When Michael spotted Dayshawn, he ran straight across the playground and jumped into his brother’s arms. Dayshawn lifted him up, embraced him, and hugged his baby brother for several minutes, with Michael returning the embrace. Sara and Stuart looked on with tears trickling down their faces.
The brothers were beside themselves with joy. The loving couple watched in amazement. It turned their hearts. They decided then and there these boys should not be separated again, ever. Sara and Stuart also understood what this would mean for them as a couple and as a family. Luckily, they were not only on board, they were ready and excited for the road ahead.
An Unforeseen Change of Plans
Sara and Stuart were thrilled to get an extra week with Michael. They had a wonderful time together and found themselves bonding with the little guy. Soon, they would find themselves with him full-time. On the adoption stories blog “Love What Matters,” Sara talks about how they were asked to watch Michael for a weekend.
The pair immediately said yes, and that weekend turned into a week. And that week into months. And those months into years. Clearly, this match was meant to be. In time, they would need to make things official, but in the meanwhile, they just enjoyed the family they were building.
A Surprise Visitation
The truth is, Sara and Stuart did not realize they would be caring for Michael full-time. The foster agency requested their home for him, and the loving couple was happy to spend more time with the adorable child. The more they got to know Michael, the more love they developed for him.
The next thing they knew, the agency requested a visit from another child. Imagine their surprise to learn that Michael’s big brother was coming to their home! Dayshawn was on his way to see his little brother. The four of them would be together as a family for the first time.
Ten-Year-Old Dayshawn
Meeting Dayshawn was life-changing. The couple came to the realization that in order to keep these boys together, they would have to adopt them both. But Dayshawn was 10 years old. Sara had never planned to adopt an older child. An internal storm ensued. They knew what they wanted to do and what the right thing was to do, but it was obviously a new set of circumstances that they hadn't expected, and would offer new challenges.
She was just 23 herself, which would make her only 13 years older than her oldest son if the adoption went through. She wasn’t confident about being a mother to an older child. She was finding herself going against the parameters she and Stuart had previously agreed to.
Rolling With the Changes
As the couple’s plans for fostering only young children were going out the window, they wondered what it would be like caring for a preteen. The teen years could be a challenge they were not ready to handle. What were they getting themselves into?
Yet, as they got to know Dayshawn, their fears thankfully seemed to subside. The loving and charismatic boy was winning their hearts. Sara told "Good Morning America" that they fell in love with Dayshawn the second he opened his mouth. Dayshawn was exactly like his younger brother; charismatic, sweet, and kind. He was every parent's dream.