She Started Noticing Odd Similarities Between Her Foster Children But What Did It Mean?

Katie Page found herself divorced by the time she was in her early 30’s. Who can blame her for feeling like she had the rug pulled from underneath her? All of a sudden, her life was thrown off-balance. The next thing she chose to do ended up changing her life as well as that of others…

Lost In The World

Katie Page came from Birmingham, Alabama. In the middle of her thirties, she found herself going through a very challenging moment. She could not help but feel unfulfilled after her marriage dissolved. She wanted to figure out what she should do next. The family life she wanted no longer seemed like it was within her reach by that point. She wanted a new start, which is why she decided to take a huge risk. She was willing to do it if it meant moving forward with her life.

A New Chapter

She knew that it was time for her to start a new chapter in life. This was the reason she had when she moved to another place and leave her friends and opportunities in Alabama. In 2015, she went on a soul-searching journey and returned with the determination to make serious life changes. She wanted to move and begin again. It was a good thing that she found a job in Denver, Colorado that suited the things she had in mind. She changed zip codes to become an integrated service manager for GE Johnson.

Her New Home

Katie had a good feeling about this decision of hers. It was now the time for her to work hard and achieve her goals. She bought a 4-bed ‘fixer-upper’ house that she wanted to renovate by herself. She said, “The house I bought would require extensive work to transform into my vision and most of which I would have to do myself in order to afford it.” She even told a friend that it was meant for ‘more,’ but she did not know what at the time.

Keeping Herself Busy

She knew that this project would require a lot of money, but she saw this positively. It meant that she could curb unnecessary spending and work on the repairs on her own. It was going to help her stay focused and busy while she worked on other parts of her life. She lived in a huge place by herself, so we can see why she felt like there was something missing. Her marriage ended, but she knew that this was not the end. It was why she started to look into the other options she had.

Searching For Satisfaction

There a couple of possibilities for her. Even though she had her hesitations, she at least knew that it meant that she could still improve her situation if she wanted to do so. Her renovation project kept her both busy and motivated, although she still felt unsatisfied.

Infertitlity Issues Of Her Own

Katie assumed that things would be better when she changed jobs, got a new house, and started a project. Despite everything, she still felt like something was missing. After going through fertility issues, she began to seriously consider adoption.

She Loves Kids

She wanted to go into a new direction, which was the reason she started to consider taking children into her home. She liked kids and believed that this might give her what she had been looking for. It was her dream to become a mother, but she had been incapable of carrying children.

Another Prospect

She thought that it was a sign when her new church sent her a letter about the upcoming seminar that would talk about a certain foster parent program. She was attracted by this idea right away.

The Right Path

The meeting only moved her some more and convinced her that it was what she needed in life. Even though she could not help but feel nervous about this, she was also thrilled by the very idea of it.

Her Maternal Desire

We cannot think of anything more appropriate than beginning this journey on Mother’s Day of 2015. She filled out an application form and changed her life. It was time for her dreams to become a reality.

A Single Mom

It was not like she did this on impulse. She had to think it through before taking on such a responsibility. It was going to be hard to deal with motherhood all by herself. Still, she knew it was the right choice.

Making It Official

Cases began to come in after she filed the application. The kids were not only looking for a parental figure but had also undergone trauma at such a young age. It made her want to do this even more.

Wanting One Of Her Own

In the year that came after that, she fostered four children. She started to get interested in adopting a kid. She was happy to be a foster mom, but she wanted something more permanent in her life as well.

Excellent Timing

Luckily for her, the right challenge cropped up in no time at all. Only two weeks after she told her worker about it, she received a phone call. It was about a baby who got abandoned at the hospital!

Destiny At Work

The baby was only four days old. She knew that this was fate. She told the caseworker, “I want him!” Katie even asked the worker not to speak to others about the baby. Were her dreams coming true?

A Short 24 Hours Later

A day after the call came in, the caseworker got in touch again. Katie picked it up, praying that she could look after this child. On the same day, she went to the hospital and brought the boy home with her!

A Difficult Start

In the past, she had taken care of a 14-month-old baby. It was the first time she had to look after a baby this young, however. The poor baby needed help right away. Sadly, it was even more complicated.

