# He’s OURS



## Mark K (Apr 23, 2019)

October 18, 2014 my wife brought home a 5 day old baby boy from the hospital. It was only supposed to be for 45 days until the mother tested clean. This baby was born with 7 different drugs in his system and went through withdrawals the same as any addict would. 
His first 7 months he cried constantly and slept no more than 2-3 hours at any one time. It wasn’t until a little after one year old that we could actually hold him like you would any normal baby without constant crying. He began showing some sort of emotion by 1.5 years old and has been diagnosed with High Functioning Autism. 
Today he is a very normal 4.5 year old with a few quirks we have learned to deal with. He still has his moments and doesn’t like change, but shows improvement every single day.
During the last 4 years we have been in court battling for permanent guardianship or the ultimate of full custody with the hopes of adoption. 
Today April 23, 2019 the parental rights were terminated. He is now ours to adopt!! Yes we are “old” with a 27, 22, and 20 year old boys and now adding a 4.5 year old into the family, but I wouldn’t have it any other way! 
Meet CJ...my next hunter in training!
This is him at 3 on the left and 4 on the right. If y’all only knew the struggles to get him on the 4-wheeler and a horse, lol. He does things at his own pace and time.


----------



## ugajay (Apr 23, 2019)

Congratulations!!! That little fella is blessed to have y'all looking out for him!!


----------



## Lilly001 (Apr 23, 2019)

May God bless you all.


----------



## GregoryB. (Apr 23, 2019)

Congrats. Every child deserves a loving family.


----------



## 4HAND (Apr 23, 2019)

My that is so awesome! May God richly bless y'all. He obviously has already blessed this fine little boy by placing him in your care.


----------



## Hillbilly stalker (Apr 23, 2019)

Man that's great news ! This world needs a lot more people in it like yall. I wish you the best. Congradulations


----------



## kmckinnie (Apr 23, 2019)

Great job.


----------



## 280 Man (Apr 24, 2019)

Congrats....My youngest son was killed when he was 22 and left behind 2 young sons and a wife. Over the next few years she went stark raving wild, all the while dragging her boys through some of the most horrendous things you can imagine and is now nowhere to be found. Strung out on drugs.

My wife and I have been fighting tooth and nail the past few years trying to get our grandsons. This past Oct, on Halloween the prayer was answered. We received custody. What a blessing it has been! 

Thanks be unto God for answered prayer and for His Goodness to the children of men!!


----------



## model88_308 (Apr 24, 2019)

That's a wonderful thing you and your wife have done and it warms my heart. My oldest daughter and her husband found, after 5 years of marriage that they could not have children. They have since adopted two boys at birth, the result of unintended pegnancies with unmarried parents.

Those boys are now 8 and 10 yrs old. And the smiles they have brought our family could never be counted....

The 10yr old scoring, as the 8yr old plays catcher for the other team in a recent LL game.


----------



## XIronheadX (Apr 24, 2019)

That is admirable as it gets, Mark. Y'all gave that lil fella a chance in this world. Nothing like having people to love you, and nothing like being able pour your heart and soul into a kid to better this world.


----------



## Huntmaster2 (Apr 24, 2019)

Congratulations on your very admirable accomplishment. It really is great to have people like that.


----------



## oops1 (Apr 24, 2019)

That’s awesome!! Bless you all!


----------



## Worlldbeater (Apr 24, 2019)

Awesome, CJ has truly been blessed to have you and your wife love and care for him through those very trying times and now to have someone who will teach him all about the great outdoors.  _ Best  wishes to yall_


----------



## snuffy (Apr 26, 2019)

CONGRATULATIONS!
FINE LOOKING YOUNG MAN.

With all the bad going on in the world today it is great to know people like you and your wife still exist.

Thank you so much for sharing this. It made my day.


