11/19/2025
Month of Gratitude Campaign:
I never thought that an open adoption could turn into a blended family, but I am so thankful that it did. 28 years ago in October 1997, a young birth mother came into our lives and everything changed. Our oldest daughter Khrystina was born when her birth mother Joye was only 17 years old but we invited Joye to spend time with us and she began to do that and the more time we spent together the more we became a family.
Khrystina's birth family is now blended with our family we do birthdays holidays, weddings, and all special and major events together for all four of our children. We adopted her sister Stepheney when Khrystina was 7 years old. Joye and her husband Shawn had Gavin when Khrystina was 5 years old and Nathan when Khrystina was 11 years old. The kids are all very close and Khrystina is the oldest and keeps them in line lol. What is there more to be thankful for than your children to have their entire family and all the love they can have?!
~Tina Warnstadt
