kids n' glasses

[cvalda]

two of my kids needed to get glasses. i think they look soooo cute in their new specs! Both of their b-days are in May - Don will be 9 and Jess will be 6.

[Itort]

What they about the difference? Handsome guys.

[jlyoncc1]

They look sweet Kelly. How many sibling groups do you have if you don't mind me asking? If you do, just tell me to mind my own.

[cvalda]

They think it's great!

Sibling groups...

of the adopted kids:
1) Deontay (13) & Kiara (12) (dif. fathers)
2) Raelyn (10), Jessie (almost 6), JoJo (4) (dif. fathers) - they have three older siblings that are also out of the mother's care but we have no info on their whereabouts
--) Stephen (11) is the odd man out; he has two older brothers but there needs were sooooo great that I wasn't even considered as an option for them

and the foster kids (hopefully soon to be adopted):
4) Don (almost 9), Cora (5), Ben (2) - they have two older siblings that were adopted out and we have no info on them. Then my friend has their 6 yr old sister and 4 yr old brother as foster-to-adopt placement. I wanted ALL the kids but they limited me (and her, as she has 5 adopted kids) due to family size. They ALSO have a newborn sis and 1 yr old brother in yet another home (again I wanted them, or my friend and I wanted one each, but it was a no-go). Supposedly Don and the 6 yr old have the same father, and the younger five all have the same father.

Okay that was the long answer. Short answer is... THREE Sibling groups and one odd man out.

[Crazy1]

I love the pics of them in their glasses they don't look like they mind them at all.
What a lovely family you have Kelly, and what a selfless treasure you are for becoming their Mom.

[jlyoncc1]

They limit us here in NJ much more. It used to be 6 foster or 8 total foster & bio. Now, the total number is 6. But I have officially closed my home. It was a very sad feeling to get that letter. Even though I knew I was done, when it was official I felt as though I was letting someone down. But, 5 keeps me busy! I don't know how you do it. Keep up the good work!

[cvalda]

Thanks all!

The State limit here is eight, and they only allow two under the age of two per home. An exception was made for my home to keep more of these siblings together, thankfully! I wish they would have allowed MORE though!

There is a single lady (really cool woman, actually) in GA who has adopted 38 kids over the last 20 years or so (plus has one birth daughter)! I read her blog! Makes me feel like my life is... NORMAL! ROFL!

[Coldliz]

They both look great in their new specs!

[cvalda]

since we're talking kids here... this is the photo that I found on the WI adoption website, when I first laid eyes on my foster kids! i saw this photo and was ALL over this sibling group! of course I knew they wouldn't let me have the whole group so I talked to my friend (who was trying to adopt again, too) and of cousre she felt the same way, so we approached our workers... within a week we had the kids in our homes!

"MY" kids are the farthest left (the boy I just posted in glasses), girl in the middle,
and toddler in the grey t-shirt. I was told at the time that I was getting the one yr old (seperate pic on right) too but once the newborn was born they decided to place them together elsewhere.

[jenrell23]

You have a beautiful family Kelly!! It is great what you do for those kids! I wanted to foster or adopt but my hubby said no, which I can't figure since he was adopted. But anyways you have a beautiful family, and oh yeah GLASSES RULE!!!

[jlyoncc1]

That's really great that you have someone that has some of the siblings. I have a good relationship with the women that adopted 2 of Tim's sisters, so we are able to get together. We also get to see one of Tim's brothers a couple of times a year which is great. It was really nice when we adopted Tim, Donna and Mary adopted the 2 girls at the same time. So we were all in court together. I think that was really good for the kids. Tim come from a sibling group of 10! ugh!

[cvalda]

Wow, ten!!! I just can't understand these families! My friend has two other groups of sibs (aside from the two foster kids) - two sisters, and then two sisters and their brother - and one group is from a group of six total, the other nine!!

[jlyoncc1]

It's crazy!!! But it would violate their civil rights to have their tubes tied! Don't let me go on a rant! LOL

[cvalda]

I know, it IS crazy!