What Happened To This Couple After Adopting Triplets Will Make You Believe In Miracles
Sarah and Andy Justice were a happily married couple.
Sarah and Andy Justice led a happily married life in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Three years after getting marriage, they decided that it was time to have a child and allow their family to grow.
Like most couples, Sarah and Andy were planning to conceive after a few years of marriage. It is only natural married couples get to know their partners better during their time together, before deciding to bring new life into family. Once financial issues, such as mortgages, have been settled this is the typical next step. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case for the couple and things didn’t go as they planned.
Three years into the marriage, they felt that something was missing.
The Justices were happily married, but three years into their relationship they felt that something was missing in their lives. They both knew a baby was what they wanted, but conceiving wasn’t a walk in the park for Sarah.
Sarah was one of those women who found it difficult to conceive. They spent three years trying to get pregnant, but found no luck. This took a toll on Sarah and Andy, who were probably also looking at home insurance plans in case they need a larger home for their future family. Eventually, the couple started looking at other viable options such as seeing a fertility doctor.
They had to travel out of town to see a fertility doctor.
Sarah and Andy agreed that seeking the help of a fertility doctor would be the best way for them to succeed with conceiving. The only problem, however, was that there was no reputable fertility doctor in Tulsa, which forced them to look in other states. The closest one that they could find was in St. Louis, Missouri.
The distance became a huge inconvenience for the couple and considering the expenses, they must have taken money loans to cover for everything. Nevertheless, they persevered through the difficulties. Believing that it was a small price to pay in order for their dreams to come true.
They traveled for six hours and only ended up with bad news.
The couple hit the gas pedal and made their way to St. Louis, traveling for six hours from their hometown of Tulsa to the big city. The interstate drive was grueling, but the couple pushed for it just so Sarah could get the fertility treatments she needed.
Upon arriving in St. Louis, Sarah underwent the fertility treatment that was prescribed by the doctor. Unfortunately for the couple, the first treatment did not work. Although this was frustrating for Andy and Sarah, they knew that they couldn’t just give up on having a family. They already made investments into it, all they needed was to push further.
The Justices considered in-vitro.
Sarah and Andy consulted their fertility doctor about the possibility of in-vitro fertilization in order to conceive. Their doctor told them that they were great candidates for it, but also informed them that there was only a 10 percent chance they would successfully conceive.
On top of the abysmal success rate, Sarah would have to go through a painful procedure, as in-vitro fertilization is incredibly invasive. She would have to go through months of hormone treatments before her eggs can be harvested from her ovaries. This is a costly procedure that will require proper money management. Still, the couple decided to go through with it.
In-vitro proved to be risky and costly.
A basic IVF cycle can cost a person anywhere between $12,000 to $15,000. Couples that are desperate to have a baby but are not able to conceive may need to make financial sacrifices for the slim chance that the process offers.
Another thing about the IVF procedure is that it is not covered by medical insurance. In the case of the Justices, they were looking at shelling out up to $60,000 to complete the entire process. The amount of money means they will need to take out money loans. Not wanting to go into debt, they looked for other options.
The Justice couple ultimately resorted to adoption.
The journey to conceiving wasn’t quite over for Andy and Sarah Justice. At this point, they were already desperate to become parents. There were very few options available and one of them is adoption.
Parents who’ve gone through the adoption process know that it is not at all quick and easy. It is a lengthy process through which their personal lives and current living conditions are all scrutinized by the adoption agency before they are deemed worthy for the role. There’s also the risk that their application would be rejected if something, such as their credit score, didn’t pass the criteria.
The adoption process wasn’t an easy for Andy and Sarah.
Anyone who’s applied for adoption knows well that the process could take years to complete, especially when one is looking at adopting a newborn. However, this did not faze the Justices and they proceeded with the plan.
When they filed the necessary paperwork to get started on the application, the couple ran into some trouble. All they wanted was to add a bundle of joy to their family, and yet nothing seemed to be going right for them. So much of their investment money had gone into making this dream a reality and the frustrating turn of events was taking a toll on them.
