Life brings surprises, and the biggest one for my husband Tim and me was adoption. We already had five children of our own when we became foster carers. We never expected that two little brothers we fostered would become part of our family forever on November 6, 2017.
When we started fostering, four of our own kids were still living at home, and we were running a chain of nurseries. We wanted to help more because we love to share. After years of thinking about fostering, we finally went for it. We had planned to take just one child, but that changed with one phone call.
A social worker asked us to take in two young brothers for 10 days. If we said no, the boys would be separated. We could not let that happen. When they arrived, carried in the arms of two male social workers, we were shocked. They looked like babies, thin, pale, scared, and silent.
The boys had just come from the hospital after being removed from a terrible home. They did not talk, didn’t eat, and did not even take off their shoes at bedtime. But slowly, we built trust. We offered food, toys, and love. The train set finally made them smile. After that, they slowly began to trust us.
They had big challenges, development delays, speech problems, and deep anxiety. But with time, we shared many firsts: their first beach day, first Christmas, and first birthday party. After a few years, a family was found to adopt them. We supported it, though it was hard to say goodbye.
But a few months later, the adoption failed. The boys came back to us, and we fought hard to keep them together. After more than six years in our home, we decided to adopt them ourselves.
Not everyone supported our choice. The youngest boy had serious behavior struggles. The oldest had delays. But we knew they belonged with us. On the day of adoption, we went to the court with our family and social workers. The boys sat proudly in the judge’s chair. They wore football shirts with their new surname and age on the back.
A few days later, they start calling Tim, Dad, from the first time. It was very special for both of us.
Now, our boys ride bikes, walk the dog, and enjoy life with their siblings. They still face struggles, but we love them deeply. Adoption is not always easy. That is why I share our story and offer support online through Adoption With Nyree. I hope our journey helps others feel less alone, and shows the beauty of giving a child a true forever home.
