Is it worth while?

Nate with Evan and Thea soon after they
came to live with us the first time.

There are lots of statistics. The numbers can look over whelming. There are so many kids that need to be adopted and so many abused children and there are just not enough places to help all these children. Yet we can do our part. This is not always a rewarding job. These kids are so hurt they can’t love you back because they simply do not know how. But then you get the joy like we did today when Thea brought her paper home that she turned in for English class this week. We want to share it with you. Her letter is an example of why we do what we do, and why we still want to help more kids.

If we get nothing else, but we get a letter like this after helping a child through Harmony Acres, it will be worth it all... 

Through the Past

by Thea Horton

age 11

Imagine this! A girl in middle school with sad and horrible memories. That would be me. I went through lots of horrible things, with my brother. I want to walk those feet back in the past and tell you…

Way back when I was born, I was born to my mom Heather Coughlin. She took care of me for a long time. My dad did not. He spent most of his time in jail. He got out of jail for three months and that’s all he took care of me.

Four and a half years after that I got a new brother. His name is Evan. When he was two we found out he was deaf. We had to learn sign language. My mom took very good care of Evan. I got beat up very severely. After I would get beaten up my mom would hug me. My brother and I got taken away for that.

On our way to providence home I got a headache. The providence home was close to a bowling alley. I didn’t care that much because I wanted my mom to hold me as she did before. We arrived. I got nervous. It was a giant white house. I went inside. There were other kids there to play with. Evan got settled in right away. I didn’t cause I was NOT in the mood.

We had to do chores the next day. We got money off it though. Every Friday we went to the Dollar Tree and spent our money. Well, that continued for three months. I went back with my mom. I was very excited!

When I was eight I got taken away from my mom again to a foster family. I cried again. This time I came to a brown house. It did not look big but it was medium sized. When I went inside I got a tour of the house. I also got to see who lived there. There is Nate, Tamara, Florie, T.K., Daniel, Alex, and Jasmine. I found out that they were very kind and generous. I stayed with them for a day then went camping with them. I had lots of fun. When we went camping it was July 4th, 2009. I enjoyed being with them.

They put my brother and I into Russell Elementary School. I met lots of new people. The people I hung out with the most was Kayla, Dani, Maddie, Kieana, and Brooklin. They were nice and kind, too! I got to go back with my mom a couple of times and got taken away again. It was a long journey.

On September 20, 2012 I got adopted to the Horton’s. The same people that fostered me. When I went to the courthouse I was very nervous. When I went upstairs I saw lots of people there ready for my adoption. I got to see a very amazing friend of mine. Sophie Thurston. Sophie is always there when I need it.

As we walked into the courtroom I felt shivers run up and down my back. I sat down with my almost adopted mom and dad. As Judge Stadler was saying random things, he started saying my brother’s and my name. Evan Jacob Coughlin and Thea Marie Pool your new names are Evan James Horton and Thea Marie Horton. RIght as Judge Stadler walked over to take a picture of the new family he said, “This is a good day!”

Now that I’m adopted I feel cared, loved, adored, and safe. Normally I do not feel safe. I do now because I start to tell my dad the old things that used to happen to me. I am looking forward to the future. I want my children to have a better life than I did.

You never know if you adopt a kid you might change their life. It sure changed mine.

This is the sign we made for our adoption of Evan and Thea in Sept. 2012

Evan and Thea in their new family, after more than three long years
of being in limbo not knowing what was going to happen to them.

You never know if you adopt a kid you might change their life. It sure changed mine. —Thea (age 11)

Thea with her Daddy

Evan with his Mommy