A Little Girl Finds a Forever Family

On February 26, 2013, seven year old Sadie Reynolds' life changed forever. This is the day that she got to choose her parents, Christine Lindahl and Dwayne Reynolds. Sadie was adopted by her foster parents through United Methodist Family Services (UMFS).

The road to adoption was long but always filled with love for Sadie, who also has a 17-year-old sister who will be adopted by the Reynolds this spring.  Sadie and her two sisters (one has been adopted by another UMFS family) suffered abuse and
neglect in their young lives. Sadie and her sister had lived in at least three
different foster homes before finding their forever home with the Reynolds.

“Early on during the process, Sadie told her mom that when she becomes a “real” part of the family she will get to wear glasses like the rest of them,” said Donna
Jones, UMFS social worker. “So we did just the right thing; we got Sadie her
very own hot pink glasses.”

She wore her new glasses and her princess crown right out of the courthouse where her adoption was finalized, with a parade of family and supporters carrying her flowers.

This is not the Reynolds first time adopting a child from the UMFS family.  On February 26, 2009, their son JC was placed with them, and on July 2, 2009, the Reynolds adopted JC. 

There was no planning in having Sadie’s adoption finalized on the very same date that the Reynolds met their son; it’s just one of life’s beautiful gifts.  The Reynolds family is a true inspiration of how actions guided by love and commitment change lives and create futures!