Her Idea Of A Perfect Family Was Lost
After her divorce, she realized that the idea she had in her mind about the perfect family was now impossible to achieve. She had always wanted children and now that seemed like a fantasy that would never come true.
Her Idea Of A Perfect Family Was Lost
A Light At The End Of The Tunnel
After much soul-searching, she felt that she still wanted to be a mom and decided to become a foster parent. She had no idea how life-changing this decision would be for her and the two kids she welcomed into her home.
A Light At The End Of The Tunnel
No Sense Of Purpose
Kate was a woman in her early-thirties that lived in Birmingham, Alabama. She felt unfulfilled and was going through a difficult time in her life. Her marriage had fallen apart and she felt lost and broken with no sense of direction.
No Sense Of Purpose
A Feeling Of Loss
She had imagined she’d have a family with her husband but those dreams evaporated when her husband left. She felt a sense of loss so her plans of being a mom had to be put on hold until she healed.
A Feeling Of Loss
A Change Was Needed
She knew that in order to move on she needed a change, and that meant leaving Alabama. In 2015 made the brave decision to relocate across the country. She was now ready to start a new chapter in her life.
A Change Was Needed
New Job Meant New Opportunities
She knew that she needed a new job in order to move. She found a job in a commercial construction company in Denver, Colorado. She was very excited to be given the position of integrated service manager for GE Johnson.
New Job Meant New Opportunities
A Fresh Start
She knew she’d made the right decision in leaving and was finally starting to feel happy. She bought a four-bedroom home that needed a little work, but that didn’t stop her, as she saw she could fix it up herself.
A Fresh Start
A Positive State Of Mind
The house needed a lot of work but she was positive about it. She’d told a friend that it was so big it was meant for more people to live it. Little did she know what more meant at the time.
A Positive State Of Mind
Keeping Busy And Finding New Passions
Renovating this house was going to be expensive, and she knew she’d have to work harder to get it done. She’d even have to do some of the work herself so finding a new hobby would give her more drive.
Keeping Busy And Finding New Passions
What Was Missing?
She’d made friends and was happy with her new life, but she felt like something was missing. Her marriage had ended but that didn’t mean she was out of options. So she did some soul-searching to identify what was missing.
What Was Missing?
Soul-Searching
Her work and the renovations kept her very busy and motivated as she could see the house taking shape the way she wanted it. However, regardless of the progress she was making, she couldn’t shake this nagging feeling of dissatisfaction.
Soul Searching
A New Perspective
She felt she needed more than a new job and house. Whilst married they had infertility issues so they had considered adoption. A child could possibly fill the void she was feeling, so she began to look into fostering children.
A New Perspective
That Was Definitely A Sign
She joined a church with a friend and soon received an answer to her prayers. She got a letter from that church describing their involvement in fostering disadvantaged kids and Kate knew that this is what she needed to do.
That Was Definitely A Sign
A Meeting That Solidified Her Decision
Kate attended the meeting about foster care and she was even more convinced that she wanted to be a part of this. She was nervous but she was more excited about the prospect of having a child to care for.
A Meeting That Solidified Her Decision
Taking A Leap Of Faith
Kate knew she wanted to do this but it was a huge decision and she had to consider all her options. She’d be a single mom so she’d have to examine her finances to see if she could afford it.
Taking A Leap Of Faith
The Beginning Of Something Life Changing
She finally made the brave decision that she would go through with this and she filled out an application that would change her life from this day forward. This was the beginning of an extraordinary life she had never imagined.
The Beginning Of Something Life Changing
Let the Process Begin
It wasn’t long after she had submitted her application that she started receiving cases. There were kids who needed a foster mom because they had no parents and others who had suffered from traumas from a very young age.
Let The Process Begin
She Loved Being A Parent
She loved being a foster parent but she hungered to have children she could call her own. She wanted to be a mom on a permanent basis and so it seemed only natural that adoption would be the next step.
She Loved Being A Parent
Let The Cards Fall Where They May
Shortly after she had made her decision to adopt, she approached her caseworker and told her that she wanted to adopt. Two weeks later, she received a phone call about a four-day-old baby that was abandoned at a hospital nearby.
Let The Cards Fall Where They May
No Hesitation
Without any hesitation, Katie knew she’d been waiting for this all her life. She was ecstatic and begged the caseworker to please keep him for her. 24 hours later, Katie walked out of the hospital with her sweet baby boy.
No Hesitation
It Wasn’t Easy At First
At the time that she brought the newborn home, Katie was fostering a 14-month-old. She’d never looked after a newborn so this was new to her, plus she’d found out the baby had been exposed to drugs in the womb.
It Wasn’t Easy At First
A Tough Start In Life
This tiny baby boy had been exposed to illegal substances while he was in the womb. Luckily there were no signs of withdrawal just yet. Several tests were done and thankfully they showed that there would be no long-term effects.
