Longview, Texas (KLTV) -New forever families continue to be formed in this National Adoption Month. On Nov. 15, six families adopted seven children into their families inside the Gregg County Courthouse, one pair being twin brothers Mathew and Makai. Their adoptive mother Verniita Gipson says the twins’ adoption was a moment that was years in the making. “Their mother is a relative of mine, and unfortunately she was going through some things in her life, you know,” Gipson says. Agreeing to foster the brothers since they were just four months old, Gipson was able to be there for them when their biological mother couldn’t. “We had spoken previously to her having her children, if she ever got in a situation… that I would be willing to help her as much as I possibly could.”
After two and a half years of fostering the boys, Gipson took the steps to take them in fully. “I’m grateful that she made the decision to put them first, you know, and realize that she wanted something better for them,” Gipson expresses. A better life is what Gipson shares she wants to give the brothers. Having had three children of her own, Gipson is relearning how to be a mother of toddlers again, but it’s an experience she welcomes with joy. “Basically, give them everything that I got to offer to them, what I gave to my first three children,” Gipson says. During Gipson’s court hearing, 307th District Court Judge Tim Womack took the time to acknowledge the adoptive mothers’ efforts up until that point. “There’s just not many people… that have that in them. And you’re one of those very special people, so on behalf of this court …and me personally, I thank you so much for all that you have done and all that you will do,” said Womack. According to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, each year, approximately 700 to 900 foster youth age out of foster care.
Womack says that’s why their county’s adoption day means so much. “The fact that we get to do this once a year, bring some attention to this and hopefully, just like you said, maybe bring some new parents into the fold and maybe begin some new families,” Womack says. For people interested in helping children in the system, Gipson’s advice is to just go for it. “There are so many children, and they need that love. It’s nothing, like if you’ve raised one, you can raise another one,” Gipson says. Luckily, the energetic 3-year-olds will never have to go through life alone from this point forward.
If you would like to see kids available for adoption in East Texas, you can email [email protected] or visit the Heart Gallery East Texas.
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