Herb

Back in 1978, I adopted three boys. I’ve raised five biological children and ten adopted children over the years, then I took a break until 2007. I just felt that my son Trevor needed a brother and I wanted him to experience not only the process, but giving to somebody else. That’s why I adopted De at that time.

De is my miracle child. He was born in Ethiopia and spent four years in a refugee camp in Kenya before arriving in the U.S. around age eight. He lived in foster care until he was 16, when I adopted him through the Minnesota’s Waiting Children program at Children’s Home Society & Family Services.

I always think of the children that are coming up on emancipation, and it breaks my heart that they don’t get adopted. It certainly was coming close for De. When De found out there was a family that wanted to adopt him, he told his foster dad, “I can’t believe that somebody is so interested in me!”

De and I and Trevor, we just hit it off as dad and son, and as brother and brother, from the first time that we met. De was probably my most seamless child as far as blending into the family. We worked at it and he worked at it – and it takes both. Some children take longer than others to start the bonding, but De was just so instant. The best part is when you see a child turning the corner and starting to bond and blend, when they know that there’s a family out there that really, truly loves them.

Adopting a child is undoubtedly the richest experience that anybody can ever have—the good and the bad, without question.

– Herb, father of Trevor and De, who was adopted through CHSFS’ program for Minnesota’s Waiting Children