Meet the Pugh Family!
Family is the people who love and care for you.
After Dawnette and Roy had raised six children, their hearts and minds turned to foster care and adoption. Dawnette explains the couple’s motivation: “I was adopted as an infant and Roy was in foster care for five years. We both learned that the definition of “family” extends beyond blood relatives. Family is the people who love and care for you.”
Five fortunate youngsters now have a permanent home thanks to the Pughs’ commitment. Dawnette and Roy proudly introduce their newest sons and daughters: Daylia (Lia), Terris, Ashley, Joseph, and Jacob. The youngest children are a biological sister and brother pair; the older ones are a sibling trio.
Lia and Terris, ages 9 and 10, were in foster care for three years before the Pughs adopted them two years ago. Lia is happy, easy-going, and always smiling. She loves playing soccer, doing crafts, reading, and playing with her Barbie dolls. Terris is an active boy who is always “on the go.” He loves drawing, learning about science, and playing soccer and basketball.
Ashley, Joseph, and Jacob, ages 11, 13, and 15, lived with the Pughs in foster care for over two years before their adoptions were recently completed. An active girl with a consistently “upbeat” attitude, Ashley loves crafting, reading, and playing on her Leap-pad. Joseph has quickly “come out of his shell” and evolved into a happy and appreciative young man. His diverse interests include origami, gymnastics, and playing Minecraft. Oldest brother Jacob is enjoying social and educational successes. He made honor roll and was on the football team. Jacob likes to participate in church and to help others.
Adoption has required Dawnette and Roy to develop a new set of problem-solving skills to address educational, developmental, and behavioral challenges. They have used creative approaches, such as a stint of home-schooling for a child who was not yet ready for public school. They obtained the needed orthodontia work to improve one child’s self-image. And they sought Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Vision Therapy, and mental health counseling as needed.
The Pughs understand the importance of sibling bonds. Their youngest two children have a third sibling residing with his father in Texas. The Pughs keep the children tin touch, taking Lia and Terris to Texas once a year to visit their brother.
Although the Pughs did not initially intend to adopt again, they grew to love Ashley, Joseph, and Jacob. Dawnette recalls, “We spent a lot of time in prayer in deciding if the last adoption was a good fit for all the kids. It was a lot of personalities to blend together.”
The Pughs have a strong support system in their faith, their church community, and their extended family. Dawnette writes, “I have faith that God will put into me what I need to raise these children.” The couple’s adult children visit often and remain closely involved with their newer brothers and sisters.
The Pughs respectfully ask policymakers to make better mental health services available to adopted children. To others who may be considering adoption, they advise, “The rewards are great, but it isn’t all ‘sunshine and rainbows.’ It takes dedication, persistence, and a conscious decision to love the children even when they aren't so loveable.”