Illegal Substance Abuse

Doctors learned that he had been exposed to drugs when he was in utero. Even if this was the case, the good news was that he did not have withdrawal issues. There would be no long-term effects either.

Moving Forward

He got a hard start in life, but this was all behind him by then. It was a good thing that he went to such a loving foster home in the meantime. She was ready to give this poor child a new shot at a better life.

Picking A Name

He had been abandoned when he was just four days old and had no name yet. Katie combed through baby names to figure out what the name him. It was not like she could just keep calling him baby boy!

Baby Boy Grayson

When she brought him home, she only called him baby boy. It took her several days before she could finally arrive at a decision. She decided to just go with her favorite boy name. It’s Grayson.

At First Sight

She fell in love with this child from the moment she saw him. There was an instant connection there, but it was hard to explain. Maybe it all boils down to the fact that Katie was a natural at motherhood!

Her True Calling

She began to realize that it was her true calling in life. Katie also knew that she wanted to raise this child as her own. In the past, she fostered kids for a certain amount of time but none of them stayed for long.

The Next Step

In the end, this propelled her to go through the tiring process of adoption. It was going to be different from fostering in a number of ways, but Katie was prepared to go through all of these things.

Looking For Answers

They had been together ever since he was four days old, so he had a special place in her heart. He stayed with her for almost a year. Meanwhile, the caseworkers tried looking for his mom everywhere.

Searching For His Parents

They searched far and wide for his parents, but they failed to find anyone. While they placed ads in the newspaper and on Facebook. The hospital did not get anyone who was looking for a baby boy either.

Officially A Mom

In May 2017, Grayson could finally have a loving home to call his own! He became Katie’s legal son when he was 11 months old. They still had no clue that their life together was going to be very exciting.

Struggling

He needed her attention thanks to his physical and developmental issues. These things were effects of the drugs. Katie wanted more kids but knew she had to wait a little bit until he was 18 months old.

Holding Her Horses

In the next few weeks, she got a lot of emails and calls about new placements. However, the majority of them were just short-term placements. She wanted something long-term, but it was not yet the time.

He Deserved Her Undivided Attention

Even though she wanted to keep expanding the family, she was hoping to focus on her son for now. He deserved only her undivided attention, after all. Take a look at him enjoying the cake on his birthday!

Something Unexpected

There were rooms in her home that could be filled. She would have to wait before she could start a big family, however. If she wanted to adopt, she knew that it would be better to do it until he was older.

A Life-Altering Phone Call

Just a month after Katie managed to adopt him, she got an unexpected phone call. Who was it? She had no idea that it was going to change their lives forever. Keep reading to find out what happened next.

Hannah Is In Need

The caller told her that they had a newborn baby at the hospital again. Like Grayson, her mother also abandoned her. She was looking for a loving home. Katie found out that the baby was called Hannah.

Despite Her Reservations

Like Grayson, this child also got exposed to drugs when her mother was pregnant. It was interesting to note that she was at the same hospital he was found. What was Katie going to do about this baby?

Yes Or No?

She got déjà vu while talking on the phone. “During all of the phone calls I made that afternoon, the phrase ‘I know I am crazy, but God is telling me to say YES’ kept coming out of my mouth,” she later said.

First Meetings

Katie could not avoid feeling both overwhelmed and scared, but her gut told her she should open up her heart and foster this newborn baby girl. In only a few hours, Katie and Grayson would meet Hannah.

Not A Coincidence

Katie took this baby into her house and saw the name of the mom on the bracelet. It was the same name she found on Grayson’s! She checked Hannah’s discharge papers and noticed something else.

What Her Gut Said

As you can see, she and Grayson had a lot of similarities. Katie said, “[The caseworkers] told me her story, which was really similar to Grayson’s.” They did not look alike, but she had a creeping suspicion.

Something Seems Fishy

“Grayson is half African American with beautiful darker skin and dark curly hair,” she wrote on her blog, “Baby Girl has a pale white skin tone with straight red-blonde hair.” Still, her gut told her she was right.

She Was Determined

However, it would be hard to learn the truth since Grayson’s birth mom had a different surname. Her birth date was one day away from that of Hannah’s. Still, Katie wanted to get to the bottom of this.

What Are The Odds?

Katie approached the caseworker and shared what she had in mind. However, the worker only told her that it did not seem likely that Hannah and Grayson had the same mother. Who was right in this case?

