Before I met my husband, I knew I wasn’t meant to have biological children. It wasn’t a passing thought, it was something I felt deep in my soul. Growing up as a pastor’s daughter, the expectation was to marry a good man and fill a church pew with children. But I knew my path was different. Thankfully, my husband accepted that and stood by me, even when others didn’t understand.
The Hearnes Adventure Photography
Not long after we married, we became youth pastors in a low-income community. Many of the kids came from broken homes and carried heavy burdens. After three years, we realized seeing them only twice a week wasn’t enough. We knew we wanted to do more, so we chose to become foster parents and eventually adopt.
Courtesy of Casey Douglas
People had plenty of opinions:
“You should have your own kids first.”
“Teens will kill you in your sleep.”
“You’re wasting your uterus.”
Courtesy of Casey Douglas
We ignored the comments, took CPS classes, and even chose to end our fertility so no one would see adoption as our “second choice.” We felt called to take in teenagers, knowing they were often the most overlooked.
Courtesy of Casey Douglas
The day our license arrived, our caseworker asked if we’d take a 16-year-old boy who needed a home that night. Without hesitation, we said yes. Three hours later, our son walked through the door with a fishing pole and a shy smile. His clothes were worn and small for his thin frame. My heart broke as I washed them, knowing some of the pain he’d endured abandonment at birth, abuse, and being passed from place to place until he had no one left.
Courtesy of Casey Douglas
At first, he didn’t believe we’d keep him. But slowly, trust grew. One day, through tears, he told me, “I’ve waited my whole life to be treated like this. I’ve never had real parents before.” That moment changed everything.
Courtesy of Casey Douglas
We took legal custody within three months, but because of his age, adoption had to wait. On January 10, 2019, after nearly two years, he became our son in name as well as in love.
Tara Smith Photography
Tara Smith Photography
Randall is now finishing high school, taking college classes, and playing baseball with dreams of coaching or working in fisheries science. His life looks nothing like the one he once expected, and ours is richer than we ever imagined.
Tara Smith Photography
We still foster teens, because to us, it’s not about needing more kids, it’s about more kids needing our family.