The process of adoption was lengthy.
After submitting their adoption application for consideration, the Justices’ living conditions had to be evaluated. The adoption agency had to check if their home was fit to raise a child in. From its size to the location it is in, everything had to be scrutinized. Sarah and Andy also had to answer some tough questions.
This part may cause extreme anxiety to some couples, but the Justices kept their composure throughout the entire ordeal. The adoption agency then set up interviews for the couple with the prospective birth mothers who have decided to give their child to a loving family. No online classes can prepare anyone for this.
The Justices were chosen, but things took a sharp turn for the worse.
After Sarah and Andy went through an extensive interview process, they finally received some great news! One of the mothers they met with chose them to raise her child.
Finally, it seemed that their prayers were being answered, and they were one step closer to raising their own family. All throughout the birth mother’s pregnancy, the Justices supported her and prepared proper home security systems for the arrival of their child. However, just as the delivery date neared, things took a very unexpected and the Justices were in for a huge shock. Again, things felt as if they were completely out of their control.
Things started to backpedal for the Justices.
The birth mother backed out at the last minute and decided not to give her child up for adoption. Sarah and Andy understood the situation and wanted to keep trying. They get in touch with the agency again.
Andy and Sarah went through the whole interview process again and were chosen by a new birth mother. Unfortunately, the same thing happened and the birth mother changed her mind at the last minute. The birth mothers are under no contractual obligation to give up their children in favor of the Justices, hence the latter couldn’t seek the help of a lawyer even after another disappointment.
Sarah and Andy knew that giving up wasn’t an option.
Even though they fully supported the birth mother every step of the way of the pregnancy, they always ended up receiving some sad news.
Sarah and Andy were completely understanding and respected the mother’s decision. However, they’ve already gone this far along in their journey that giving up is definitely not an option for them. They decided to continue on and try again in the hopes that someday they would finally be able to bring home a child into their loving home. To their credit, the Justices had shown so much strength and resilience despite receiving one disappointment after another.
Soon enough, the Justices received a call that would change their entire lives forever.
It cannot be denied that Sarah and Andy have become heavily disappointed at this point. Some might even say that they’ve gotten a little discouraged. They have prepared themselves and even made sure that their own home was ready should they finally get to adopt a child.
Eventually, another good news knocked at their door. The Justices have been through so much, and while frustrations have come and gone, they couldn’t just give everything up in vain. Thankfully, their investments of time and energy seemed to be paying off. Their wait was finally over—all it took was one phone call.
A third birth mom chose them as would-be-parents and she had a big surprise for them.
At this point, Sarah and Andy were disappointed and somewhat discouraged. However, one call would wash their worries away and renew their spirits.
The adoption agency called and told them that a birth mother had chosen them to be the parents of her baby. It was great news for Sarah and Andy, but that was not all. They were in for another massive surprise, something so unexpected that it would blow everyone’s mind. Perhaps after they received the call, the Justices began to really think about strict money management in preparation for what was about to happen in their lives.
The birth mother’s ultrasound came with a big surprise.
Sarah and Andy were absolutely elated to hear the news that a third birth mother had chosen them to adopt her baby. They were there for the birth mother each and every step of the way and were invited to join her for an ultrasound appointment.
However, it was here they found out the life-changing surprise. While everything looked normal and healthy, there was one major plot twist—the birth mother was actually carrying three babies instead of one. Needless to say, it was time to look for a new house with home insurance that would be big enough for their family!
No one expected that the birth mother was carrying triplets.
Sarah, Andy, and the birth mother were completely shocked to see the three small figures appear on the ultrasound monitor. The Justices have prayed for and worked so hard to have a family of their own and now they’ve been blessed with not just one, but three babies!
At this point, Sarah and Andy prepared themselves for what was to come. Although they weren’t expecting to adopt three kids, they knew right then and there that this was meant to be. The Justices then expedited the adoption process and started making the necessary investments in preparation for the arrival of their bundles of joy.
The Justices were underprepared by they were up for the challenge.