A Tough Start In Life
Filled With Joy Regardless Of The Challenges
Katie found it quite challenging looking after a 14-month-old and a four-day-old but her heart was full. She knew this baby boy needed her and she was willing to do whatever it took to give him all the love he needed.
Filled With Joy Regardless Of The Challenges
A Name Fit For A Precious Blessing
This precious baby boy had been abandoned by his biological mom when he was four days old, so needless to say, he had no name yet. Katie called him baby boy at first but finally decided to name him Grayson.
A Name Fit For A Precious Blessing
It Was Love At First Sight
Katie wanted a baby of her own for so long and she fell in love with Grayson the first time she looked into his beautiful eyes at the hospital. She felt an instant connection that only a mother would understand.
It Was Love At First Sight
A Determination Like No Other
She loved this little boy and wanted to raise him as her own. She’d fostered young kids before but they never stayed for long. She was determined to be the mom Grayston needed and wanted to never part from him.
A Determination Like No Other
The Search Began
For Katie to legally adopt Grayson they first had to follow protocol, which was to search for his biological parents. Grayson had crept into Katie’s heart in the 11 months that he stayed with her while the caseworkers searched.
The Search Began
No Leads
Ads and posters were distributed everywhere to try and find his parents but no one came forward. There was also no information left at the hospital that gave them any leads as to who or where the biological parents were.
No Leads
Katie Was Officially A Mom
Finally, in May 2017, after months of uncertainty, Katie legally became Grayson’s mom. He was 11 months old. Little did they know that this was the beginning of a beautiful adventure filled with more love than they could even imagine.
Katie Was Officially A Mom
Page One Of This New Chapter
Grayson had some difficulties physically and developmentally as a result of his drug exposure in the womb so he needed a lot of attention. Katie dedicated all her time caring for him but she felt her family wasn’t complete yet.
Page One Of This New Chapter
Welcoming Another Foster Child Into Her Home
Once Grayson was 18 months old, Katie submitted an application stating she was open to foster another child. She received numerous emails and calls regarding kids needing a foster home. Most of these kids were in need of short-term placement.
Welcoming Another Foster Child Into Her Home
The Desire To Adopt Again
Katie was sure that she wanted to expand her family and adopt another child, but she felt that the time wasn’t right. Grayson needed her undivided attention and she knew that when the time was right she would feel it.
The Desire To Adopt Again
A Big House With Plenty Of Room
Katie had always wanted a big family and her four-bedroom house was perfect to accommodate more family members. She just wanted to wait for Grayson to be a little older and for the right time to fill each room.
A Big House With Plenty Of Room
“All Good Things Come To Those Who Wait”
A month after officially adopting Grayson, Katie received another life-changing call. A young mom had abandoned her newborn baby girl at the hospital and she needed a home urgently. The biological mom had named her Hannah before leaving her there.
“All Good Things Come To Those Who Wait”
A Déjà Vu Moment
Hannah had been left at the same hospital as Grayson and was exposed to drugs in the womb. Katie told the caseworker that she felt a case of déjà vu. This little girl needed her help, but what about Grayson?
A Déjà Vu Moment
She Had To Follow That Inner Voice
Katie made several phone calls in a 10 minute period trying to decide what to do about baby Hannah. She knew that it sounded crazy, but she felt strongly in her heart that God was telling her to say yes.
She Had To Follow That Inner Voice
An Overwhelming Feeling
She couldn’t let this baby girl down so she listened to her gut and decided to help. A few hours later Hannah was dropped off at her house. Katie opened her heart up to the possibility of giving her a home.
An Overwhelming Feeling
Strange Similarities Became Evident
Soon after Hannah was dropped off, Katie noticed something unusual on her hospital bracelet. Her mother’s first name was the same as Grayson’s. After reading her discharge papers she also saw that both moms had a similar birth date too.
Strange Similarities Became Evident
How Could This Be?
This little girl’s story was eerily identical to Grayson’s. They had had the same drug exposure in the womb and both had similar medical conditions. Even though they didn’t look anything alike, Katie suspected that they may be related somehow.
How Could This Be?
A Hunch She Couldn’t Shake
Looking at these two precious kids no one would think that they’re related. Hannah’s skin is pale and she has red-blonde hair, where Grayson has dark curly hair and darker skin, but she had a hunch that she couldn’t shake.
A Hunch She Couldn’t Shake
She Had To Find Out The Truth
Katie was determined to find out the truth and needed to track Hannah’s birth mother for answers. This proved to be difficult because Grayston’s birth mother’s last name wasn’t the same as Hannah’s and their birth-date was one day apart.
