4 California Brothers Thrive in Unconventional Adoption

Families come in all shapes and sizes. For one family of six in California, overcoming obstacles seems to be the common thread between them. The family is comprised of two dads and four sons. The children are 11, 9, 6 and 5. All four boys are biological brothers who were in the foster care system when they were adopted by their dads.

The couple has been together for a decade, but weren’t legally married until last year. They had been considering adopting a child, but didn’t know they would end up with four children all at once. As the couple watched television one fateful night in October of 2010, they saw the four brothers on “Wednesday’s Child” and felt a connection with them right then.

In order to become a family, the men had to overcome some obstacles. The children were Los Angeles County, but the men were in San Bernardino County. They were able to work with the San Bernardino County Family and Children’s Services to move forward with the process. They became licensed foster parents, which they say involved a very thorough educational process.

The men, who are both in the education field, said once they were matched with the boys, things happened quickly. Despite the boys’ ages, the men say they have enjoyed seeing some “firsts” for the boys since the children moved into their four-bedroom home in 2011.

Their four sons seem to be thriving since moving in. One child had developmental delays but has since started hitting milestones. Another is labeled as special needs, but the dads say he is a typical little boy.

The story of this unconventional adoption shines a light on how families can come together to overcome almost anything. Those who are considering adopting should make sure they understand the process, their rights and their responsibilities to make the experience as easy as possible.

Source: Huffington Post, “These gay dads got an unexpected surprise when they adopted their 4 sons” Corinne Lightweaver, Jun. 06, 2014