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An answered prayer at just 3 weeks old

Sons play a part in parents’ decision to foster-to-adopt

Amanda and Jarrett Sappington had two sons, but they “just had this feeling that [their] family needed to be bigger.” 

They heard about Buckner Foster Care and Adoption in Amarillo and started looking into it, but did not tell their young sons yet. 

One afternoon, Amanda and Jarrett picked up their youngest son, Camden, from Bible school to a surprise. 

“Look Mom, here’s you and daddy and our new baby,” the six-year-old pointed out in his drawing of Abraham, Sarah and a little baby, from class. 

The couple looked at each other in shock. They hadn’t mentioned the possibility of another child to the boys.

Just a few short weeks later, Aban, their 9-year-old son, asks in the car when their new baby is coming. The confirmation from God kept coming. 

Being foster parents is a calling

They began to plug into the foster care and adoption program at Buckner by attending the informational meetings. 

“We prayed about and truly felt God wants us to do this, so let’s see where he takes us,” Amanda said.

Two months after they were certified, Jarrett and Amanda received the call that a baby needed a home.

When Amanda looked into Trinity’s 3-week-old eyes, she fell immediately in love. 

The rest of the family wasn’t far behind either. Aban and Camden latched onto their baby sister without hesitation.

Equipped with the right skills for the right child

But the journey was just beginning. Trinity was battling many health conditions.

“From the beginning, I made a calendar for the judge that had color-coded doctor visits,” shared Amanda. “We were at the doctor every six weeks with her. It was strep, RSV, an eye turn that needed surgery.”

Jarrett and Amanda knew God placed Trinity in the right home at the right time. 

Amanda is an optometrist and Jarrett’s father is a respiratory therapist. Each struggle, they had knowledge and support along the way.

“Our job is to keep her safe and healthy,” Amanda shared. “She had been that sick at moments and we only knew what to do because we are medical people, and are surrounded by medical people, but to anyone else – it could’ve gone too long. We became so in tune with what each cough meant and with what she needed.”

Being open to the foster care journey

Their two young sons reminded them of their purpose even when the foster journey was challenging.

“The boys had such a good acceptance of the truth that she’s not ours; we’re caring for her. And you would never know. She was always their sister,” Jarrett said. “But they did a better job at hanging onto that and would remind us to pray.”

On June 30, 2020, the family gathered around their computer for one of the first virtual adoptions of the year. They celebrated Trinity officially becoming a Sappington. 

Placed with them at just 3 weeks old, she is now a vibrant, healthy 2.5-year-old. 

“I truly feel like God brought us into this process for this child,” Amanda said with a smile.

May is National Foster Care Month and you can help vulnerable children in your community. Learn how you can provide a child in foster care with a safe and loving home.

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