An Adoption Story

My husband and I got married when I was 18. We were due with our first child. As soon as we got married I got this idea to try and adopt my younger brother who was in foster care. He agreed. We went to all the classes to become licensed foster parents and started visitations with both he and my sister who was only 2yrs younger than me and about to graduate high school. Eventually we gained overnight visits and then long term visits. In 2002 before our 2nd daughter was born my brother came to live with us as our foster child.

We started with the adoption and it was finalized in 2004 and he became our legal child. My husband instantly became a father when we started our pursuit and he was wonderful to my brother. They were closer than my brother and I were. My brother still considers him his dad-his only dad and they continue to be as close as ever. We also have four biological children and he is just the best father I could ask for. He is wonderful with them.

Posted by LeAnn Vipperman

Dealing with Triplets!

We had been married about a year and a half when we decided to try to have a baby. About a month later I found out I was pregnant. A few weeks after that we found out it was twins, then at 12 weeks it was - wait! There's one more - make it triplets!! Well, given that there are not even twins in my family we were quite surprised to say the least. We were also scared to death about the cost, and what it would take to handle 3 babies. My husband's family is not really in our lives and my family is in NY. 

The farther along I got in my pregnancy the more he had to do, I was on partial bedrest by 20 weeks, full bedrest by 24 and in the hospital by 28 weeks. The girls were born at 32 weeks. They were healthy, not even on oxygen so they spent only a small amount of uneventful time in the NICU - but when they came home it was interesting.

I had never even changed a diaper! My husband had helped care for his niece and nephew and knew more than I did about baby care - and the NICU nurses had been great about educating me. We quickly learned and adapted and got everything on schedules. He helped me with everything he could. I pumped breastmilk and nursed for about 15 1/2 months - so he would help give them bottles and get up with us all the time at night. He never complained a bit about anything and always did at least half the work.

We didn't really have any help at all - we were scared of RSV (they were born in January) and didn't really have family around anyway - so we had to make it work. We didn't want them in daycare and we couldn't afford a nanny (we both work full time) - so we worked out our schedules so that I went into the office the days he is off (he's a firefighter that works 24 hour shifts at one job, 12 hour shifts at another) and I stay home the days he goes in.  

He is a great Mr. Mom! He takes them grocery shopping and on other errands, he plays with them and takes care of them when they're sick - all the typical mom stuff that a lot of men aren't comfortable with - and never a complaint about any of it. I don't know how I'd have done it without him - he truly is an equal partner and a great dad that is always there for the girls and me!

Posted by Susan Lounsbury