It’s great to be a kid, but most of the time when we’re a kid we don’t realize how great we have it knowing that mom and dad take care of everything for us.
All of this is great, but it’s not the case for every child out there. Unfortunately, there are children who suffer living with their biological parents every day. Children who don’t have a warm meal every day, who rarely go to school, who have been deprived of the hugs they needed, and who wish their life was better.
Foster care
Many of these children end up in foster care. In fact, in 2020 there were more than 420,000 children in foster care, with a median age of 6.5 years old.
Two options
These children can have one of two fates: they either go from one foster family to the other until they age out of the system, or they are lucky enough to be officially adopted.
Children who age out of the foster system have been found to have fewer job opportunities, lower income, and even end up homeless.
A second chance
On the other hand, the children that get adopted have a second chance in life.
Just like the seven siblings in this story, who were all adopted by the same family.
The seven brothers and sisters- aged between 9 and 15 years old- were eventually adopted all together after more than 1000 days in foster care, and they couldn’t be more excited about it!
Adding to their family
Michael and Terri Hawthorn of Hot Springs, Arkansas, already had two biological children, when they decided to adopt two siblings in April 2018.
Meanwhile, they had been fostering on and off two twins coming from another family.
“I told my wife after a couple of days of them being here that I was in trouble–they kept saying they loved us and were calling us mom and dad,” Hawthorn told Good Morning America.
In 2017, the twins were moved to another foster home to be with their siblings, but the Hawthorns just couldn’t imagine their life without them. So, they contacted Arkansas State Sen. Alan Clark and asked for help.
“You see them together, I would’ve fallen in love with the kids too,” Clark said. “Michael and Terri are just wonderful people and even their grown daughter has come home to help and it’s a real blessing for all who are concerned.”
Taking in seven siblings
In 2018 it was time for a huge step! Michael and Terri were determined to adopt the twins along with their five siblings! And with Clark’s help, they did.
In December 2018, the seven siblings officially became members of the Hawthorn family and the way they speak about their new parents says it all.
“Before we had bugs in our food,” one of the children says, “now we don’t. Before we had torn up clothes, now we have perfectly good clothes.”
The girls love the fact that they have now lots of bows to wear and that they are always busy with fun activities. Bottom line?
“I know I’m safe,” one of the adopted children says, “that’s a huge change from where we were. We didn’t have parents who loved us. We kind of cherish family.”
Learn the families touching story in the video below. These kids are lucky to have such great adoptive parents that kept them together.
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