Morgan County Family Steps Up for Children in Need

Jessica and Marty met their son Amias when he was enrolled at Marty’s sister-in-law’s daycare and needed a safe place to go.  Amias, now six, was adopted in 2022 making them a family of five including their biological children, Piper 15 and Raylan 12. 

“He enjoys having older siblings. He definitely thinks of our two biological kids as his brother and sister. If you ask him who his family is, that’s who he names first. We also live with my parents, so he’s very close to my parents as well,” said Jessica.

Amias is now six years old and is in kindergarten. When he came to Jessica and Marty, Amais was quiet and content to watch TV, now he is more outgoing and loves to play outside, ride his bike and help take care of the family’s animals which include chickens, goats and a horse. The family enjoys camping together in the summer and showing animals in 4H at the Morgan County Fair.

“He hated the water when he came to us. He would scream when we gave him a shower, and now that’s all he wants to do is go swimming or go to the lake. He’s very comfortable with the water,” said Jessica of how Amias has changed.

Jessica and Marty continue to provide temporary foster care for children in need in their community. Since becoming foster parents, they have cared for an eight-year-old girl and a seven and 18-month-old siblings and plan on continuing to care for kids in their community when there is a need. 

“Adopting him started a whole journey of us being foster parents too. We’d never really planned on doing that,” said Jessica. “We had a discussion as a family and both our biological kids said, “Yes we want to help other kids and show them love,’ so they made the decision for us.”

Although the other children they have cared for have been temporary, Jessica says that giving Amias the permanency he needed has been especially rewarding. Amias now knows that his parents love him and he will always be with them and that has been especially comforting. 

 “Just getting to love him and knowing that you can love somebody who was not biologically yours and showing him all the love and the good that the world has, especially when he’d been through so much, has been amazing. He knows we are always going to be there no matter what and I think that’s been the best part,” said Jessica.