"A lot of people think you have to conceive and give birth in order to love them, but that love is there no matter what," Kathy said.

The Young Family:

Parents: Kathy and Mike
Adopted Children: Mylee and Jakob

Kathy and Mike Young spent two decades raising their biological children when they opened their home to foster children.

Kathy, who was adopted herself, said it was the "desire of her heart" to one day adopt and offer the love and stability to a child the same way her parents did for her.

"A lot of people think you have to conceive and give birth in order to love them, but that love is there no matter what," Kathy said. "Likewise, all children want to be loved, and there is love for a parent there no matter what."

Once their children left the house, Kathy had a bad case of empty nester syndrome. "I didn't like the emptiness. I didn't like that feeling. I knew I wasn't done. I knew the Lord had more children for us."

Since that realization, the Young's have added three more children to the family.

"Fostering children is more than just letting them stay in your home; they're a part of your family. How could you not adopt them? They're content. They're secure. You can't say no. That would devastate them," Kathy said.

Mylee and Jakob, who were five and two when they first arrived at the Young's, are now eight and five and are completely comfortable in their home with their parents and siblings. The younger children frequently stay the night and go shopping with Kathy and Mike's biological daughter Sara, 23, who they call Sissy.

The Young's found that going through the foster care system, and ultimately public adoption was the right fit for them. They didn't want to deal with the red tape of international adoption or the cost of going through a private firm.

"We looked at private adoption, but realized we couldn't break the bank. If you spend $50,000 it doesn't guarantee you the best kid in the world. Why spend all that money when there are so many children in the system that need a family?" Kathy said.

The Young's said through foster care they were able to find two wonderful children.

"I'm just so proud to have them in our lives," Kathy said.

<< go back to family stories