Imagine four siblings from Kansas, each with a heartbreaking past of abuse, facing the grim prospect of being separated through adoption.
Alisia, Bradley, Cody, and Emma had only known each other’s company and the thought of being torn apart was unbearable.
At the ages of 17, 16, 15, and 11, they were on the brink of entering new homes, with the likely scenario being that sisters Alisia and Emma would be placed together, while brothers Bradley and Cody would be sent to a different home.
Enter Eric and Phyllis Watson from Gardner, Kansas.
This compassionate couple had just received their foster parent licenses and were open to adoption.
When the adoption agency presented them with their first case—these four siblings with a single, desperate wish to stay together—the Watsons felt an immediate connection.
“We were initially thinking maybe one or two foster kids,” Eric remembered.
“The turning point for me was they were going to be split up and I didn’t want to see that.”
Unfortunately, that is the reality for many sibling groups in foster care.
Phyllis added, “Eric woke up one morning and said, ‘We’re gonna take the kids.’”
Despite both having full-time jobs, the couple couldn’t bear the thought of these siblings being separated.
After a restful night, they made the decision to meet the kids, and the chemistry was instant.
The Watsons didn’t waste any time.
They adopted all four—Alisia, 17; Bradley, 16; Cody, 15; and Emma, 11—effectively tripling the size of their family overnight.
The legal formalities took place in court, where the judge questioned the new parents: “Do you feel you’ve developed a mother-child relationship?
Can you financially provide a proper home? Do you understand there are no give-backs here?”
To each question, the Watsons confidently responded, “Yes.”
Of course, the Watsons had their initial reservations.
“We were a bit nervous about adopting all four,” Phyllis admitted.
But they quickly adapted to their new life.
They even built a larger home to accommodate everyone and bought a bigger car to fit the entire family.
The children’s biological grandmother, Susan Bustamente, had nothing but praise for the kids, especially Alisia.
“She’s been a mother to those kids since she was three years old,” she said.
“They’ve had a hard life, but they’re strong.”
The siblings had indeed endured a lot, being victims of parents with substance abuse issues.
But now, thanks to the Watsons, they had a chance at a brighter future.
This adoption case was particularly moving for District Judge Kathleen Sloan, who couldn’t hold back her tears during the proceedings.
“Welcome to the very best hearing that I get to have in this courtroom,” she said.
“The very best hearing that any judge gets to have in the entire United States of America.”
The judge was so touched that she ordered a standing ovation for the newly-expanded Watson family.
Phyllis summed it up perfectly: “It’s not what I had planned, but it’s so much better. I love them like they are my own.”
Watch the video below to meet the siblings and their new forever family!
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