She Had To Find Out The Truth
Too Much Of A Coincidence
Katie expressed her suspicion to Hannah’s caseworker, but she brushed it off saying it was just a coincidence that both birth moms shared the same name. From experience, she believed that it was highly unlikely that the pair were related.
Too Much Of A Coincidence
Katie Was Not Going To Give Up Her Search
The next logical step was to contact Grayson’s caseworker and request that she become Hannah’s caseworker too. The search continued for months until one day Katie finally tracked down Hannah’s biological mom and they arranged to meet face to face.
Katie Was Not Going To Give Up Her Search
The Meeting Confirmed Her Suspicions
Katie was extremely nervous and hesitant to meet Hannah’s birth mom because she didn’t know what to expect. As soon as she saw this woman she knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was Grayson’s birth mother too.
The Meeting Confirmed Her Suspicions
Let’s Not Jump To Conclusions And Stay Calm!
Katie recalls the feeling of instantly knowing that she was looking at her adopted son’s birth mother. She knew that she needed to stay calm in order to get as much information as possible to put her suspicions to rest.
Let’s Not Jump To Conclusions And Stay Calm!
Useful Information That Was Undeniable
During the course of their meeting, the woman shared some information that was very useful in Katie’s search. She said that a year ago she had given birth to a baby boy, which she had also given up for adoption.
Useful Information That Was Undeniable
A Striking Resemblance
This woman had a striking resemblance to Grayson, which confirmed her suspicions. Katie discovered that she had more kids, including a baby boy that she hadn’t reported to the county. After the meeting, she shared the information with the caseworker.
A Striking Resemblance
Everything Started To Make Sense
The caseworker discovered that the last name Grayson’s birth mother had given matched one of Hannah’s relative’s last names. Everything started to make sense and soon enough a DNA test proved that they were siblings with the same birth mother.
Everything Started To Make Sense
True Siblings In Every Sense
Even though she had suspicions it was amazing to find out that they were biological siblings. How was it possible that these beautiful siblings ended up with her so randomly almost a year apart? Nonetheless, Katie was ecstatic about it.
True Siblings In Every Sense
Miracles Do Happen
Katie believes that it was a miracle that all this happened the way it did. Grayson and Hannah would have never met if she hadn’t had listened when God told her to take Hannah in when she’d received the call.
Miracles Do Happen
Katie Was Not Prepared To Lose Hannah
After finding out that they were, in fact, biological siblings she knew she had to do everything in her power to adopt Hannah. She had fallen in love with this baby girl and was not prepared to risk losing her.
Katie Was Not Prepared To Lose Hannah
Adopting Hannah Was The Next Step
Grayson and Hannah were bonding so well and she loved being a mom to these gorgeous siblings. The thought of being separated from Hannah fueled her to decide to make it official so she submitted the adoption papers.
Adopting Hannah Was The Next Step
An Emotional Day In Court
The court date for the adoption hearing was on December 29, 2018. On this day Kate, Grayson, and Hannah officially became a family. It was such an emotional day for everyone, and it marked the beginning of a new chapter.
An Emotional Day In Court
It Was All Part Of A Bigger Plan
After being in foster care for almost two years, Hannah finally found far more than just a home. She had found a loving mom and a brother no one knew existed. Hannah was destined to be part of this family.
It Was All Part Of A Bigger Plan
The Surprises Keep On Coming
Hannah had just turned one when Katie received a call from the adoption agency. They had informed her that Hannah and Grayson’s mom had just given birth to another baby boy, which she wanted to put up for adoption.
The Surprises Keep On Coming
Yet Another Sibling
Katie hadn’t planned to be a mom of three but she couldn’t turn her children’s baby brother away. She decided to take another leap of faith and welcomed baby Jackson into their family. He fit right in from day one.
Yet Another Sibling
Ensuring The Adoption Goes Through
Pictures of baby Jackson have been censored because the adoption hasn’t been finalized and Katie doesn’t want to jeopardize the process. The kids absolutely adore their new baby brother. Katie’s life is almost complete, there’s just one thing she’s missing.
Ensuring The Adoption Goes Through
The Last Addition To Their Loving Family
Katie’s had quite a journey and now has finally found the love she deserves. Even though we can’t see her mystery man’s face it’s obvious by her smile that Katie finally has the family she’s always dreamed of.
The Last Addition To Their Loving Family
This Was Always Part Of A Bigger Plan
Katie feels blessed to have experienced what she describes as a miracle. She strongly believes that this is what God had meant for her life all along and she will be eternally grateful for her loving partner and three kids.
This Was Always Part Of A Bigger Plan
Sharing Her Story
Katie has received support from friends and family throughout this journey. She still works full time and also dedicates time to share her personal story on social media. She sacrificed a lot but has so much to show for it.
Sharing Her Story
