Bruce and Kathie…plus three
She was only 8 days old… already suffering from drug withdrawals. Her foster parents, Bruce and Kathie, were shocked. But little Briana was part of their family now, and they committed to hold her, rock her, soothe her as she overcame the addiction with which she was born.
That was more than eight years ago, and Briana, now healthy and happy, is part of Bruce and Kathie’s family forever. Though they brought her into their home with the intention of nurturing her until a more permanent placement could be found, they fell in love. Just six months after Briana joined their family, Bruce and Kathie began taking steps to adopt her, even though they’d already raised three girls.
“You can’t differentiate your love for a child – it doesn’t matter if she’s your biological child or not,” Bruce explains. “We couldn’t imagine her anywhere else.”
A few years after Briana’s adoption, Bruce and Kathie welcomed their second foster child, Isaiah. As foster parents, Bruce and Kathie fully understood their responsibility was to nurture little Isaiah only until his young mother could properly raise him. But after Isaiah was reunified with his birth mother, Bruce and Kathie soon learned he wasn’t safe…and they eventually earned his return, adopting him into their family on National Adoption Day 2004 – their 27th wedding anniversary.
Soon after, Isaiah’s biological newborn brother, Noah, joined Bruce and Kathie’s growing family.
“They’ve given deeper meaning to our lives,” Kathie says, referring to their three youngest children (their oldest are now in their 20s). “Even our older kids are thinking about adopting here – it’s had an impact on the whole family.”
And while Bruce and Kathie feel privileged to raise Briana, Isaiah and Noah, these three now have the opportunity to thrive in a loving home, to experience laughter and happiness, and to share in the blessings of a nurturing family.
Candie and Lenny…plus three
Young Keon isn’t like other school-aged children; his special medical needs require special care and attention. Fortunately, his CHS foster parents, Candie and Lenny, have hearts full of love, ready to pour attention onto their children. Weighing in at 53 pounds, Keon can crawl a bit, but he can’t walk, and he uses a feeding tube. He’s been Candie and Lenny’s foster child for nearly a decade – they began caring for him when he was only five months old – and they’ve offered such incredible love and nurturing that they’ve even increased his life expectancy.
But Keon’s far from the first special-needs child Lenny and Candie have welcomed into their hearts and home. Foster parents for more than 18 years, they’ve cared for special-needs children for the past 15. And some, says Lenny, you just plain fall in love with.
“They’re wonderful kids with a misfortune that isn’t any fault of their own. They know they could’ve been left someplace,” Lenny says. &ldquoNow they’re home. Now they have a family.”
And while more than 80 children have been part of their family over the years, some have stolen their hearts so much that they adopted them into their forever family.
Like Nikki. And Derek.
The first time Candie held Nikki, she was covered in a head-to-toe body cast, traumatized as a shaken baby.
“She was so tiny, so fragile,” Candie remembers. “She didn’t ask for any of it.” So, as they do with all their children, Candie and Lenny gave her love and nurturing she desperately needed. And, in return, she gave back all the love she had.
“It’s one thing to have a baby; it’s a whole different ballgame to adopt a child,” Candie says. “You choose that child – you already know what you’re getting. You choose to make that commitment, to love her.”
And when Derek found his way into their home, he stole their hearts, too, becoming the second special-needs child they adopted into their forever family.
“Derek is a real handful! The day we stood in front of the judge and said ‘this is our forever child’…I just can’t even explain it – it’s a wonderful feeling!” Lenny says.
Mike, Earle and Jose
Detention was pretty familiar to 10-year-old Earle. So was anger. And hurt. He was quick to ignore and rarely acknowledged others.
Mike knew none of this – but he saw Earle’s story on a television special and immediately felt a connection.
“I knew right away he was my son,” Mike says. “I just knew it.” So, he began the path toward adoption by taking parenting classes through CHS. Even though Mike was single, his CHS social worker knew he’d make a great father. Still, she warned him that Earle didn’t particularly like people, especially those he didn’t know. But Mike was different.
“As soon as Earle saw me, he basically jumped in my arms, and we played on the playground,” Mike says.
Yet even after his adoption, Earle had difficulty dealing with the hurt, anger and bitterness that had been part of him for so long. But in less than four short years, his father helped him undergo a dramatic reformation – so much so, Earle’s teachers barely recognize the same young man who sat in their classes just a few years ago.
With the help of his dad, he’s learned to talk through problems, to solve them with his intellect and heart, rather than with his fist. And now, Earle says, he’s happy just about every day – largely because of his father’s influence and guidance.
“My dad’s very loving and caring,” Earle says. “When we have a problem, we talk about it and take care of it. We have a lot of fun and go on trips in the summer.”
Recently, those father-son trips turned into father-sons trips.
A while back, Jose began attending an after-school program Earle was actively involved in. Shortly after, the two formed a great friendship, and Jose became more involved with the family. And on National Adoption Day 2006, Mike adopted Jose, too.
“I’m excited to be in a family that loves me,” Jose says. But there was still one thing troubling him. At 15, Jose’s biggest concern was that his 18th birthday was only three years away – and then he was on his own.