----------



## paulito (Apr 27, 2019)

One of my best friends in the world just FINALLY adopted their daughter and a buddy at work got to adopt a new baby boy. Two year plus for both families to do it. I was amazed at how arduous and emotionally draining a process it was for good standup honest people to actually adopt a child in need. Especially when u see on the news how it seems any dumbkauf with a pulse can foster as many as they want with little oversight it would seem.


----------



## plumber_1969 (May 21, 2019)

As an adopted kid, I can tell you all first hand that I won the lottery of life. My parents, not the egg layer or sperm donor, raised me and told me I was chosen.  I still believe this to this day some 50 years later. Those of you that adopt are performing a service most could never fully appreciate until you see it from my side. Thank you all for doing this!


----------



## JustUs4All (May 21, 2019)

Congratulations on the adoption.  That young man has found hmself a fine set of parents.


----------



## j_seph (May 21, 2019)

Good job, it appears that at sometime in y'alls life a parent or grandparent has prayed patience for the both of y'all.


----------



## antharper (May 23, 2019)

Awesome!!!! That young man and your family have been blessed , I’ll bet he’ll keep you young dragging u around in the woods !


----------



## elfiii (May 28, 2019)

God is great because he brings people like Mark K into the world.


----------



## Ruger#3 (May 28, 2019)

This made my day!
This world is blessed to have folks like you that God works his miracles through.


----------



## Wayne D Davis (May 28, 2019)

Mark K, this is the best post I believe I've seen here.  Very touching. Blessed to be a blessing bud!!!


----------



## Mark K (May 29, 2019)

Guys, I truly appreciate the comments and I hope no one thinks this was meant as “bragging”. Personally I think my wife and I need committed, lol! 
This was something that just happened. It was implied in court by opposing council that we weren’t supposed to “love” the child, just to take care of him for a while. I consider myself a mans man, but we did what anyone of y’all would have done, We fell in love with a child that wasn’t loved or wanted at that time and decided that we wanted the best for him. Whether it was us or another couple, the child deserved better than what the biological parents would provide. (His biological mother recently made the news...even while in jail).

Again, thanks so much for the comments. We are not perfect parents or people, we just cared. And, we have a heck of a lot of support from friends and family (who also think we are crazy)!


----------



## plumber_1969 (May 31, 2019)

Mark K said:


> Guys, I truly appreciate the comments and I hope no one thinks this was meant as “bragging”. Personally I think my wife and I need committed, lol!
> This was something that just happened. It was implied in court by opposing council that we weren’t supposed to “love” the child, just to take care of him for a while. I consider myself a mans man, but we did what anyone of y’all would have done, We fell in love with a child that wasn’t loved or wanted at that time and decided that we wanted the best for him. Whether it was us or another couple, the child deserved better than what the biological parents would provide. (His biological mother recently made the news...even while in jail).
> 
> Again, thanks so much for the comments. We are not perfect parents or people, we just cared. And, we have a heck of a lot of support from friends and family (who also think we are crazy)!




Good for you Mark and the others in the world like you!


----------



## Dep6 (Jun 17, 2019)

Congratulations!!


----------



## Mark K (Jun 19, 2019)

Well CJ wanted a water slide so I told my wife to get one...wasn’t exactly what I had in mind! But he LOVES it, lol! The perks of having “older” parents.


----------



## Sixes (Jun 20, 2019)

Great thread!


----------



## jdgator (Jun 21, 2019)

I hope this gives more people the courage to take the next step...


----------



## Mark K (Jun 22, 2019)

Not so much courage as CRAZY, lol. This wasn’t courage, it just happened and we went with it.
And with that, the 30 day appeal process ended yesterday with NO appeal!! He is now OFFICIALLY ours! Now the adoption process starts.


----------



## 4HAND (Jun 22, 2019)

That is awesome!


----------



## fredw (Jun 24, 2019)

Mark, I'm not as active on Woody's as I once was and just now saw your post.  

