We're Adopting!

Melissa and Joe are happy to announce the arrival of two beautiful, bouncing teens into their family of four. One 19-year-old non-binary kiddo and 19-year-old trans kiddo! The deliveries were rough; we're not going to lie.

No, a star didn’t come up in the SW side of the Easternmost metro area in the middle-ish of Missouri in almost nearly the middle of the United States…

No.

My husband, Bear, and our teenagers, Frog and Axolotl, welcome two new kiddos to our family. (Well, technically adults)

Adults, legally, yes, but they were not allowed to live authentic lives. They do not feel safe and supported in their homes, and they are lacking in three things:

Who are these kids, and why should we care?

You don’t have to. I ask a lot of my community, but it’s because you always find some coins under the couch cushions for me. 

These kids are not afforded the luxury of BEING THEMSELVES. They do not feel loved. They are constantly vigilant. They do not have the medical and psychiatric care that they need. They do not have privacy. They are not given what kids their age should have, and that's some bullshit. These are our kids now.

Meet the new kids: 

Raccoon is a 19-year-old trans man who has been stuck with a deadname and living with people who do not respect his transition. Jesus is used as a weapon against him. He has missed a year of college to ensure his dead name wouldn’t follow him. Raccoon does not feel safe in his house. He’s amazing and Bear can palm his entire head with one hand.

Wolf is a young non-binary Black sweetheart who is nearly 20 and still has a tracker on their phone, is not allowed to be gainfully employed and is told terrible things about Black folks with different language. They are not allowed to have any privacy and do not feel safe in their house. They are also brighter than both Joe and I put together, and that smile lights up an entire room. 

What's the money for?

Joe and I have offered them everything from help with a name change to legal adoption and insurance coverage. We are remodeling our basement into a private bedroom so we can have both at once if that’s what’s needed.

We will not give any specifics about the kiddos for safety’s sake. Don’t ask, please.

We started a fundraiser on June 1, 2022 and will have surprises for some of those who donate. Like a free reading or tarot class with me or my crew.

 

Our little Wolf and Raccoon were not given the ability to live their most authentic lives, so we are helping them do that. We're asking you to help them, too. The money will be spent thusly:

 

$9000 to each kid - the money will be held in an account to help them achieve their most authentic lives. These may include name changes, medical assistance, day-to-day needs, transportation, college applications, down payments for apartments, etc. When they each turn 21, the remainder will be given to them. Both kids agreed upon this, and the three adults helping them out, and we will make all decisions between the five of us and our non-adoptive kids.

 

$3000 to turn our basement into a private bedroom with a locked door. We have one bedroom available, and the other needs to be built. Luckily, I married MacGyver.

 

$15,000 will go to the three Trans Rights groups that have helped us help these kiddos. I will not name them because Raccoon and Wolf's safety and privacy are paramount.

 

$4000 for potential court costs to make these kids officially ours. Did you know you can adopt legal adults? I didn't. It's on.

 

Any extra funding (wouldn't that be something?) will go where it's most needed in the framework above. Our family and heart families have agreed that any funds go toward helping these two live their best lives without any restrictions that might otherwise be in their way.

 

Listen, we will do everything we can to help these young adults. Our duty of care for them will range anywhere from a legal name change to legally adopting them.

They're our family now.

Thank you for being part of our new online kiddo shower. :)