'Adopting Was The Best Option': Couple Meets Needs Of Children In Foster Care
THORNTON, Colo. (CBS4) – At any given time in Colorado there are about 300 children living in foster care who are eligible for adoption. A Thornton couple heard the call of those kids and expanded their family.
When it comes to her family, Michelle Hendrikson dreams big.
"I said, 'Well, I want six,'" she explained of the early conversations she had with her now-husband Marc about kids.
"Which I thought was a joke," Marc interjected.
"He thought I was joking," Michelle confirmed.
She wasn't joking. She came from a big family. Her mom was the oldest of six, and her stepfather was one of fourteen, so she said that she always knew she wanted a big family. Now she's got one.
The couple had two boys biologically. Then the Hendriksons went to Guatemala to adopt a baby girl. Savaya is 12 now, and thriving.
"It was scary at first. But then, the more research I did, and the more I looked into it, the more I found out that there are kids out there that need homes so bad. And, that, to me, it was selfish having more children. I thought adopting was the best option," Michelle told CBS4.
The couple became foster parents, which is how they met Xanalia, Luca, and Brycen.
"You're not prepared for what the children are going to bring you, and you work through that. And the training helps, but a lot of it is you just work through it and learn," Marc explained.
They have learned about the lasting effects of babies born addicted to drugs.
"I think that was more of a bonding moment for me because they didn't ask for this. And these poor little children, they're so brand new, and they're going through this miserable feeling," Michelle said.
The miserable feelings are long gone now, but the family still deals with the lasting effects. Xanalia is 8, Luca is 6, and Brycen is 4, and while they're happy, healthy children, they do have some developmental delays. Michelle and Marc are the only mom and dad they know.
"Just to see them now, just so happy, so adjusted and well in our home and school, is just really something," Michelle said.
"It's been a good experience. I mean it's not perfect, but raising any family is not perfect," Marc added.
What is perfect is the family they've built together.
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