JBSA-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –
Like most families, mornings start early at the McKinney household, but this November morning would be a little more special than most.
The growing family of seven welcomed a new member, when the 470th Military Intelligence Brigade, or MIB, signal officer Capt. Scott McKinney and his wife, Tammy, became the legal parents of 11-year-old James McKinney at the Family Court in Jourdanton, Texas, Nov. 4.
“November is National Adoption Month,” McKinney said. “The specific day for the state of Texas and our county is Nov. 4. There are so many kids have a future that is very bleak. We just feel like we have gifts and talents to give them some hope.”
This month is a time to bring awareness to the growing need for the 100,000 foster children awaiting permanent and loving families according the National Adoption Day website at http://www.nationaladoptionday.org.
Although adoption can often be a difficult process, for McKinney, it was more like divine intervention.
“We’ve always seen God’s hand in everything, because if something could have gone wrong, it could easily have stopped the process many times,” McKinney said. “But every time things normally go wrong in the adoption process, they went right for us, despite the odds.”
The process wasn’t too different when the McKinney’s met their new son, James.
“He found us,” he said. “Everything just fell into place, with the judge and everyone else we needed seemed to be right person at the right time. We are always told it’s not going to be that easy and it was.”
While the adoption process might have been easy for the McKinneys, managing a house full of kids can be tough. Despite this, Tammy said she was glad to be able to provide a loving home for her children.
“It warms my heart when I hear the little ones say ‘Mom, push me in the swing’ or come up and call me ‘Mom’ and want a hug,” she said. “They just enjoy having a normal family life and I enjoy giving it to them.”
She also provided encouragement to anyone thinking of adopting.
“Don’t think you have to be perfect enough or patient enough, being just a mom or just a dad is amazing enough for those kids,” she said. “You can be a flawed mom and it is OK. What they need the most is love. None of us are perfect, but if you love, it is enough.”