Our daughter, Alayna, joined our family 11 years ago, but it was just on March 27th 2025, that she legally became ours. She is now 21 and thriving. Our daughter, Caylie, asked for a friend to come over for a sleepover that never ended. Middle school, high school came and went and now we reach young adulthood. Alayna became a permanent fixture in our home and even spending birthdays, holidays and graduations together. While growing up and learning life’s lessons through the happiness and the tears our lives were so intertwined that we naturally became her family.
Family is who is there when life gets hard. Family sticks up for you no matter what and Family certainly is a 2 a.m. call just to say, “I love you”! When the judge asked our boys if we should adopt Alayna there was a resounding “Yes”. That is the stuff that makes your heart melt as a parent. As my son Jon put it, she’s not “Alayna” anymore, but “Sister”. Caylie shrieked in excitement. We always referred to them as “our girls” but it would official. Caylie started a new job the same week made the adoption final so unfortunately she couldn’t be present – but with a joyful and busting heart she was there in spirit.
What my husband and I envisioned for our family as a young couple starting out was not such a large family but what God has created is even better. Mark Iverson and his team were amazing. They have worked with us to answer any questions and do all the footwork that I did not even begin to know where to start. We are forever grateful to Mark through the seasons of our life. Our family is so blessed!