Here’s an adoption surprise that will tug at your heartstrings! When Myke Rousell started dating his now-wife, Sarah, five years ago, he quickly formed a bond with her daughter, Camryn.
The couple each has two children from their previous partners. And while most people would say such an arrangement would be complicated, these folks adjusted quite well to life as a blended family.
Mike and Camryn instantly clicked when they met.
“I came into Camryn’s life when she was 5,” Myke, from Texas, said. “We were thick as thieves soon after me and her mom started dating. We just had so much in common.”
Camryn had grown to love him so much that when she was seven years old, the girl asked Myke if she could start using his last name as her own.
Myke agreed, and Camryn began using “Rousell” everywhere. However, she couldn’t use it at school because she needed to use her legal last name there.
Sarah and Myke agreed that he should start the process of adopting Camryn as soon as possible. And after a long three-year wait, Camryn officially became his daughter in June 2021!
The parents were ready to share the good news with Camryn, and they wanted it to be a surprise.
Myke showed up at Camryn’s school carrying a sign that read, “I gave you my heart five years ago, and now I give you my last name.” Sarah was there, too, holding a sign that read, “It’s official Camryn Rousell.”
As Camryn walked down the hall and saw the signs, the excitement and sheer joy in her face were apparent. She happily ran toward her dad, and Myke lifted her into his arms as they both cried happy tears. It was truly a magical moment that the pair will never forget.
“Seeing Camryn’s face… She broke down, and in turn, I broke down,” Myke recalled.
Myke said that Camryn’s adoption was “a promise.”
“I promised that I would always be there for her, I would love her unconditionally, and that I just wasn’t in her life by accident,” he explained.
Myke also had some words of advice for other step-parents out there.
“I understand what it feels like to go to baseball games, and to go to soccer games, and feel like a third wheel a lot of times,” he said. “But you show up anyway. I just want you to know that you are appreciated, you are valued, and you are making a difference in these kids’ lives. Our babies cannot have enough people in their corner.”
Fourteen-year-old Alecia and her adoptive dad, Daniel Donaldson, also have a similar story.
Daniel is a youth sports coach in Haleyville, Alabama, who has mentored Alecia since 2019. When he and his wife, Tiffany, learned about the teen’s foster care experience, the couple decided to make Alecia a part of their family.
Alecia has been with them for over a year, and they’ve always left the decision of being legally adopted up to her.
Finally, Alecia decided it was time to make things official last year. And to make the moment more special, she arranged a surprise adoption proposal for her dad on his birthday.
The family blindfolded Daniel before lining up to hold a series of signs sharing the good news. Alecia was at the end of the line, carrying the most important sign that read, “Will you adopt me?”
Daniel took his blindfold off and instantly understood what was happening after reading the cards. Daniel then tightly hugged Alecia, thankful that she would be legally a “Donaldson” soon! Click here to learn more about Alecia’s adoption surprise.
