray God helps us give our girls the life they both deserve to have. I pray we have the *right* answers when Kyndal grows older and comes to us with questions about her birth family. Biological or adopted….kids deserve the best in life. All kids. They are gifts and I can’t imagine my life without my two precious girls. And I know they could NOT have a better, more loving, more involved daddy. They will never see their parents unhappy. They will never see their dad raise his voice at their mom or be disrespectful. Our home isn’t perfect of course…but I know for a fact they will always feel love, see love and know they are loved by both their parents and they will always know their parents love one another whole heartedly. I don’t know why God chose me for this life. He gave me an amazingly patient, loving and giving man as my husband. And that man is lacking no where in his role as a daddy. I am amazed every day at how perfect he really, really is. I am so very thankful for my life. If you have or are considering fostering or adopting, please feel visit adoptuskids.org to get more information. I can’t tell you how badly our world needs more foster and adoptive families. And so many people make comments to us like ” Well, we would adopt if it didn’t cost so much” OR “I wish I could, but it would be too hard. We would get attached” The truth is, doing it through DFCS is NOT expensive. I had a 100% non medicated delivery with Madalyn in the hospital and having her there cost us more money then our total adoption costs. And as far as getting attached and then having to say goodbye. Life is full of goodbyes. Kids deserve to be loved by a real family even if only for a short time. Of course it’s heart breaking if and when a child is sent back to a birth family when *we* feel they shouldn’t. These kids still need and deserve love. They need a chance to have something good in their little lives. So if you have ever considered opening up your heart and your home to a child in need, wether to foster or to adopt feel free to contact me with any questions you have. I am NO PRO in this area. But I am happy to help give you some real life stories and encouragement!The day we met baby

The day we met baby “T”

The day we met baby “T”

Sisters meeting for the first time (: One of the best days of my life.

Kyndal is actually the one who reached for Madalyn’s hand..and that made her so happy!

Her first ride in the car with us…I looked back there and they were completely silent–but holding hands. I might have cried a little bit….

All five cousins hanging out after playing in the snow!

Taken by Katie Rivers Photo. Katie sweetly offered to come over on Kyndals homecoming day. I can never say thank you enough for these beautiful memories she captured for us! It was such an exciting day and we got to sit back and enjoy it without worrying about capturing the moments ourselves! Thank you so much Katie!!

Taken by Katie Rivers Photo. Katie sweetly offered to come over on Kyndals homecoming day. I can never say thank you enough for these beautiful memories she captured for us! It was such an exciting day and we got to sit back and enjoy it without worrying about capturing the moments ourselves! Thank you so much Katie!!

Our sweet little Valentines!

Story time with daddy

First time coloring Easter eggs. It got a little messy…

First time coloring Easter eggs. It got a little messy…

Easter Morning

Happy girl!

Beach trip, April 2013

This was during a live Pirate show at Myrtle Beach. The girls loved it!

LOVE how this session turned out. The girls were perfect!

This isn’t posed….It’s just them.

Cutest things ever!!

Atlanta Zoo

Fun around the house (:

Mad face…happy face! haha

Florida/Disney trip 2013

Florida/Disney Trip!!

Florida/Disney Trip!!

Florida/Disney Trip!!

Disney World (:

Disney World (:

Dawson & Kyndal love to hug (;

Fell asleep while waiting in line to get on Pirates. This is the first time Jonathon ever held her while sleeping!

These beautiful family pictures were taken by Karen Baker Photography.

These beautiful family pictures were taken by Karen Baker Photography.

These beautiful family pictures were taken by Karen Baker Photography.

These beautiful family pictures were taken by Karen Baker Photography.

These beautiful family pictures were taken by Karen Baker Photography.

These beautiful family pictures were taken by Karen Baker Photography.

These beautiful family pictures were taken by Karen Baker Photography.

These beautiful family pictures were taken by Karen Baker Photography.

These beautiful family pictures were taken by Karen Baker Photography.

These beautiful family pictures were taken by Karen Baker Photography.

These beautiful family pictures were taken by Karen Baker Photography.

These beautiful family pictures were taken by Karen Baker Photography.

4 ~ Family