Creating a forever family

According to the Adoption Council, between the years of 2016 and 2017, American families adopted 4,714 children through intercountry adoptions.

The Striplin family, already raising three of their own children in their home, said they received a sign from God that began a new chapter in their life.

“In the beginning, we had no intention of adopting any kids or having any extra kids.”

Rex Striplin and Marci Striplin were serving in their church’s children’s ministry when they received a text that would change their life.

“We got a text that two of the kids had been taken away from their family and we talked about it and just felt like we should do something and so, we became foster parents.

The Striplin’s started out thinking it would be only temporary but the opportunity was presented to adopt the two girls.

The family fostered the girls for two years off and on.

According to Rex Striplin, he and his wife had to become licensed foster care providers in which you have the option to take care of children temporarily or permanently.

In their case, these girls became open for adoption and the family knew they had to take their chances.

“It was hard, there were a lot of ups and downs, you know you go into court and you don’t know what to expect, sometimes what you think is going to happen doesn’t happen.” Rex Striplin said.

“It’s all in God’s hands, you have to go in with the mindset that you are going to do what you think is right,” he said.

On Saturday, the Striplin family celebrated National Adoption Day by visiting the Yuma County Juvenile Justice Center and finalizing their adoption.

Marci Striplin said that her biological children have taken well to the idea of two new siblings.

“They are happy, overjoyed,” she said.

According to the Adoption Network Law Center, 428,000 children are in foster care in the U.S. waiting to be adopted.

“There are a lot of kids that need families, it’s an experience ,” Marci said.

“We were adopted into God’s family, so it’s just a blessing to have more children in your life,” she said.

The Striplin family had never thought they would go through the full adoption process.

In 2003, the family had to experience their previous foster children return to their parents, and they said they weren’t going to do it anymore.

“But then these children showed up in our lives, and we just developed a love for them not knowing their history at all,” Marci said.

Mariah and Aleilah, now Striplin, said they were thankful they were able to stay together.

“It makes me so glad that our judge didn’t separate us because we were young and if I didn’t have her, I don’t know what I would do,” Mariah said.

Aleilah , who is the older of the two girls, was also glad to stay with her sister so she could learn how to be a good older sister.

Mariah said that she was very happy when she found out that she was going to be adopted.

“It just made me happy and that I was finally going to be with parents who love me a lot.”

Aleilah said it was comforting when she was told that she has to parents that love her.

The girls are very excited to have three new siblings and even get to know their sibling’s children as well.

For these two girls in particular, they said the adoption process has not been a scary experience.

“I get to know how the process is,” Mariah said.

When asked what they are most excited to do as part of a new family, the girls said they are most excited for road trips and camping.

For more information on adoption and the process, visit adoption.org.