Help Us With Our Adoption!
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In Feb 2017, we lost my Aunt Vicki to colon cancer. At the time, she had custody of her 2 grandkids, Ryleigh and Colton. Not going into details, but Rye and Colt had no choices and the bio parents could not regain custody. These 2 kids had literally been to hell and back when Aunt Vicki won custody, and to lose her threw the kids back into a whirlwind of uncertainty. However, during the time she was sick, we had a plan. Sharon agreed to take in the kids and promised Aunt Vicki she would take care of them no matter what. Since that time, Rye and Colt have been with Sharon and Chris. It was new, and different, and here they were, once again, uprooted from the home they had gotten accustomed, to another home. What they didn't know at the time was how quickly they would find themselves with normalcy for the first time in their young lives. While Aunt Vicki did all she could, these kids have never had a real family Christmas, been on vacation, or even seen the beach!!
Colt started out behind in school and needing some extra help with a few things, as well as being undiagnosed with ADHD. Ryleigh was just quiet and always being the "mother" of her younger brother. She had learned to do everything for him since the time their grandma had become sick. They had to change schools. They left everything they owned behind. They went to live in this new home with literally nothing, with no one or nothing familiar but each other.
Fast forward to 2018!!! It is amazing at what a year and a half has done! Colt is now acing his subjects in school and has his ADHD under control! !Rye has been awarded award after award at school and even had her first Father/Daughter dance at school with Chris!!!
These kids have flourished in ways I personally never thought was possible!! They are both now able to be exactly as they should be.....healthy and happy kids with nothing to worry about!
Rye has played softball and has exceeded expectations on all fronts. She had never had the opportunity to play sports, and she was amazing!
Colt has come out of his shell from being the quiet little boy to a rambunctious boy that loves to socialize and play his video games. The little boy that rarely smiled and didn't talk, has now become the child that is always smiling and telling jokes and laughing! He also loves fishing!! We took him not too long ago and he was so ecstatic that he caught a fish! We have many more fishing trips planned!
He even got to meet former NFL player John Abraham!!
Since Sharon lives less than a mile from us, Rye and Colt get to spend a lot of time with their family, which is something they didn't have before. We, including myself and my mom (their aunt), my kids (their cousins), get to see them all the time. Since Sharon is also the step-mom to my kids, we all spend a lot of time together as a family.
The kids finally have a real home, a real family, and most importantly, that family unit that provides structure and support, including extended family. They are together as brother and sister, and we want it all finalized to be made permanent.
As you know, legal fees are very expensive for adoption. We are asking for the help and support of all of our friends and family to raise enough money to finalize this and adopt the kids. We want to make sure that no matter what, nothing will take the happiness and stability from these kids ever again. Please share and help support us on this journey!
(First beach trip)
(G'ma Doris)
(Baby Lily and Aunt Rye)
Thank you all!
Colt started out behind in school and needing some extra help with a few things, as well as being undiagnosed with ADHD. Ryleigh was just quiet and always being the "mother" of her younger brother. She had learned to do everything for him since the time their grandma had become sick. They had to change schools. They left everything they owned behind. They went to live in this new home with literally nothing, with no one or nothing familiar but each other.
Fast forward to 2018!!! It is amazing at what a year and a half has done! Colt is now acing his subjects in school and has his ADHD under control! !Rye has been awarded award after award at school and even had her first Father/Daughter dance at school with Chris!!!
These kids have flourished in ways I personally never thought was possible!! They are both now able to be exactly as they should be.....healthy and happy kids with nothing to worry about!
Rye has played softball and has exceeded expectations on all fronts. She had never had the opportunity to play sports, and she was amazing!
Colt has come out of his shell from being the quiet little boy to a rambunctious boy that loves to socialize and play his video games. The little boy that rarely smiled and didn't talk, has now become the child that is always smiling and telling jokes and laughing! He also loves fishing!! We took him not too long ago and he was so ecstatic that he caught a fish! We have many more fishing trips planned!
He even got to meet former NFL player John Abraham!!
Since Sharon lives less than a mile from us, Rye and Colt get to spend a lot of time with their family, which is something they didn't have before. We, including myself and my mom (their aunt), my kids (their cousins), get to see them all the time. Since Sharon is also the step-mom to my kids, we all spend a lot of time together as a family.
The kids finally have a real home, a real family, and most importantly, that family unit that provides structure and support, including extended family. They are together as brother and sister, and we want it all finalized to be made permanent.
As you know, legal fees are very expensive for adoption. We are asking for the help and support of all of our friends and family to raise enough money to finalize this and adopt the kids. We want to make sure that no matter what, nothing will take the happiness and stability from these kids ever again. Please share and help support us on this journey!
(First beach trip)(G'ma Doris)(Baby Lily and Aunt Rye)Thank you all!
Organizer and beneficiary
Michele Smallwood
Organizer
Lamar, SC
Sharon Smallwood
Beneficiary
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