The Bentley Family

It's always been easy for Faith Bentley to connect, care for, and love children. So when her 8-year-old nephew, Karter, was in foster care without a clear path for adoption, Faith and her husband, Jeremy, made a swift decision.

"Right away we wanted to adopt him, but we had to go through the whole process and we wanted to see how the fit was for our family — and he fit right in," Faith said. "It was definitely a process. There was a lot of paperwork and we had to take classes."

The Bentleys didn't know Karter well before Child Protective Services contacted them, only seeing him occasionally at another family member's house. But the connection was instantaneous, and Karter assumed the role of a younger brother to their older son. "They're just like two peas in a pod, but they're completely opposite," Faith said.

The day Karter was adopted was an emotional one. "Karter was so used to always being moved around, and he was so scared that it wasn't going to happen," Faith said. "We all wrote out our own letters to show support for the adoption to the judge. It was a really good day." Even with the adoption final, there is still work to be done — therapy, patience, and a lot of love. The Bentleys are prepared for all of it.

Q & A

Why did you want to adopt?

Just bringing a child into your home and giving them love where they don't have it. I lost my mom at a young age, so I know what it's like not to have that figure in your life — and providing that for a child at a young age means everything.

What is the most rewarding part of adoption?

A lot of things — your family gets bigger, and my son always wanted a sibling. They don't even act like cousins; they know they are brothers. To see that every day and the smiles on their faces, that's it for me.

What is the most challenging?

Getting him to open up is the most challenging. He's slowly but surely getting there, and he's still seeing his therapist, which is helping.

What is it like to welcome a new member to your family?

Honestly, it was one of the easiest things. It just felt so natural.

What advice would you give to someone considering foster or adoption?

A lot of patience — patience is key, because they're not going to warm up to you right away.

How has adoption changed your life?

It feels the same. Karter coming in just felt like such a natural thing. Our family is bigger and everybody loves him.