“It was an immediate connection”

For Larry, this wasn’t his first Kidsave rodeo. In 2022, Larry met his oldest son, Charles, through our Weekend Miracles Houston program. The two were introduced at a monthly connection event and after hosting and fostering over the course of nine months, Charles was adopted by Larry on his 17th birthday, marking Kidsave’s first finalized adoption with a Weekend Miracles host in Texas.

After Larry adopted Charles, the two continued attending Kidsave events as Ambassadors. “We would still go to some events just to help, set up tables, and so forth,” said Larry. After Charles’s adoption, the Director of the Weekend Miracles Houston program reached out to Larry. “Tabitha called and told me about another young man there that she thinks would be a pretty good fit for us, and that’s when we first met Skyler.”

Larry and Charles returned to the next event as Ambassadors and were introduced to Skyler. Connection Events allow the kids and families to get to know each other in safe, but fun environments that allow them to bond naturally over time. Every child in attendance has chosen to be there and knows they are there to make connections. Every family understands the children are available for adoption and seek hosts and potential forever families.

“It was an immediate connection as soon as we met,” said Skyler. “I knew [Larry had] already adopted Charles, so that gave me a boost of confidence, and then we bonded over fishing, hunting, cooking, and it was natural.” Larry wasted no time in beginning the adoption paperwork, because his experience prepared him for the inevitable delays and hiccups.

“Out of nowhere, I was told we couldn’t move forward because of a mysterious [paperwork issue],” said Larry. It was the first time Larry and Charles heard anything about this particular issue. “No one could tell me what was going on,” said Larry. Understandably frustrated, Larry contacted anyone he could for help but received no clear answers. “Finally, I decided to reach out to Tabitha at Kidsave and that was when we started to see some positive movement.” Tabitha urged Larry to sit tight while she made some calls to attempt to alleviate the situation and allow Larry, Skyler, and Charles to move toward becoming a family.

“There are so many moving parts and players involved in the adoption process we know to anticipate potential issues, so I was able to quickly clear the obstacle for Larry and the boys. It probably helps that I am a licensed attorney and understand the particulars of what is required in the process,” said Tabitha.

“The next day, I got a call from a law firm and a letter stating that the issue was resolved,” said Larry. But the delays and uncertainty were stressful for the boys. “Their school grades had plummeted, but we worked hard to get them back on track,” said Larry. “Skyler’s adoption was pushed back a few months until he turned sixteen, but now he’s home, and we couldn’t be happier.”

Skyler is grateful to have the bonds and normalcy of family, having been in and out of foster care since he was two years old. “Charles acts more like a friend to me than an older brother,” said Skyler. “He’s not commanding, and it’s a relief to finally not have the weight of being without a family.”

For Skyler, being adopted by Larry has also created an opportunity for being reunited with his biological sibling. Since adopting Skyler, Larry has allowed Skyler’s younger brother Michael, who is also in foster care, to move in and they are now moving forward with adopting him as well. “The possibility of Larry adopting Michael makes me really happy,” said Skyler. “It’s fun to get to live with my brother again.”

From a retired police Lieutenant to the father of three teenage boys, Larry’s life has certainly changed since walking into his first Kidsave event in July 2021. Skyler is on his high school football team and participates in choir. Charles works part-time and is looking forward to graduating in the spring. Michael is adjusting to having two big brothers, a family, and looking forward to his adoption. Like all brothers, they’ve had their disagreements.

“They’re doing very well as brothers. I grew up with two older brothers, so I get it. Even I still get into arguments with my brothers sometimes, that never changes,” said Larry, with a laugh.

“They did have a few unpleasant discussions, but they were very brief, very short, and it’s normal to have some arguments.” Larry’s encouraging the boys to be realistic about their relationship and know that, even through those arguments, they’ll always be family.

About Weekend Miracles

There are many wonderful kids in our Weekend Miracles program in need of a mentor, host, or adoptive family. These older kids in foster care are growing up without the stability and love that all kids need to thrive. If you’re interested in adopting or hosting an older child, please contact us.

We’re happy to answer any questions and help you get started. Email us at weekendmiracles@kidsave.org to learn more. Kidsave’s Weekend Miracles program is available to residents of Los Angeles, CA, or Houston, TX.