What wonderful news!  I can only imagine the elation you and the wife must feel.  God bless the both of you for what you've done to make a real difference in the life of CJ.  My hat is off to you.


----------



## Mark K (Jun 24, 2019)

fredw said:


> Mark, I'm not as active on Woody's as I once was and just now saw your post.
> 
> What wonderful news!  I can only imagine the elation you and the wife must feel.  God bless the both of you for what you've done to make a real difference in the life of CJ.  My hat is off to you.


Thank you Mr.Fred. Your words mean a lot to me.


----------



## Mark K (Jun 24, 2019)

Here’s what I posted on FB a year to the date we got him. Sorta long I know, but it answered some questions at the time...

October 18, 2014 started out like any normal day. It was the opening day of rifle season here in Georgia and if I remember correctly it was a little cool. Angie decided to hunt with us that morning which wasn't too strange. Always love it when the wife goes! Little did I know this would be the only time she went last year. I know she saw one deer but claimed it was too small to shoot.

After the hunt we went home and Angie cooked her "famous" breakfast for us, again not out of the norm but not expected after getting up early herself to hunt. After breakfast I told her I was just gonna snooze in the recliner and wait for College football to come on. I asked if she was taking a nap and she said she had to go to town. I asked if she wanted me to go, and she said no. Again that's normal. When I asked if she was gonna take a nap first she said no. Now that's not normal, lol!

Well, after being gone for a few hours she returns with someone that would change our lives from that moment until this very day!

She walks in carrying a baby car seat. My first thought was someone we know is having a baby shower and this is a gift. But, gifts don't consist of an actual baby in the baby car seat!! My first words were, "I don't know where you got it, but take it back!!!!" She replied she couldn't! I told her, "Take it back and get a refund!!" Again she said she couldn't. I then said, "Tell me where you got it and I'll pay them to take it back!!" Then she replied it's just for 45 days. 45 days?? That would mean Thanksgiving!! That would mean the Rut!! 

Needless to say I wasn't a happy camper!! I was 46 years old! My "baby" would be 16 in a few months!! I was just really enjoying extra money, freedom, sleep, etc...

I was so ticked about the whole ordeal I didn't even hunt that afternoon. I finally asked Angie what it's name was and she replied CJ. I asked what it stood for and she said the mothers and fathers initials. She couldn't pronounce his real name. I thought great, initials for a baby, how wonderful is this!! 

The baby hadn't made a sound the whole afternoon and Angie decided to try and smooth things over to go get my favorite dinner from a local restaurant. She said she wouldn't be gone more than 15 minutes. She said me and Zac could handle it! She had no more backed out the driveway and I heard this LOUD ****! I turned to Zac and said that was impressive!! He had this funny look and said I thought that was you. We both turned white as ghost when the quiet baby started this ear splitting scream. I thought of calling 911, but thought about jail time for calling them to change a diaper!! Started to call the wife back, but she was getting FOOD! I told Zac we got this!!

It had been almost 15 years since I had done this. It was like riding a bike, right?? Not sure what that kid had eaten but it came out as quarantined waste! 2 diapers, messed up the first one, and a box of wipes later and we had it changed!! Now this baby wouldn't quit crying!! I tried rocking, walking, and every other trick I could muster from an aging memory! Nothing worked!! Finally Angie got home and somehow consoled the screaming demon to a soft whimper. I could see then, this was going to be a long "45" days!!

For the next "45" days I learned a lot. I learned what it was like to have a baby born with over 7 different drugs in his system. I learned what it was like to take a baby in that had no interaction with its "mother" his first 5 days of life. (To this day he still won't hug or lay his head on your shoulder). I learned what drug addicts go through during withdrawals. I learned that because of withdrawals, certain meds couldn't be used for tummy and other issues! Some meds would just feed the addiction. I learned that we, mostly the wife, can actually function on less that 4 hours of sleep a day for 7, SEVEN, straight months!!!

