Couple Learns Foster Children Have Five Siblings — Open Up Their Hearts And Home To All Seven

Sep 28, 2021 by apost team

For many people, reminiscing on their childhood brings back feelings of joy and plenty of fond memories. This sadly isn't the case for everyone, though, as some children are thrown tough challenges their way. A set of seven brothers and sisters struggled to feel loved and find happiness while spending years in the foster care system. 

Their foster parents struggled to keep them fed on a daily basis, didn't care about their personal hygiene and didn't even make sure the children got to school most days. It was clear that they weren't given the amount of care, respect and love that they needed. Fortunately for the siblings, they finally found their forever home in December 2018.

Michael and Terri Hawthorn of Hot Springs, Arkansas, opened their home to two siblings in April 2018, unrelated to the seven children that they later met. The couple also already had four of their own biological children. They had first begun fostering twin sisters Lacey and Layna -- both 10 years old at the time -- on and off for three years before realizing that the girls had five other siblings still in foster care. The five other siblings included: Dawson, 15; Kyndal, 11, Addiley, 9; Arria, 9; and Nixson, 8.

Although the Hawthorns had their hands full with their biological and adopted children, they knew that they had more room in their home and in their hearts to welcome even more children who needed plenty of love and care. Finally, the children were able to be together with a set of parents that truly loved them.

Finding Their Forever Home

Good Morning America reported that the Hawthorns first fostered twins Lacey and Layna on and off for three years. The couple also has four biological children and two other adopted children, meaning their lives are usually pretty busy. When they met the twins' five other siblings still in foster care, they knew that they needed to help them. 

The couple reached out to their state senator, who contacted the Division of Children and Family Services to help make sure the Hawthorns would be able to adopt all seven siblings. The siblings had spent 1,035 days in foster care before finally finding their forever home with the Hawthorns, according to Good Morning America. They were officially adopted on Dec. 3, 2018, bringing the Hawthorn children count to 13.

"There's a lot of laughs, a lot of playing and at times there's chaos but it's a good chaos," Michael said. It's clear that the children finally feel safe and loved and have been having a lot of fun with their new parents. They even created their own YouTube channel called Happily Ever Hawthorn. Some of their videos include introductions to the seven siblings and their adventures together. "We would hope after seeing our video and hearing our story, there will be people willing to open their hearts and homes to children in the foster care system," Michael said. "They were ours already. All this did was make it official."

In May 2019, THV11 reported that all seven children had each gone to the dentist, were always fed and clothed and were doing well in school. Most importantly, they were finally happy and knew what it was like to be loved.

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What did you think about this emotional story? Were you surprised to find out how many children this couple now has? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your loved one, too.