Life
Couple adopts 18-year-old who was abandoned at birth, “every child deserves a forever family”
They pushed through all the criticism until they finally became a family.
Emma Shallcross
10.23.20

When Casey Douglas first met her husband, she already knew in her heart that she wasn’t going to bear children. Casey was a a pastor’s daughter with a Christian background, and despite traditional values stating that she should have “enough children to fill out the pew on Sunday morning,” Casey knew that her true calling in life was a little different.

Speaking on her personal blog, Fantastic Teens And Where To Find Them-The Douglas Family Adoption Story, Casey shares her story about choosing a different route to biological children, and just how rewarding it ended up being. This mom is truly an inspiration to us all!

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Shortly after Casey married her husband, the two began to volunteer at their local church as youth pastors. Together, they helped to inspire many children and young adults to follow the path of God, and their role often involved working with those from low income areas.

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Still, may people questioned Casey’s decision to not have her own children, and made remarks such as, “You need to have your ‘own’ children first,” and, “your husband needs to carry on his legacy.” Despite all this, she was able to ignore the opinions of others and follow her heart.

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After working with their students, Casey and her husband soon began to realize that this was a role that they wanted to dedicate their whole lives to- not just a few nights a week. They made the decision that they wanted to adopt at the tender ages of 24 and 26, and the criticism began to increase.

“The best you will ever get is that a kid sees you as a mentor and then leaves the second he turns 18,” one person hurtfully commented.

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Although Casey knew that the critics had her best interests at heart, still she ignored their negativity- and to prove to everyone that she was serious about her decision, she underwent a vasectomy which would result in her no longer being fertile. The couple then registered to adopt.

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The youth group had influenced Casey and her husband so much, that they decided to only adopt children over the age of 13. When the new case worker showed up, she got out of the car and said, “So you are the people that want teenagers… are you crazy?”

“Something like that,” Casey replied.

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Casey and her husband were more than prepared to adopt, however they were taken by surprise when the case worker asked if they had ever considered fostering. She had received a phone call about a 16-year-old male who needed to be homed that very same night, and Casey didn’t hesitate to welcome him into her home.

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Despite feeling a little nervous, the couple brought their new son into their home. He was incredibly small for his age and his only possession was a bag of ripped, stained clothes. He had been abandoned at the hospital as a baby by his birth mom, and since then he had gone from home to home and experienced a terrible amount of abuse.

However, as he began to settle into his new home, the 16-year-old boy became overwhelmed with gratitude.

He looked at me and said, “I have waited my entire life to be treated the way y’all treat me. I have never had real parents before,” Casey recalled.

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Two years on, Casey and her husband finally received the rights to adopt their son, and on January 10th, 2019, during an emotional ceremony, he officially became a part of their family.

“Parenthood came to us in a really unconventional way, but it has been more than I could have ever hoped for.” Casey said.

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What an amazing family! For more on the Douglas family adoption story, check out their Facebook page here, and watch the emotional adoption video below.

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