Ohio Woman Adopts Late Ex-Wife\u2019s Newborn to Keep Him Out of Foster Care
\nChristie Werts, a 48-year-old Ohio resident, made headlines when she adopted the infant son of her husband Wesley\u2019s late ex-wife. Christie herself is no stranger to the foster care system and wanted to prevent the newborn, named Levi, from entering it.<\/p>\n
Blended Family Welcomes Another Member<\/p>\n
Christie married 45-year-old Wesley in 2018, combining their families which included Christie\u2019s children, Megan (21) and Vance (15), and Wesley\u2019s children, Austin (14) and Dakota (10). When they discovered that Wesley\u2019s ex-wife had tragically passed away shortly after giving birth to Levi, Christie didn\u2019t hesitate.<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew instantly that we should adopt Levi. Having been a foster child myself, I didn\u2019t want him going through that system,\u201d Christie shared.<\/p>\n
Relocating to Make it Official<\/p>\n
The adoption journey was not straightforward. The family had to sell their home in Ohio and move to Texas to foster Levi officially before adopting him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe adoption process took 16 months. Though Wesley and I weren\u2019t in frequent touch with the biological mother\u2019s family, we knew we had to act,\u201d Christie explained.<\/p>\n
Emotional Journey to Parenthood
\nWhile Christie admits to having concerns about adopting a child she had never met, her fears quickly vanished.<\/p>\n
\u201cAdopting Levi was different from having biological kids. Yet, he instantly stole my heart, and I felt an overwhelming need to protect him,\u201d said Christie.<\/p>\n
A Future Built on Love<\/p>\n
Levi is now legally a part of the family, with a birth certificate and a name. Christie described this as an emotional moment and believes that their journey was divinely planned.<\/p>\n
\u201cLevi may not understand now, but we will let him know one day how hard we fought for him,\u201d she stated.<\/p>\n
Words of Wisdom for Aspiring Adoptive Parents<\/p>\n
For couples contemplating adoption, Christie emphasizes the importance of a strong relationship and treating all children equally, whether they\u2019re biological or step-children.<\/p>\n
\u201cEnsure that your relationship is rock-solid before introducing kids into the mix,\u201d Christie advised.<\/p>\n
The Harsh Realities of Foster Care Adoption
\nIn her concluding thoughts, Christie said the adoption process, especially from foster care, is not easy.<\/p>\n
\u201cAdoption is not about self-interest; it\u2019s about the genuine desire to love and care for a child. The system isn\u2019t perfect, but you must take it one day at a time,\u201d she concluded.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Ohio Woman Adopts Late Ex-Wife\u2019s Newborn to Keep Him Out of Foster Care Christie Werts, a 48-year-old Ohio resident, made headlines when she adopted the infant son… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5528,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5527","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n