Whitney and James Meserve got the most beautiful gift for Christmas, when they brought home siblings from foster care, eight days before the holiday.
“This was what we were supposed to do in life. We were supposed to take on kids and God really has blessed us with these kids,” Whitney said.
They have fostered seven children for more than three years at their Reynolds Station, Kentucky, home: Norah, 12; Aubrey, 11; Sebastian, 11; Jayda, 10; Preslee, 9; Rylynne, 8; and Addison, 4.
And on Dec. 17 at 8:30 a.m., they officially adopted siblings Aubrey, Jayda, Preslee, Rylynne and Addison and had already adopted sibling pair Norah and Sebastian in February.
“Now we get to begin the year with happiness and end the year with happiness,” James said. Relatives and friends of the Meserve’s from the local community were in attendance to celebrate the adoption as the entire family wore Christmas sweaters to the courthouse on the momentous occasion.
The kids were excited to finally be in one home and in a big family. “[We feel] relieved because we know what’s going to happen in the future,” Aubrey said. “It feels great to know that we are in a stable home and we know everyone,” Jayda added. “We know where we’re going to be at the next day — not changing schools or places.”
The adoption was attended by hundreds of people from the local community, and was livestreamed at the elementary school where Whitney works so that all could witness the big moment. “It takes a village,” Whitney said.
Whitney wasn’t able to have biological children of her own and so she and her husband decided to foster children and took a seven-week course to become a foster parent and over the years temporarily welcomed children into their home.
When they finally wanted to adopt, they were told that the kids would be split up, but the Meserves drove to the Department for Community Based Services office and picked up the kids in order to keep them together.
Initially all were scared at home but it’s been a “unique transition” which eventually ended happily. The adoption was live streamed to the school Whitney Meserve works at so more people could join in on the celebration.
“There are kids out there that need your help. And if you feel like you can be an ounce of support for them, be that support for them,” Whitney said to those who are considering fostering or adopting.
“Christmas miracles do happen. It’s happened here; it will happen elsewhere,” James said. “It feels like the best gift ever,” Jayda said.
The Meserves gave the children the best possible gift ever at Christmas: by adopting them into their family. This reminds us of how our heavenly father let go of His only darling son to come into the world and be born in a humble manger so that we could be adopted by the father into the kingdom.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
