Steve and Rob Anderson-McLean, who have been married for over two decades and have raised two kids from previous marriages, felt it was time to have a family of their own.

Soon after they started to investigate the prospect of adopting, they were inspired by a story they watched on television to go a different route. The story focused on a couple who adopted siblings in order to avoid having to separate them, which is something that occurs much too often.

According to Steve, “There is such an astounding quantity of sibling groupings that have been split apart,” and “it has shattered our hearts.”

They anticipated to adopt two or three children during their search for children in need of a home, but, once again, their original plans were thrown out the window as soon as they spotted a picture of Carlos, Guadalupe, Maria, Selena, Nasa, and Max on the internet. In fact, they claim to have “instantly fallen in love” with these gorgeous children, who range in age from 7 to 14.

Steve and Rob were matched with them in June 2018, and a few of months later, the whole family moved into their new home together.

When the children first saw their new fathers, they were a little nervous to say the least. After being in the foster care system for over five years (1,640 days to be precise), they were well aware of the possibility of being separated from their parents.

They were able to calm down once Steve and Rob reassured them that they were part of a group, allowing them to spend more time getting to know one another. Foster care youngsters fill out “Life Books,” which are binders filled with all sorts of information about themselves, to assist in this process.

Getting to know one another in this manner was enjoyable; yet, it also served as a reminder to Steve and Rob that these youngsters had been through a great deal.

‘You realize that they’ve had a lot of life happen before we came into their lives, and I believe we were quite concerned about protecting them,’ Rob added. Unfortunately, we can’t change what has already happened, but we can work to ensure that their future is brighter and happier than it has been in the past.

Once the children’s concerns had subsided, it didn’t take long for them to understand that they had at long last arrived at their destination.

Following the first week, they began to inquire as to whether they may remain indefinitely. “We brought them to the park and to the zoo,” says the father. “We had a lot of fun in the yard.” “It was all brand fresh to them,” he said. “Having a good time was something new to them.”

At times, the wait of over a year to complete the adoption was nerve-wracking, particularly for the younger children, who were concerned that any accident might cause their fathers to reconsider their decision to adopt. As a result, when the day of May 23, 2019 finally arrived, it was as if a weight had been lifted off all of their shoulders.

In response, the judge said, ‘Do you realize that they are your children from this point forward?’ “They are as much your biological children as they are your adopted children,” Steve said. We were aware of this, but when I glanced up and saw all those eyes, it was a really emotional moment for me. “We never dreamed that we’d be fortunate or blessed enough to have six children.”

“I’m no longer considered a foster child. “I don’t have to carry that label about with me anymore,” Carlos, their 14-year-old son, recently informed his father, Robert. “I have a true family for the first time.”

“I’m not a foster kid anymore. I don’t have to carry that title around,” Carlos, their 14-year-old recently told Rob. “I finally have a real family.”