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| Charley - 1 month & Jordan - 16 months |
Three of Charley's siblings were officially adopted 2 weeks ago. Even though they may not fully understand it now, their lives have forever changed. These children have experienced things that no child should be exposed to, but now they are loved by two parents who have made a commitment to protect and provide for them, and most importantly, love them forever.
A part of me aches for Charley, that he's never going to celebrate these happy times with his siblings. We were not asked to be a part of this occasion and I fully understand why. Two of the other children are old enough to know that Charley is their brother, yet too young to understand why he's not with them. The adoptive parents want to give these children a life that is as close to "normal" as possible, given the circumstances.
So, I'm posting this beautiful article that was written in the Omaha World Herald...for Charley. When he's old enough to understand, I want him to know that his brothers and sister have a wonderful, permanent home where they are loved and well taken-care of. My prayer for Charley is that someday he will be able to have the same.
Until then, Curtis and I will love this little guy like our own, and give him a home where he feels safe, warm, and loved.
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| Shyanne - Age 3 |
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| Jordan - 16 months |
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| Dakota - Age 4 |
Kids, new parents celebrate
Gail and Patrick Schmidt thought hard about the fact that they would be in their 60s by the time these kids are teenagers. Didn't matter. The three children wouldn't be bounced around through foster care. They would have a permanent home and reliable parents.
Patrick Schmidt, 47, originally was willing to be a foster parent but had no interest in committing to adoption. They took in a little girl, Danielle, about three years ago. She had been moved from one foster home to another. Patrick Schmidt gradually realized he couldn't allow that to continue happening to Danielle. He and his wife adopted the 8-year-old girl in July. Meanwhile, they fell in love with three other children in their foster care. They adopted those kids Saturday.
They moved out of the courtroom after the ceremony and into a room for photo-taking. A man took numerous shots of what had just become the six-person Schmidt family. “How much pictures did you take?” Danielle asked the photographer.
Patrick Schmidt's father, who turned 73 Saturday, came up from Texas for the ceremony. So did Patrick's three sisters. They took turns carrying the kids, holding their hands, placing them on their laps.
Jordan reached into the purse of new aunt Cathy Williamson and touched her camera. “He likes electronics,” she said. “Yeah, you're gonna be a geek.”
Dakota had the image of a snake painted on his face. Shyanne looked in awe at a young woman on stilts who then handed Shyanne a small cluster of pink balloons. Danielle, her face covered in colorful flower images, drew with crayons.
“At this stage of our life, it's very interesting,” said Gail Schmidt, 47. “It's awesome. It's just awesome.”
Patrick Schmidt, the guy who once doubted he could adopt a child, now had four adoptees.
“I am thrilled to death,” he said with sincerity. “It's a great, great ride.”
The Schmidts adopted siblings Dakota, a 4-year-old boy; Shyanne, a 3-year-old girl; and Jordan, a 20-month-old boy, in a National Adoption Day ceremony Saturday in Omaha.
Similar gatherings took place this weekend in other communities in Nebraska, Iowa and nationwide. National Adoption Day promotes the joy of giving a child a permanent family and publicizes the need for more adults to do so.
Twenty-nine children received adoption decrees Saturday at the City-County Building. The children, their parents, relatives and friends then celebrated in the lobby. They ate cookies and drank juice and coffee while face painters and balloon makers did their stuff.
Patrick Schmidt, 47, originally was willing to be a foster parent but had no interest in committing to adoption. They took in a little girl, Danielle, about three years ago. She had been moved from one foster home to another. Patrick Schmidt gradually realized he couldn't allow that to continue happening to Danielle. He and his wife adopted the 8-year-old girl in July. Meanwhile, they fell in love with three other children in their foster care. They adopted those kids Saturday.
They moved out of the courtroom after the ceremony and into a room for photo-taking. A man took numerous shots of what had just become the six-person Schmidt family. “How much pictures did you take?” Danielle asked the photographer.
Patrick Schmidt's father, who turned 73 Saturday, came up from Texas for the ceremony. So did Patrick's three sisters. They took turns carrying the kids, holding their hands, placing them on their laps.
Jordan reached into the purse of new aunt Cathy Williamson and touched her camera. “He likes electronics,” she said. “Yeah, you're gonna be a geek.”
Dakota had the image of a snake painted on his face. Shyanne looked in awe at a young woman on stilts who then handed Shyanne a small cluster of pink balloons. Danielle, her face covered in colorful flower images, drew with crayons.
“At this stage of our life, it's very interesting,” said Gail Schmidt, 47. “It's awesome. It's just awesome.”
Patrick Schmidt, the guy who once doubted he could adopt a child, now had four adoptees.
“I am thrilled to death,” he said with sincerity. “It's a great, great ride.”
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