April and Justin Carter
April and Justin met and quickly fell in love. April is a family photographer, and Justin is a United States Army vet. After dating for a while, the couple decided to get married. They had their dream wedding on a beach, and after the wedding, they started house hunting. Everything was going great for the couple, and they decided to have a baby.
April’s Pregnancy
After trying for just a short time, April and Justin found out that they were expecting. They were going to be having a girl, and they planned to name her Kinley Mae. April started preparing the nursery for her daughter by painting it pink. When she went to her 20-week checkup, the baby was so active that they couldn’t get the required ultrasound pictures. During April’s follow-up visit, she got some horrible news. The doctor told her that the baby had hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which is a defect that keeps half of the heart from developing correctly. Her daughter also showed signs of a fatal chromosomal disorder. April and Justin decided to forgo any further testing until Kinley was born. She was scared for her daughter’s future but tried to remain positive.
Kinley Arrives
When April was 37-weeks pregnant, Kinley’s heartbeat was very faint. Her doctors decided to deliver the baby via C-section, and she survived. Sadly, the couple’s joy didn’t last too long. When she was three days old, the doctors confirmed that she had Trisomy 18, which was a fatal genetic condition that brings on a number of medical conditions. Kinley lived only a week after being diagnosed. April and Justin were devastated. It was a year before the couple even thought about children again.
Trying Again
After a year, the couple decided that they were ready to have a baby. First, they thought about finding out if they could conceive. After a few months of trying, they decided that it would be better if they were to adopt. They researched all of their options and decided that being foster parents and then adopting would be their best option. To be certified foster parents, Justin and April had to go through six months of training and a mountain of paperwork.
Six-Week-Old
When the couple got the call that a six-week-old girl was waiting for them, they were thrilled. According to the social worker, the mother’s friend who lived in another state was thinking about adopting the baby. The social worker didn’t think it would work out, so April and Justin took the baby in. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out. The mother signed her rights over to her friend, and they lost the baby. They were devastated all over again.
Chloe
The couple almost gave up on having a family due to the heartache that they already experienced. The love they had for Kinley reminded them how great parenthood was, so when they heard about a little girl named Chloe who needed a home, agreed to take her in. April’s brother had adopted a baby, and he was Chloe’s brother. They thought it would be great that they could remain in each other’s lives. When she moved into their home, she was 15-months-old.
Baby K
Seven months after Chloe went to live with April and Justin, they got a call about a 16-day-old baby girl that needed a home. They were nervous about taking in an infant due to their past, but they agreed. They took her in that night and nicknamed her Baby K.
Madelyn
April and Justin always wanted three children, and when they heard about a 3-year-old girl named Madelyn who needed a home, they agreed to foster her as well. Having three children under three cause things to be crazy and hectic in the house. It was exactly what April and Justin had always dreamed of.
Adoption Day
When Chloe’s adoption day arrived, over 30 of the couple’s friends and family members went along to offer their support. When this foster mom adopted a child in need, the judge’s words brought her to tears. The judge simply thanked the couple for helping a child in need, and April broke down. Three months later, Madelyn was officially April and Justin’s daughter. Baby K isn’t the couple’s legal child yet; however, there is a court date on the books, and soon, it will be official.
A Loving Home
April and Justin always wanted to be parents and to give their children a loving home. They may have more children much sooner than they planned, but they couldn’t be happier. Their dreams of having a happy family had finally come true. April and Justin thank Kinley for giving them the strength to open their home to three beautiful girls.
