Family Stories About Adoption
The Anderson Family
All of our children came into our home as foster children. As their situations evolved we were given the opportunities to adopt them. Audra, Jon, and Heidi are biological siblings. Nate is their biological brother (although we have not adopted him, we are his family). Kyler and Chrystina are biological siblings.
We maintain contact with Kyler and Chrystina’s biological mother. Kyler in particular had a strong connection to her and we feel blessed that he can maintain contact with his “first” Mom. Chrystina’s biological father is from Laos and he recently taught us how to make “sticky rice” a staple in the Laos culture.
Audra came into our home when she was nearly 5 yrs old. She has substantial developmental delays and a border line I.Q. She is a girl with a heart of gold – always willing to try and works hard.
Jonathan came into our home when he was a little over 2 yrs old. He was born with mild Spina Bifida – it has not affected his functionality at all. He is a bright - high energy boy that is active in sports.
Heidi was a year old when she came to us. She is a ray of sunshine! A warm hearted caring young woman, she likes crafts, reading and tumbling. She loves to sing.
Kyler was 3 ½ when he came to us. His biological father is from Vietnam. He had some major respiratory issues – most of which have since gone away. He has allergies and mild asthma – but that does not slow him down! He is a very high energy guy – always in motion. He has an upbeat personality and a caring soul.
Chrystina came to us when she was 18 mos. She is our Princess Diva! She is full of self confidence! She has a very caring personality and had been recognized for stepping in to help other children at school. She loves to joke and tease and laughs often. And she has a very beautiful smile!
Austin came to us when he was 18 mos. He is a high energy guy. He is very curious and tries to figure out how every thing works. If it has buttons – he’s pushing ‘em!
We cope with some emotional and some behavioral issues with each of our children. It’s not always easy and we don’t always handle every situation the “right” way. We get tired and frustrated just like everyone else – but we keep trying. Seeing the children smile when they accomplish something is the best reward!