Mount Pleasant Magazine May/June 2019

58 www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.BestOfMP.com | www.ReadMPM.com feature You have to learn to love somebody who is coming from a different background. I don’t even know that we do that with our spouses; our spouses are people we are naturally attracted to because of what they like to do and their interests.” Alyssa is due with another baby boy in May of this year, and, though she anticipates some regression — understandable with so many major changes in one year — she is glad Lia will still hold a special place in the family as their only daughter, and they look forward to the future as life and love continue to grow as a family of five. THE WINGO FAMILY Amy and Scott Wingo always wanted a large family, and with three biological children, they still felt incomplete. Amy had experienced pregnancy- related issues with each of her children, so, in 2012, they chose to pursue an adoption. With the guidance of an agency, they soon matched with a birth mother due with a boy in early 2013. “I was there when Alex was born. I stayed in the hospital room with her for two nights. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done; her mom is deceased, so I was taking care of her and the baby, trying to bond with him and let her have time with him at the same time. I didn’t want to overstep my boundaries because she hadn’t signed the papers yet. I could feel I was falling in love with him but didn’t want to get my heart broken,” Amy admitted. “We signed the paperwork at 48 hours and cried for three hours together and did the footprints together.” They now have an open adoption with Alex’s birth family and meet twice a year to spend time together. “It’s awesome because her whole family will come every time we meet up. Alex has two families, and we all love him,” Amy explained. “But it is stressful every time we see them. It’s not easy, but I’m doing it for Alex because I want to eliminate any questions or uncertainties when he gets older. He can pick up the phone and call her. You don’t question it; she’s just a part of the family.” His three siblings, Jackson, Olivia and Reese, eagerly accepted Alex into their lives, with the youngest being 7 years old when he was born. “They think he walks on water and love him to pieces. It’s never been an issue because he’s their brother. It’s been great,” Amy smiled. “The love you feel for this adopted child. ... I’m not going to say it’s more — it’s just different. It’s so intense because somebody gave you this baby and said, ‘I trust you to raise him for the rest of his life,’” she explained. “Not only do I love him, but I feel this sense of responsibility to do the best I can for him. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done in my life.” THE BROWN FAMILY Pastor Leland Brown and his wife, Sarah, didn’t envision themselves as foster parents a few years ago, but when East Cooper Baptist Church began highlighting fostering and adoption, their minds began to change. “Sarah was ready to do this a year before I was, but I got educated on the need — Charleston County has a shortage of 300 homes. I looked in the Bible; the Lord asks people to care for the fatherless, and I got to a place where I realized it was something we needed to do,” Leland said. The Browns received training and licensure through Lifeline Children’s Services three years ago and have hosted four placements ranging in age from 2 to 14 years old. “Living in Mount Pleasant, it’s really easy to insulate yourself from pain, hardship or poverty. Foster care, in a good way, has brought that into our family life. We regularly see kids come from really broken places. It’s Photo courtesy of the Wingo family.