Siblings possess a very unique and special bond. The lovely moments spent while growing up with siblings get etched in one’s mind as a sweet memory for the lifetime. But the siblings who get separated during the adoption and fostering processes are bereaved of this special bond. Lacey Dunkin is a single mother, who has set an example to the world by adopting six sisters together to make sure they do not have to go through the pain of separation.
Her beautiful family now comprises of Sophia, 9, twins Natalie and Melanie, 7, Kaylee, 6, Lea, 4, and Cecily, 2. She proudly calls the girls as “the loves” of her life. Lacey says about her daughters,
They bring me so much joy, and chaos, but life would be so empty and bland and boring without them. It’s an honor to be their mother, they melt my heart.
Lacey agreed without hesitation to foster four sisters in the year 2011 after she received a request for it.
“I can’t tell you why I felt so compelled to say yes, but I did. And I didn’t even consider not keeping them together. It was all or nothing to me.”
But after a happy nine months of stay with Lacey, the four sisters were back in the custody of their biological mother along with their youngest sister, who stayed with another foster family. But soon after, the biological mother approached Lacey and requested her to adopt all the five sisters as she believed Lacey would be the ideal mother for them. In the year 2013, Lacey adopted all the five sisters after fostering them for almost a year. But there were more surprises to come.
During the year-long adoption process, the biological mother was expecting her sixth child. Lacey readily agreed to adopt this sixth girl as well, thereby adopting half-a-dozen girls together. With the official adoption of the youngest girl, Cecily, in March 2015, the beautiful family was completed. To mark the “sweet” day her family became complete she coined a term “Honeyversary“.
“I want people to know that foster children are not bad, they’re not broken. Children are resilient, and want and need a loving home.”
This generous act of Lacey has been widely appreciated and applauded all over the Internet. She shared a touching photo all her lovely daughters gathered together on Facebook. She expressed her beautiful experience as a single mother.
So I was nominated in the Motherhood Dare to post one picture that makes me proud or happy to be a mom. I chose this picture.
I chose this picture not because it’s a beautiful picture, although it is, but because of the memory of taking this picture. The memory of the chaos and stress that preceded this beautiful happy picture of me and my girls.
What you don’t see is the yelling, pleading, bargaining that went on prior to this picture. The tears and whining and pouting and me flipping out saying, “all I want is one nice picture of us all, is that too much to ask???” You don’t see me asking my mom to race down to the park, me texting my sweet photographer that it’s been the “morning from hell”, or me rudely honking at a woman who was taking her sweet time to close her door so we could park. (Not my best moment).
This picture reminds me that even during the hard times, life is beautiful. That pressure produces diamonds, and that things don’t have to be “perfect” to be great.
This selfless act of Lacey Dunkin has earned her colossal appreciation from around the world. She is truly an inspiration and a role model for the single parents who are looking forward to adopting children. More people like Lacey Dunkin will surely make this world a better place to live in.
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