They’ve waited this long to have a baby and they weren’t scared at all at the idea of raising three babies at once, even though they only initially considered adopting one. They knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but they were ready for the challenge.
Sarah and Andy knew that they would eventually want to have more children along the way, but they didn’t anticipate raising three at the same time. They must have felt really nervous because three children meant they needed more money—but even if they had to take out personal loans, they will not refuse this blessing.
They started baby-proofing their home.
They wasted no time preparing themselves and their home. The couple had to buy three of everything—three cribs and three strollers! Buying baby stuff was expensive, but it definitely not as costly as the in-vitro fertilization process would’ve been.
Sarah and Andy didn’t mind the costs and they were willing to shell out anything in preparation for the babies’ arrival. Perhaps even installing a various precautions to make the babies comfortable, including a modern home security system to protect their new family. Their dream of becoming parents was within reach. After waiting for so long, they were absolutely thrilled!
Sarah and Andy’s family and their community had their back.
New parents will agree that taking care of a baby can be a handful. Can you imagine what Sarah and Andy must have gone through when their first experience at being parents meant taking care of five babies at once? However, Sarah and Andy managed well with the support and love they received from their families.
Tusla’s Eastland Baptist Church helped by cooking food for them and providing milk for the babies. But, food wasn’t the only thing their community helped them with. Through everyone’s generosity the couple’s savings were able to cover other necessary expenses, such as electricity bills.
Strangers from all across the state also helped them out.
Sarah and Andy’s situation is nothing short of a miracle. When news got out about their growing family, people took the initiative to help out the Justices in however way they can.
The entire state of Oklahoma also helped them out by sending diapers, bottles, blankets, and clothes for the babies. With five babies to care for, they needed to at least 200 diapers and 84 bottles of milk a week! People continued to show their support for the family by offering to babysit the babies so that they can go to their jobs and earn a living to pay for gas and other basic necessities.
The unique technique they used to identify the babies.
One of the biggest challenges Andy and Sarah had to face, was how to tell such identical looking babies apart. That’s on top of trying to fix their schedules in order to properly care for each child. So, what did they do in order to differentiate one baby from the other?
Well, the couple painted each baby’s toe nails with a different color. They used this method until the babies started to develop distinctive characteristics that made it much easier. Even for parents, it can sometimes be difficult to tell twins apart. How much more if there are five under one roofing?
After their story went viral, something amazing happened.
Naturally, the miraculous story of the Justice family picked up traction online and quickly went viral. It first gained massive attention on Facebook where it was shared by thousands of people globally. As time went on, even more people grew interested in the family and their lives. More people wanted to learn more about their lives and hear of news about the children’s growth.
However, just as things within the family felt as if they were finally starting to calm down, something unexpected, but no less magical happened. Looks like they’ll be using their investment money for buying a larger van!
Sarah was pregnant again.
When their story first went viral, the children had already grown into toddlers. It was at this point that young family received news that would, yet again, change the course of their lives forever.
Sarah discovered that she was pregnant again. Though it felt overwhelming for everyone at first, the family was no less delighted to hear the news of her pregnancy. They took on the new challenge graciously. After all, they’ve had plenty of practice! In 2016, Sarah welcomed her sixth child. Because of the help and support they were receiving, the Justices were able to maintain a good credit score despite extra expenses.
Their new challenge was to prepare for their sixth child.
The five children were already around two years old when their parents found out that a sixth child was one the way. After taking care of their first set of babies, their sixth one felt as if it was going to be a piece of cake. They have had plenty of experience, of course.
But, as any parent knows, having children is a journey in itself and it does not matter how many you’ve got. The Justice’s prioritized protecting their children and made sure they had a good home security system. But they were also beginning to encounter other new challenges.
Things started to get a bit hectic for Sarah and Andy.
Having eight people—six of which are children—under one home can get pretty crazy. What makes it more difficult is that their kids weren’t born that far apart, so they couldn’t help around the house yet as they were still too young.