Getting Answers

She did not give up and got in touch with the caseworker who handled her son’s case. Katie also asked this person to take over Hannah’s. Months later, they managed to track down Hannah’s biological mom!

Anxiety And Nerves

Katie felt anxious about meeting the birth mom of her foster daughter. As soon as they saw each other, she knew that she had been on the right track the whole time. How did a thing like this even happen?!

Figuring It Out

When she laid eyes on the birth mother of Hannah, Katie explained that she “knew instantly” that she also gave birth to her lovely son. Still, it was important for her to remain calm and levelheaded.

A Striking Resemblance

This birth mom would eventually reveal some stuff that Katie already suspected right from the start. The woman said that she had a boy as well, although she gave him up. She looked a lot like Grayson as well.

The Confirmation

Katie found out that she already had a few kids. There was a boy that she did not report too. After this, she told the case worker all of it. She then confirmed that her last name matched a relative of Hannah.

Putting The Pieces Together

The mystery was finally on its way to being solved. Katie, however, wanted to wait for the test in order to confirm her theory. In the end, the DNA test only confirmed that Grayson and Hannah were siblings!

Grayson And Hannah

Katie was shocked that she had two kids who were brother and sister purely by coincident. The case worker looked into the matter and confirmed it all. Can you imagine just how thrilled she was by all this?

A Miracle

“What if the baby girl had gone to another family?” she said in the blog post. “We would have never found her or Grayson’s mother. The connection would have never been made! I could not believe the miracle that had just happened.”

She Acted Quickly

After confirming that her two kids were related by blood, there was no way she could separate them ever again. It was only right for them to remain together, so it was time for her to make a move.

The Adoption Process

Aside from this, she was head over heels with Hannah already. She was glad to see that this little girl made Grayson very happy. It was time to make things official, so she started the adoption process.

Officially Her Mother

Together with Hannah and Grayson, she went to a hearing on December 29, 2018. At long last, this was it. Hannah was now officially her daughter on paper. She and her brother would grow up together too.

A Beautiful Family

They made a lovely family together, and Katie was just so thrilled that Grayson and Hannah had been reunited. When she began to foster, she did not ha a clue that something like this was even possible.

Like A Glove

Hannah spent almost two years in the foster care system before she was finally adopted. She slipped into the family perfectly. If you ask us, we are sure that destiny had been at work here the whole time.

The Ideal Addition

“I was happy to just give Grayson a life, and I thought that that was big, but I didn’t feel like that was enough,” Katie said, “So to give him a sister, I couldn’t imagine anything better.”

A Family By Fate

She told People Magazine, “They were meant to find each other, that’s pretty clear. I think God intended that from the beginning. If they weren’t related, Hannah would not have stayed with our family. She would have been placed with other relatives.”

A Born Natural

When she started this part of her life, she did not know that she would get two kids so soon. Even so, she is still one amazing mom! This really was her calling in life. She was a natural mom and loved kids.

Another Surprise

You might think that this was the end of the story, but this is not the case. “What do you mean?” you probably wonder. Well, she got yet another important call 13 months after adopting her daughter.

Their Birth Mother

It came from the agency once more! They had some news to give Katie and her small family. They had something to tell her about the birth mother of her two children. What could possibly be going on?

A Million Thoughts

Katie started to think of various possibilities. Could the birth mom be sick? Did she want to take Grayson and Hannah back? There were many things going through her head. She had no choice but to listen.

Their Baby Brother

When the adoption agency rang her up, she learned that the birth mom gave birth to yet another boy. While she was fine with her family as it was, she did not like the idea of leaving a newborn on his own.

Some Deep Thinking

This revelation meant that the kids could have another sibling in their home with them. Katie was surprised when she got the call, of course. Could she really handle raising three children all on her own?

A New Edition

After doing some thinking, she believed that it was just right for her to take in this newborn boy. Katie decided to take in the baby. Not only that, but she also began the adoption process for this newest member.

Welcome To The Family

For Katie, this was a leap of faith. Luckily, Jackson managed to fit in without any problems at all. Months later, he managed to capture the hearts of Katie, Hannah, and Grayson! It was time to make it official.

