After several failed attempts to get pregnant, a married couple lost all hope, thinking they were only destined to be uncle and aunt. But an unexpected call one day changed their lives for the better.
Parental joy is precious, but it’s also rare, and many couples spend their lives yearning to be parents. And that’s where fostering and adoption come into play, emerging as a beacon of light and giving people a chance to complete their family.
An adoption is always an option, and non-conventional families are just as beautiful as traditional ones. Sadie and Jarvis Sampson’s story proves that love is the only binding force that holds people together.
MISSING THE FAMILY TRIP
It all began when the Sampsons missed a four-day family cruise trip to Mexico because they were tired from work. Sadie had started a new job two weeks prior, and her husband had begun his new job a few weeks before that.
Before heading back, Sadie realized she had forgotten to bring her younger sister’s life jacket. So, she drove to her house, grabbed her sister’s jacket, and decided to drop it off at her aunt’s place as she was also going on the cruise.
On her way, she received a message from her best friend. She asked if Sadie and Jarvis would like to foster or adopt a child. Sadie hesitated, thinking it would be a costly option, like IVF. However, her friend had more to share.
STRUGGLING TO BECOME PARENTS
“Well a friend of mine, and her boyfriend are considering foster care or adoption for their son. I told them that I thought you guys would be a great fit (sic),” responded Sadie’s friend. The Sampsons were quite familiar with the yearning to become parents.
From being labeled a “kidnapper” to giving preferential treatment to white children, the woman was judged for her adoption preferences.
The couple had been actively trying to conceive following their wedding in January 2018. They did everything, from ovulation tests and prenatal vitamins to cycle tracking apps and fertility monitors. Sadly, nothing worked.
THE UNEXPECTED CALL
After receiving multiple negative pregnancy tests, they sought medical assistance. “Lose weight, and you’ll get pregnant right away,” said every doctor Sadie saw. In February 2019, Sadie underwent Gastric Bypass Surgery and shed 28 pounds in the first month.
But despite multiple visits to the OBGYN and fertility specialists, the Sampsons were still not pregnant. Eventually, they gave up, thinking they were only meant to be uncle and aunt. Sadie’s friend contacted her again a week later, followed by a caseworker.
The caseworker told Sadie that the birth mother had asked if they would like to foster the child for six to twelve months while she received treatment. The Sampsons feared being attached to the child but agreed to take him in.
BECOMING PARENTS OVERNIGHT
Soon afterward, the caseworker called again and told the couple the birth mom wanted them to adopt the child. Sadie and Jarvis were dumbfounded. They had gone from not having kids to fostering one and becoming parents overnight.
Then, the Sampsons discovered that the child’s birth parents wanted an independent adoption. Consequently, they called their attorney and had the necessary paperwork drawn up quickly. Sadie then decided to break the exciting news to her mom.
“YOU’RE GOING TO BE A GRANDMA! We got a call about a 2-week-old little boy that we are adopting!” exclaimed Sadie. She heard her mother jump gleefully. After the birth parents signed the paperwork, Sadie and Jarvis headed to meet their child.
WELCOMING LITTLE EZRA
They drove to the hospital’s NICU and saw their son for the first time. He was born seven weeks early at 33 weeks and weighed four pounds, five oz. The baby was wrapped in a blanket and was so tiny that he fit in one of Jarvis’s hands.
Because he was born prematurely, the baby had a feeding tube coming out of his nose. Sadie and Jarvis juggled work and spent their remaining day with the infant in the hospital. Finally came the day when his feeding tube was gone.
The Sampsons were told they could take him home. After heeding doctors’ instructions, they drove their bundle of joy home. Ezra Lee’s adoption was finalized in October 2020, and he filled his adoptive parents’ life with happiness and love.
FAMILIES DON’T HAVE TO MATCH
After welcoming little Ezra, the Sampsons understood their parental struggle. The new parents were thoroughly grateful for their son and began documenting their journey on social media.
In 2021, Sadie and Jarvis became parents to twin girls Journee and Destinee through embryo donation. Staying true to their family motto, “Families don’t have to match,” the black couple became parents to three white children — a boy and two girls.
Sadie and Jarvis only have one message for anyone who judges or whispers against their beautiful family — their family is built on the most robust foundation ever, love.
LOVE ABOVE ALL ELSE
Choosing to adopt children from a different race can attract unnecessary attention from people, including harsh comments. Like Sadie and Jarvis, a black mother from Connecticut was criticized when she adopted two white siblings.
From being labeled a “kidnapper” to giving preferential treatment to white children, the woman was judged for her adoption preferences. But through genuine motherly sentiments, she showed the world that love goes beyond racial discrimination.
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