However, this didn’t seem to be an issue for the new parents. They still managed to spend a lot of family time together, despite working and trying to care for five toddles and one newborn. The couple would make investments towards future vacations for the entire family to enjoy even if it might get difficult to keep track of everyone.
When the first five kids became toddlers, things got busy in the Justices’ home.
Sarah and Andy welcomed their youngest son in 2016 and named him Caleb. While Caleb was still a newborn, Sarah and Andy had less to worry about when it came to their older children, they had already completed their potty training at this point and were also becoming more independent.
As the five children could be given a bit of responsibility around the house, it was a huge relief for the couple since they can now focus on raising their youngest. Their other children were nearing four years old and the couple had likely begun thinking about student loans for when the kids get older.
Parenthood was a dream come true for Sarah and Andy.
Raising six young kids may seem overwhelming, but Sarah and Andy saw this as their prayers being answered and their dreams coming true.
In an interview with Babyology in 2016, Sarah said that having six children was a dream come true for them. “When you wait for something you appreciate it that much more when you get it,” Sarah said. Through the years, the couple followed strict money management to manage Sarah’s treatments and that didn’t stop even after they were already raising all six children. Despite the long wait and all of the difficulties, the couple still felt blessed.
Transitioning to toddler beds became a new challenge.
Children tend to grow up fast and from using cribs, the first five kids were soon ready for their own toddler beds. “Having five in toddler beds is an adventure. But we are getting there,” Sarah told Babyology.
The couple had other challenges, too, such as helping the kids adjust to sleeping on a new bed without guard rails. They worried about them rolling off the bed or sneaking out of the bed at night instead of sleeping. Even if they knew it would be challenging, the couple were ready. And so they purchased their first toddler beds, using their credit cards.
The Justices had to develop a routine for their family.
Raising six children at once is not a walk in the park. But how did Sarah and Andy manage? Simple—they had to be very organized. Sarah and Andy had to plan out their entire day ahead and they had to commit to a schedule.
Fixing a schedule is crucial. If done right, it makes keeping track of everyone easier. In the morning, the family goes for a walk, then afterwards they go on playdates with friends or relatives. In the evening, the family does chores together. The couple didn’t have to take online classes on parenting—they really nailed the job from the get-go!
Potty training the toddlers was the most difficult challenge.
Sarah and Andy ran across a lot of problems as they were raising their kids. But none was more difficult than having them go through potty training. “Potty breaks are a big part of our day when you have five children at the same life stage,” Sarah said about the process.
This can be a little stressful for the parents and the children. With five children running around, it’s likely that an accident or two might occur. Nevertheless, Sarah and Andy did well. And the kids, too, even if they didn’t have to go through any online classes for it.
The Justice kids grew to be very close.
The Justice children bonded through a lot of things—including potty training—and growing up together made them incredibly close. Not one child felt left out and everyone had so much love for one another.
“We never lack playmates and work to promote love and care between the siblings. Our children will always have a friend and will never need to feel lonely,” Sarah said about her children’s bond with one another.
They were even looking forward to the possibility of going to school together. They’d probably even think about getting student loans to prepare for college as a family team.
The older siblings adore their little brother, Caleb.
When Caleb joined the family, the Justices were surprised but prepared. It was a striking change for Sarah and Andy, however, since they now only had to prepare a few bottles of milk a week instead of the previous 300! As for the five siblings, welcoming their newborn baby brother came ever so naturally.
“All of the kids absolutely adore their ‘baby Caleb.’ He has the best fan club ever and we cannot imagine life without the sweetest, most loved little guy in the world,” Sarah said. This time, the couple also had more money saved to pay for other things such their credit cards.
Sarah and Andy’s patience was rewarded with abundant blessings.
After all that they’ve been through, Sarah and Andy can definitely say that their prayers were answered and that their family is truly blessed. As for everyone who learned of their story, it made them believe about the power of patience, perseverance, and prayers.
Without a doubt, the Justice family are some of the happiest people in the world. Their story is incredible and only goes to show that patience is often rewarded in the most amazing ways. The challenges, the expenses, and the investments they made were nothing compared to the amount of joy they feel watching their family grow.