Michael and Reese

Micahael and Reese playing in the park in Louisville the first time they met.
Barnhill and Coomes family brought together by Reese and Michael
Reese and Michael
As we await the next visit from the Coomes family this weekend, I wanted to write about our how they were brought together. After we adopted Reese, we got a phone call from FTIA telling us that Reese's birth mother had given birth to another son 10 months after Reese's birthday and did we want him. WOW!!! That was totally unexpected but learned later that is very common. We had gotten Reese 5 months before this and things were very overwhelming at that time. After me considering it and everyone else thinking I was completely crazy (except Poppy Bill I think), we had to decline. The second I declined, (in the same breath), I asked if we could know the family that would get him. They told me they would give them our information and it would be up to them. Later, Michelle told me that FTIA told them if they were not willing they would not give them the referral because they wanted the siblings to know each other. Anyway, Michelle called me the night before I was to go to the hospital for my hysterectomy (which I thought was a huge blessing from God) and we talked about the boys and the similarities as far as foster mother's and biological parents and so on. At one point Brandon said, "let her talk some!" I was very excited. Then we went for so many months waiting for the adoption to take place. They had a horrific experience and finally brought him home about 14-17 months later. During this time they learned they were pregnant and having a baby girl they would name Anna. They had made one visit to Paducah prior to that just to meet us. We thought it was very ironic they were about the same age as us and had a biological daughter, Emma, within a year of Nat's age. The visit went well and we were very encouraged that it would be possible for us to have a lasting relationship with them. Then in April we went to visit them in Louisville. They had such a beautiful home and such hospitality. We had dinner that night and several of her family members came over to meet us and Reese especially. We have said all along that we are amazed at how much they look alike. We were a little apprehensive as to what the boys would do when they saw each other. Reese looked at Michael for some time then started to play. It was a very memorable time. Great photo op! So now we await their visit this weekend. We've got lots planned in a short amount of time but it will be so much fun.