Most of all, I learned that I can LOVE! After the "45" days the mother still hadn't tested clean and the state was going to take the baby unless we intervened. So, we became temporary guardians. 

All was good. We made good money. Made a sacrifices in sleeping arrangements. Put up with all the rumors about the baby. Saw our boys take to the baby as their own. Saw my family and parents offer unconditional love, even if they thought we were crazy, lol. All was good. 

You know "good" never last forever. All of a sudden, all of the things we were used to doing came to a halt in a big way. This baby was a bigger investment than we anticipated. Our savings went then it was almost paycheck to paycheck. Angie had to cut back on her work and the state insurance didn't cover all the meds baby CJ needed. Certain Specialist that he needed weren't covered either. We have two extra vehicles and two extra drivers, lol. And a son in college. ** Just want to take a second here and let everyone know, WE GET NO MONEY FROM THE GOVERNMENT! The only thing the state provided for was his formula (that he was allergic to) and medical insurance that only covers certain things! His formula he had to have was $58 a can. 

On top of that, at about 3 or 4 months the "parents" decided they want the baby back. Just so happens they had been collecting food stamps on him and got cut off when the state realized they didn't even have the baby! Would I have had too much pride to use them if we got them?? Normally yes, but things were and still are tough at times, so yeah I would load the buggy right now!!

Looking at our post over the last year things might look normal. But trust me, a middle aged couple with a baby, is anything but normal. This post wasn't meant for sympathy or accolades. It was meant a little to my friends I turn down on trips. Can't afford things like we used to. 

We have a motto in our house, you come in and we will love and protect you until our last breath. Most don't know, and maybe I shouldn't post this, but we have had several death threats made against us. LEO's are looking into it, but know this, my entire family is MORE than capable of defending this baby and each other and would do so without prejudice. The only thing in this world I fear is God and big spiders! And an angry woman sometimes. Other than that death threats against me don't bother me. Death threats against my family will result in me in prison and the other in the grave. 

October 18, 2014 was a day that started out just like any other. Except this particular day God decided I needed another Son!

 I love you baby CJ, my Lil' Man!!


----------



## Duff (Jun 24, 2019)

WOW!  What a story and what kind, loving, unselfish people, you and your family are. Truly amazing!


----------



## alwayslookin (Jun 25, 2019)

Wow, thanks for sharing.  CJ is a lucky lil' guy to have found his way into your home.  God bless y'all.


----------



## SC Hunter (Jun 25, 2019)

That post from facebook brought a tear to my eye. If nothing else little CJ will know what its like to be loved and cared for. Much more than he would have had with his biological parents. Good Job Mark!


----------



## Jim Boyd (Jun 28, 2019)

You and your family, sir, are to be commended. 

God smiles on people like you.


----------



## Hillbilly stalker (Jun 28, 2019)

I recognized this post as special from the beginning . Little do we know what life has in store for us. I didn't share it with my wife, but much to my surprise ....I now find myself in the middle of that same 45 day period with this little man. He is family, but the parents aren't hitting on much. He tested positive for 3 substances, but he seems to be fine now. He has since tested clean. He is a blessing, but I was told once there's a reason the Lord don't let old people have babies lol ! Thing do sure nuff get turned around, especially with a little one that's used to staying up till 3 am and not on any kind of a schedule. Im 52 and my wife's 50, but he is like that little pink bunny on tv..he don't stop. He is the sweetest little baby I've been around. Mark K I ain't trying to steal your thunder, just letting you know you got a team mate brother. I found out yesterday it's gonna be longer than 45 days.


