“When we started thinking about having a family, a friend told us about Amara,” says Sam. “We attended an Adoption Information Meeting and we were pleasantly surprised about Amara’s openness towards gay parents.”

Hillary was just two days old when she needed a foster-to-adopt family. “Her State social worker asked if we’d be interested in adopting Hillary and possibly also her brother Robert, who was 15 months old at that time. We hardly knew a thing about Robert — but we took a leap of faith. We picked Hillary up from the hospital knowing that Robert might join our family one day too.”

A few months after Hillary was placed with Mike and Sam, they started preparing for Robert’s move to their home. But unforeseen complications with the legal process meant that Sam, Mike and Hillary had to wait a full year before Robert could join them.  

“The process of adopting Hillary and Robert was the most difficult thing I’ve gone through, but also the most rewarding,” says Sam reflecting upon their adoption experience. “I’d strongly encourage families to consider adopting a child from foster care, because of the need,” he says, “but I recommend they be prepared for a bumpy route.”

The couple has worked hard to help Robert transition into his new family. “It meant a lot to us when Robert recently said: ‘You’re papa, you’re daddy and I am your son’,” tells Mike.

“Hillary adores her big brother,” adds Sam. “Every morning when she wakes up she points her little finger towards Robert and calls out his name.”

Read more family stories.

 The photo of Sam, Mike, Hillary, and Robert is courtesy of PhotoMura Images.