Posted 8:51 pm Sunday, November 18, 2012
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16 children find forever families during National Adoption Day
By Gillian Sheridan
gsheridan@cbs19.tv
National Adoption Day in Smith County took on a new look this year. With more families than ever involved, the adoption ceremonies were moved from the Courthouse to Rose Heights Church in Tyler.
gsheridan@cbs19.tv
National Adoption Day in Smith County took on a new look this year. With more families than ever involved, the adoption ceremonies were moved from the Courthouse to Rose Heights Church in Tyler.
“There’s been a tremendous growth and I guess I can only attribute it to the fact that there are more kids that need loving homes, and thankfully East Texans have stepped up to open their hearts and homes to add more members to their family,” said Bryan Campbell, president of the Smith County Young Lawyers Association.
Standing before Smith County 321st District Judge Carole Clark, Lacie and Luke Yarbrough felt led to help a child.
“We really started the process fostering and fell in love with Lyza and the Lord changed our plan,” Lacie said.
Luke added, “From the moment we met her, she has to be with us. She was bonded with our kids and it was just a no-brainer.”
With two biological children already, the Yarbrough family would double much quicker than they expected. “The day we found out we were able to adopt Lyza, we’d had her almost a year. We also found out that day that we were pregnant. Two blessings in one day,” explained Lacie.
Adoption was also on the heart of Andrea Dearing, a single mom with a 9-year-old biological son named Nathan. “I felt that we had room in our home for another child and we had room in our hearts to add on to our family,” she said.
The first foster child in their home was 2-year-old Candance. They knew if she came up for adoption, they couldn’t let her go.
“I liked her at first, then I started loving her,” said Nathan about his new little sister.
“When she came into our family we just seemed bonded. Within a month she was calling me Momma. I just grew really attached,” said Andrea.
One of the last families to go before Judge Clark was Allison and Andy. They added 21-month-old Dottie to their family, making a total of five children.
“We really started the process fostering and fell in love with Lyza and the Lord changed our plan,” Lacie said.
Luke added, “From the moment we met her, she has to be with us. She was bonded with our kids and it was just a no-brainer.”
With two biological children already, the Yarbrough family would double much quicker than they expected. “The day we found out we were able to adopt Lyza, we’d had her almost a year. We also found out that day that we were pregnant. Two blessings in one day,” explained Lacie.
Adoption was also on the heart of Andrea Dearing, a single mom with a 9-year-old biological son named Nathan. “I felt that we had room in our home for another child and we had room in our hearts to add on to our family,” she said.
The first foster child in their home was 2-year-old Candance. They knew if she came up for adoption, they couldn’t let her go.
“I liked her at first, then I started loving her,” said Nathan about his new little sister.
“When she came into our family we just seemed bonded. Within a month she was calling me Momma. I just grew really attached,” said Andrea.
One of the last families to go before Judge Clark was Allison and Andy. They added 21-month-old Dottie to their family, making a total of five children.
“Well she’s cute and I love her,” said 8-year-old Catcher about his new sister.
His 5-year-old brother Jesse added, “I usually kiss her a lot and I hug her and sometimes I say goodnight to her when she goes to sleep.”
Dottie is this couple’s third adoption of a special-needs child.
Andy said, “I felt like God told us, ‘You are going to adopt some children,’ that we were going to take care of some kids that others wouldn’t understand why, but that we were going to do it and that He was going to take care of us and He has.”
As the ceremonies came to an end, 14 families had grown in size and 16 children had found their forever family.
For more on Smith County’s National Adoption Day, join Gillian Sheridan for her “Children are a Gift” report Tuesday night on “CBS 19 ten @ 10.” You can also find information on CBS19.tv and www.tylerpaper.com. To inquire about an East Texas child waiting to be adopted, call 903-533-4109.
His 5-year-old brother Jesse added, “I usually kiss her a lot and I hug her and sometimes I say goodnight to her when she goes to sleep.”
Dottie is this couple’s third adoption of a special-needs child.
Andy said, “I felt like God told us, ‘You are going to adopt some children,’ that we were going to take care of some kids that others wouldn’t understand why, but that we were going to do it and that He was going to take care of us and He has.”
As the ceremonies came to an end, 14 families had grown in size and 16 children had found their forever family.
For more on Smith County’s National Adoption Day, join Gillian Sheridan for her “Children are a Gift” report Tuesday night on “CBS 19 ten @ 10.” You can also find information on CBS19.tv and www.tylerpaper.com. To inquire about an East Texas child waiting to be adopted, call 903-533-4109.