----------



## Mark K (Jun 28, 2019)

Hillbilly stalker said:


> I recognized this post as special from the beginning . Little do we know what life has in store for us. I didn't share it with my wife, but much to my surprise ....I now find myself in the middle of that same 45 day period with this little man. He is family, but the parents aren't hitting on much. He tested positive for 3 substances, but he seems to be fine now. He has since tested clean. He is a blessing, but I was told once there's a reason the Lord don't let old people have babies lol ! Thing do sure nuff get turned around, especially with a little one that's used to staying up till 3 am and not on any kind of a schedule. Im 52 and my wife's 50, but he is like that little pink bunny on tv..he don't stop. He is the sweetest little baby I've been around. Mark K I ain't trying to steal your thunder, just letting you know you got a team mate brother. I found out yesterday it's gonna be longer than 45 days.View attachment 974350


No sir, not stealing thunder...just adding to the blessings.
I’m 51 and the wife will be the same in November. I will say this, you learn to adapt, lol! It gets easier...sorta. Or either we have just learned to handle it. One thing about it, they’ll keep us young!! In fact, just bought me a new superduper nerf gun yesterday!! Got tired of getting the old cheap one that wouldn’t work half the time, lol!! Nerf gun battles every afternoon after I get home from work!!


----------



## Hillbilly stalker (Jun 28, 2019)

Yeah, my wife caught me on camera crawling around on the floor chasing “the boy “. She thought it was hilarious. And no I won’t be sharing that picture lol. Life is good.


----------



## Mark K (Jun 28, 2019)

My new “battle weapon”


----------



## Hillbilly stalker (Jun 28, 2019)

Water pistol would feel pretty good today


----------



## Big7 (Jun 28, 2019)

Very good news. This is one of those threads where we need - not a "like" button but a "double- love button.  It's truly admirable how a family with grown children would take on a little tike that was behind the 8 ball from jump. I'm sure as I can be all of your family will be rewarded in Heaven when the time comes. (not that you need to be in a hurry, just saying) Truly amazing how God works. I'm going to say a prayer for you and your family tonight. There are just no words how remarkable and kind your family's story is. What started out as a 45 day, just being short term protection for a tiny-tot has turned into a permanent family member is truly amazing and nothing short of an act of God. Congratulations


----------



## 4HAND (Jun 28, 2019)

Big7 said:


> Very good news. This is one of those threads where we need - not a "like" button but a "double- love button.  It's truly admirable how a family with grown children would take on a little tike that was behind the 8 ball from jump. I'm sure as I can be all of your family will be rewarded in Heaven when the time comes. (not that you need to be in a hurry, just saying) Truly amazing how God works. I'm going to say a prayer for you and your family tonight. There are just no words how remarkable and kind your family's story is. What started out as a 45 day, just being short term protection for a tiny-tot has turned into a permanent family member is truly amazing and nothing short of an act of God. Congratulations


Well said!


----------



## Mark K (Jun 28, 2019)

Big7 said:


> Very good news. This is one of those threads where we need - not a "like" button but a "double- love button.  It's truly admirable how a family with grown children would take on a little tike that was behind the 8 ball from jump. I'm sure as I can be all of your family will be rewarded in Heaven when the time comes. (not that you need to be in a hurry, just saying) Truly amazing how God works. I'm going to say a prayer for you and your family tonight. There are just no words how remarkable and kind your family's story is. What started out as a 45 day, just being short term protection for a tiny-tot has turned into a permanent family member is truly amazing and nothing short of an act of God. Congratulations