The Adoption Process Was Under Way

Katie made an Instagram post on June 9, 2019. She went to Instagram to say that the court date for his adoption process was ready. In the meantime, she was just happy to be with him and look after him.

Protecting His Privacy

She had to be careful about the safety and privacy of the kids when she went online. The story broke out and got the attention of the media. This could possibly make the process more difficult, so she made sure to cover the face of Jackson in her posts.

A Happy Family

They lived together in harmony while they waited for its approval. Hannah was 2 years old by then. She is now an energetic girl who likes clothes, shoes, and dolls! She is good at taking care of her brothers.

A Social Butterfly

On the other hand, Grayson was three years old already and due to attend preschool. He is a sociable little boy who liked meeting new people. He wears glasses to address his lazy as well. Cute, right?

No Longer A Single Mom

Katie took to Instagram to speak about a change in her life. She said, “While I can’t share his face as I vowed never to post him on social media so I could get him to take a photo with me, I can share how grateful I am for him.” The truth was that she and this man had been going out for a year already. He supported her through the “craziness of foster care” and the surprises that came her way.

Responsibility After Responsibility

Aside from him, she has been getting lots of help and support from other people. Her roommate, sister, and mother were all there to help her raise the kids. After all, she continues to work a full-time job.

Multiple Jobs

Without a doubt, it is hard to raise kids and work full-time. There is also her house renovation project to think about. It is impressive that she also started a small business on top of these things. She has a website called woodandgrace.net and works as an independent consultant for Rodan and Fields.

A Flexible Arrangement

Rodan and Fields is a beauty company that sells skincare and makeup. It lets Katie work from anywhere, so she gets extra income for the bills. However, does she have enough time to spend with all her kids?

Future Changes

“I am hopeful that one day this opportunity will give me the chance at the freedom to spend more time with my children and one day expand our family even more. My current traditional career path doesn’t make my dreams seem possible…so I began to consider ways to supplement that complimented my lifestyle and was flexible,” she explained.

Sharing Her Life

She has started to use social media to promote the businesses that she runs. Apart from her Instagram and Facebook pages, this busy mom also talks about her personal journey, project, and interior design skills on woodandgrace.net.

They’ve Changed My Life

“The last 35 years has been far from easy or the ‘perfect’ life, but it has been mine and has always been driven by my ‘CRAZY’ dreams,” she said in a post about her journey with adoption and foster care. “If people only knew how my children have changed mine far more than I could ever have imagined.”

Some Extra Help

Thanks to her business decisions, she has enough funds to get extra help for her household. She wants to hire a live-in nanny to give the kids extra TLC. That said, it is important for this foster mom to accept that some situations simply cannot be helped. It’s a good thing her faith has helped her through it all.

Staying Determined

Katie has been outspoken about foster care. On social media, she makes a lot of posts to discuss how much it has changed her life. “I don’t know if I believed in miracles for sure. I have no doubt now,” this mother said when she made an appearance on Good Morning America.

Still In Process

Jackson’s adoption is still ongoing. She said, “It takes patience beyond what I feel I have sometimes. It makes me and those who support me angry some days. But encounters/relationships with the children make it worth the hard times.

A Life-Changing Experience

Can you believe that something like this happened? It all began when she took in a young boy called Grayson. If she did not find him, there was no way he would have been reunited with his siblings. Katie said, “It is my greatest adventure and I can’t imagine my life without this experience.”

Good Housekeeping

At once, everything appeared to be coming together well for Katie. Since formally adopting Grayson and Hannah, Good Housekeeping Magazine asked her to see if she wished to be included. She couldn’t have said no to this! She wanted to share her story in every way she could: “I never imagined we’d be in @goodhousekeeping magazine, but life brings you amazing curves. I couldn’t be happier to see my children’s story touching so many people all over the world, and we hope it helps a lot more kids like them find caring homes forever!! Come and grab their August edition to find us. Thanks to @laurenwolters

Proud Mama

Parenting appeared to come easily to Katie. Each time she was able to spend time with her young children, she was so proud and grateful that she wished she could cry. It was honestly amazing how much her life had improved and how much she’d been able to develop in the last few years, and she wanted everyone to know her story. She wanted to enjoy every moment she could get! “I am SO proud of this girl for going by herself to a Sunday school class (versus with her bro)! She went in without hesitation and had a blast.”