“I told him, ‘this is a real family. You’re part of this family for the rest of your life, and I’ll be here for you the rest of the way,’” Mike says. Now, Jose has hope. He dreams of going to college and owning his own business. Earle envisions himself in the army.
Mike just wants his children to be happy, and he sees them both working through their pasts to be great fathers when they get older. And through his parental love, Mike offers a legacy to be passed on through generations.
Giving Back
In many ways Kyle Elizabeth Mertins is a typical teen. She loves to shop, dance, hang out with friends and chat on her cell phone. The Workman Middle School 8th-grader is involved in many extracurricular activities - playing the violin, volunteering at her elementary school, camping in Georgia and Paint Your Heart Out Pensacola. All of this is tangible evidence of a young person living a full life.
What you don't necessarily see is the depth of her passion and her giving heart. Kyle's life has come full circle; she is now giving back to Children's Home Society, the very organization that united her with her mother and father, Bill and Robin Mertins.
In January 2005, the family celebrated a major life event as Kyle was called to the Torah as a bat mitzvah, a rite of passage when a Jewish girl crosses over from childhood to adulthood and becomes responsible for her own deeds, spiritually, ethically and morally. Kyle prepared for this for many years, working diligently to learn to read Hebrew, volunteering and completing a required research project. It was with great pride that the Mertins watched Kyle stand on the bimah with the rabbi, leading the Sabbath service and reading beautifully from the Torah.
Their pride turned to admiration when Kyle said she wanted to make a donation to the Children's Home Society from gift money received from her bat mitzvah. "I have a wonderful family and Children's Home Society helped make that happen," Kyle said. "Hopefully, my donation will allow CHS to help other parents find wonderful children, and other children find wonderful parents."
"The Children's Home Society has always held a special place in our hearts," explains Robin Mertins. "In 1991, Bill and I adopted Kyle, with CHS' help. We both had been active volunteers with the CHS fundraiser, Ports of Call, for many years. When Kyle was only a few months old, she attended committee meetings with me. To this day, we run into people who served on that same committee who tell Kyle they remember her coming to those meetings." She continued, "And Bill served on the board of directors and executive board for many years. He visited Tallahassee many times as part of the Western Division Legislative Day delegation."
What the Mertins didn't realize at the time was how their acts of giving would influence their child.
Alyssa's Forever Family
Janis and Lyle Mosely yearned for a child. They had so much love to offer and longed to be a family. Their growing desire to become parents led them to CHS.
Like many prospective parents, Janis and Lyle dreamed of adopting a newborn. They were overjoyed after meeting a birth mother that had decided to place her child for adoption. As occasionally happens, the birth mother had a change of heart.
The Moselys were coached through this disappointment by their adoption worker, who prepared them for challenges and delays that sometimes arise during the adoption process. Nearly two years of waiting caused Lyle and Janis to wonder if they ever would have a child to call their own. But they continued to hope and soon learned of a birth mother who had decided to place her daughter with a loving family. The Moselys met the young mom and felt an instant bond.
"When we heard the baby's heart beat for the first time, we were overwhelmed with happiness," says Janis, tearfully. "We were unable to have a child of our own and realized that it did not matter. When knew our daughter would be born from our hearts."
The Moselys are certain that their love and support will enable them to overcome the challenges of raising a bi-racial child. "We believe that our love and encouragement will outweigh any prejudice or biased individuals we may encounter," says Lyle.
Janis and Lyle spent their first night as Alyssa's parents in the hospital birthing center. "We realized we were a family at the hospital. She is our daughter and we are her parents. She is truly a joy," Janis said.
Lyle describes adoption as "a process filled with uncertainties and questions. But, I can't imagine life without daddy's little girl." Now, Alyssa has a "forever family."
Zoe Means Life
When baby Zoe was born, her mother asked that the premature infant be placed for adoption. Zoe was 12 weeks early and weighed a mere two pounds. Her prognosis was grim, primarily due to exposure to cocaine during gestation. This tiny, gravely ill bi-racial newborn was no "Gerber baby."
Meanwhile, her prospective parents were waiting to adopt a Russian child. When they heard about Zoe, whose name means "life," they embraced the idea. Visiting the neo-natal unit daily, the parents committed themselves to ensuring her survival.
Today, Zoe is thriving. She has a new older sister and parents who adore her. Although she's endured serious medical complications, she remains strong and receives therapy through CHS' Early Steps Program. Zoe is a testament to the fight for life. She has been blessed with a wonderful family and, in turn, has blessed all who meet her.
Grandma's Hands
Harriet Groover is a grandmother and a saint. Four years ago she began caring for eight grandchildren when her own daughter's life became too unstable due to drug use. Accepting no financial assistance from the state, Harriet has been the sole financial support for her suddenly expanded family, due to a series of strokes her husband suffered. Now in a nursing home, she visits him daily.
Despite the tragedies she has experienced, Mrs. Groover remains strong and loving. She adopted her grandchildren, who range in age from 3 to 17 years. The children have blossomed in her care and the oldest is starting college. Mrs. Groover is doesn't consider her efforts saint-like, but the work of a dedicated grandmother.
