Meet the Mayorga Family!
"Adoption creates relationships built on love and trust"
Adoption through foster care has provided Marcus and Kristin the opportunity to become parents. They write, “We are blessed with our two beautiful children.” Daughter W, age 4, is a strong, kind, and quiet little girl who loves art projects, playing outside, and baking. Son E, age 3, is a happy, social, and eager little boy who can't wait to play with trains and push cars.
Adoption has given these two youngsters the chance to grow up in a safe, healing environment. The Mayorgas worked with their local Department of Human Resources (DHS) from start to finish on both adoptions. They found their caseworkers helpful throughout the processes.
W.M entered foster care at age 5 months, and her adoption occurred at age 19 months. E was also 19 month of age at his adoption, but unlike W, he spent all of those months in foster care. Both children have needed extra services to help them overcome obstacles. As an at-home parent, Kristin is able to keep up with the many needed appointments.
The Mayorgas appreciate these post adoption services that have helped their children develop and their family bond. They have found the Oregon Post Adoption Resource Center (ORPARC) lending library very useful, Facebook adoptive parent group supportive, and their connection with other local adoptive families also helpful.
Family counseling has also been an important resource. It has helped to validate Marcus and Kristin’s concerns and taught them how to be “trauma-informed” parents. Learning Trust-Based Relational Intervention has helped them reach their children where they are. Kristin observes, “It is helpful to not think you're alone in this experience.”
The couple is especially thankful for the Federal Adoption Tax Credit, which helped them provide extracurricular activities that are critical to help their children. They explain, “Former foster children have spent their early life trying to survive and often not thrive. It takes money and resources to catch-up and this tax credit is a big help in that direction.”
Marcus and Kristin identify several obstacles that they have overcome in adoption. One was understanding the needs of each child and learning how to work as a family to meet those needs. Another was figuring out how best to respond to people’s questions and comments about the way their family looks or how they became a family.
The strengths of the Mayorga family lie in their love, dedication, and commitment to each other. These parents strive to be child-focused, “shaping our world to enter theirs.” All four Mayorgas are adventurous and enjoy trying new things together.
Suggestions the Mayorgas would offer to policy makers would be to offer more relevant training for adoptive parents and to reduce the time required to move children into permanent homes.
Asked what adoption means to them, Kristin and Marcus agree: “Adopting shows you are making a commitment to the children that need you the most by saying (and doing) ‘You are important, seen, heard, and valued every day.’ Adoption creates relationships built on love and trust.”
* Names withheld upon request.