Sir that brought a tear to my eye, thank you for the kind words. 
I’ll be the first to admit we thought there wasn’t a chance at all we would be able to ever get where we are now. The way the laws are the parents have to be absolutely horrible before they lose custody. We kept being told to give them time to hang themselves and they finally did. Well that and a PitBull of a lawyer who just wouldn’t quit for CJ’s sake. She wanted to come to the house and visit before she would even take the case. One visit and she said she wouldn’t quit until he was ours to tuck in every night. We owe her more than money could ever repay. If I ever win the lottery, she’ll never have to work another day in her life even if I have to, lol.
The way the pieces all fell together are truly a miracle. I’ve written so many stories in my notes section on my phone I could publish a book. There were so many lows on the ride that my wife and I wouldn’t even talk days leading up to the hearings. We had 8 “final” hearings, lol. Stress became the norm. I would like to say I never shed a tear leading up to most of the hearings, but I would be lying. I will tell you this, on the LAST and FINAL hearing when we were granted FULL CUSTODY, there wasn’t a dry eye in the courtroom; and that included deputies and bailiffs. The judge even mentioned there were “onions in his chambers, and he could smell them already.” 
There’s time we think what were we thinking, but we weren’t. It was a Master Plan all along and we were just pawns in the game. 
All I know is I have another Son to raise and my boys have a brother and have referred to him as that since the day the wife brought him home. Guess they knew something we didn’t, lol.
Again, thanks for all the encouragement and thoughts and prayers. We’re going to need them. And I hope to keep posting pics and accomplishments of CJ and his life. 
Not that anyone knows his real name, but we have decided CJ will stand for Connor Justice...because we believe Justice was served. And CJ seems to like it because his best friends name is Carson...which starts with a C.


----------



## Big7 (Jul 1, 2019)

Mark K said:


> Sir that brought a tear to my eye, thank you for the kind words.
> I’ll be the first to admit we thought there wasn’t a chance at all we would be able to ever get where we are now. The way the laws are the parents have to be absolutely horrible before they lose custody. We kept being told to give them time to hang themselves and they finally did. Well that and a PitBull of a lawyer who just wouldn’t quit for CJ’s sake. She wanted to come to the house and visit before she would even take the case. One visit and she said she wouldn’t quit until he was ours to tuck in every night. We owe her more than money could ever repay. If I ever win the lottery, she’ll never have to work another day in her life even if I have to, lol.
> The way the pieces all fell together are truly a miracle. I’ve written so many stories in my notes section on my phone I could publish a book. There were so many lows on the ride that my wife and I wouldn’t even talk days leading up to the hearings. We had 8 “final” hearings, lol. Stress became the norm. I would like to say I never shed a tear leading up to most of the hearings, but I would be lying. I will tell you this, on the LAST and FINAL hearing when we were granted FULL CUSTODY, there wasn’t a dry eye in the courtroom; and that included deputies and bailiffs. The judge even mentioned there were “onions in his chambers, and he could smell them already.”
> There’s time we think what were we thinking, but we weren’t. It was a Master Plan all along and we were just pawns in the game.
> ...



Well, I'll be sending prayers. You, the Boss Hen and the little guy truly have a miraculous story that is to be commended. Not enough good words to say that can even touch y'alls love and compassion. I'm sure the rest of the GON family feel the same way. Congratulations. Your reward is yet to come. Good luck and keep us posted !


----------



## Core Lokt (Aug 2, 2019)

Just seeing this and all I can say is, WOW,  God Bless you and your family Mark....

And to all of the others that do what y'all did.


----------



## Nicodemus (Aug 2, 2019)

Mark, my hat is tipped to you. 

Highest regards.


----------



## Mark K (Aug 2, 2019)

Update: August 13, 2019 is the court date for adoption!! The adoption, name change, and paperwork for a new birth certificate will take place. Can’t wait!!


----------



## Hillbilly stalker (Aug 2, 2019)




----------



## Wayne D Davis (Aug 2, 2019)

Mark K said:


> Update: August 13, 2019 is the court date for adoption!! The adoption, name change, and paperwork for a new birth certificate will take place. Can’t wait!!


That's awesome Mark


----------



## gma1320 (Aug 3, 2019)

Mark K said:


> My new “battle weapon”
> View attachment 974367


That's my weapon of choice when we have nerf wars at our place.


----------



## gma1320 (Aug 3, 2019)

@Mark K and @Hillbilly stalker just want you fellers to know y'all brought sometears to a fanboys eyes this evening.  Them boys are blessed beyond measure to y'all for em.  God bless you all.


----------

