Meet The Evans Family!
All you have to do is open your hearts.
After giving birth to 3 sons, Erin and Joseph Evans decided to open their home and their hearts to children in need of permanent families. They started by adopting a baby, later they added a young sibling trio, and after that they accepted an infant. Now they are in the process of adopting the last child’s two brothers.
The original Evans sons are Taylor, Brady, and Rex, now ages. 29, 28 and 25. These boys have consistently supported their parents’ adoption decisions, and they have warmly welcomed each new brother and sister into the household.
The children who joined the Evans family through adoption are: Madison, now age 17. Andrew, Ashlyn, and Alison, ages 14, 12, and 11; Sochi age 4; and Sochi’s brothers Daniel and Achilles, ages 11 and 10.
The Evans adopted Madison in Tennessee, where they were stationed earlier in Joseph’s military career. Madison’s birth mother’s plan allowed the Evans to bring her home as a newborn. Madison was 8 months old when her adoption was finalized. Her parents describe their first daughter as “impulsive, loud, funny, creative and talented.”
Andrew and his younger sisters, Ashlyn and Alison, entered foster care in 2011. They lived in multiple foster homes. They have matured and progressed since the Evans adopted them two years ago. Athletic, smart Andrew is referred to as “a little engineer” because he can solve any puzzle. Sensitive and imaginative Ashlyn loves to sing, draw, and write stories and poetry. Known as the family’s cheerleader, Alison is athletic, smart, shy, and loving.
Youngest child Sochi is funny, quick-witted, and like most 4-year-olds, occasionally strong-willed and demanding. Her brother Daniel is athletic, smart, sensitive, and inquisitive. Athletic and observant brother Achilles is sometimes rowdy, often funny, and always loving.
The Evans credit several agencies and recruitment campaigns with helping them decide to adopt: Tennessee Children's Home, Children Youth and Family Services of Douglas County and Arapahoe County, and Special Kids Special Families.
Erin and Joseph place little significance on their openness to older children, siblings, children of different ethnicity, and children with disabilities. They observe, “These were and are innocent kids that deserve a forever home.” The Evans have become adept at finding appropriate medical and mental health resources. Referring to the children’s counselor as “my life line,” Erin observes, “You cannot do this without help.”
The greatest obstacle Erin and Joseph have overcome was “fear.” They explain, “It is easy to feel overwhelmed and to second guess your ability to parent children who have had life experiences such as theirs. You have to look past the paper work and the files to see the child on the other side.”
Noting that many former foster children are behind in school, the Evans ask Colorado policymakers to extend the Adoption Assistance subsidy and medical care coverage to age 21. They would also like to see Colorado offer free college tuition for former foster youth, as several other states do.
Reflecting upon the many children awaiting adoption, Erin writes, “Our country makes it very easy to give these children homes. All you have to do is open your hearts.”
