Adopting a child is a noble way to give a child a chance for a better life. It is also an opportunity for a couple to start their own family. Colorado’s own House Speaker, Mark Ferrandino, knows this and shared his experience publicly in a recent report.
The Speaker, together with his partner Greg Wertsch, recently adopted 2-year-old Lila through the foster care system. The couple first met the then 8-month-old girl in the hospital while she was being tested. She instantly stole their hearts. On August 28, 2013, Denver’s Adoption Day, several new families were recognized, including the Speaker’s new family.
Ferrandino shared that when adopting, there are so many kids. All of them are unique and with different life stories, and they also have different needs. But the one similarity all the children have is that they need a loving family. Lila is one of those kids and she had no trouble settling in with her new family. The adoption significantly changed the Speaker and his partner’s already fast-paced and hectic lives. However, the couple can no longer imagine life without Lila and hopes that others will be inspired by their story and consider adoption as well.
Despite the promise of a happy ending, adoption can be a bit complex. In Colorado, there are usually three types of adoption: step-parent, kinship and custodial adoption. In a step-parent adoption, a biological parent’s lack of presence and support becomes the basis for adoption. Kinship adoption is when relatives, usually grandparents or siblings, seek custody because of unfit parents. On the other hand, a custodial adoption deals with adopting a child who is a non-relative.
Source: CBS Local, “Adopted Daughter Changes Colorado House Speaker’s Life,” Makenzie O’Keefe, April 8, 2014