The couple adopted eight sons from the same family

Melissa and Scott Groves from the US stateNebraska met when they were just over 20. A stormy romance, six months later - an engagement, six months later the young people got married. Melissa already had a daughter, whom she gave birth very early - at 17 years old. It was already four years ago for the baby Otnem. The spouses did not plan to stay on the same child, but were going to expand the family in the near future. But ... nothing happened. Moreover, the doctors told Melissa that the probability of conception is minimal. Despite all the therapy.A photo: @ IowacowbelleBut from his dream of a big family Melissa and Scott have not given up. They decided to adopt a child. Ten-week training courses for foster parents were held. "It was not easy. So much red tape ... We have often asked ourselves whether this is worth the effort. But still managed to get training, "- Melissa told reporters. As a result, the couple received a license - yes, yes, in the US, to adopt a child, you need to have the appropriate qualifications. Just do not give it. And pretty soon the future foster parents got acquainted with the two boys who were given for adoption: the three-year-old Noah and the one-and-a-half-year-old Chase. The boys were brothers. So Melissa and Scott decided not to separate them, and to take both. "They conquered us at first sight. As soon as I saw them, I realized that I no longer want to part with them. Fate, divine intervention - call it what you want, but at first glance we said yes to our kids, Melissa recalls.A photo: @ IowacowbelleNow Groves had three children. That's enough. But just a few weeks later, a call from the guardianship service came from their house. It turned out that Noah and Chase had another brother, Garrett, "How could I refuse my sons the right to be with their newborn brother?" Melissa was surprised. However, she hardly expected what would happen next. It was less than a year after Garrett's adoption, when Groves again called. And they proposed to adopt another boy, another brother of their sons. Hayden was born prematurely with the diagnosis of "wolf mouth." "But he was the brother of our boys! Of course, we agreed, "Melissa shrugs. Five children are more than enough. And the neighbors began to look askance at the rapidly growing family. It was said that Melissa was a little insane on adoption. But Groves did not care, they were happy. Therefore, when the biological mother of their sons gave birth to two more, Scott and Melissa immediately took them. Ashton and Carran became part of not just a big but huge family: "Life went on as usual, the boys got used to each other and the new house very quickly," says Melissa.Photo: @IowacowbelleThe year was 2009.The kids were growing up, Melissa and Scott couldn’t be happier with their boys. And then 2013 came. Melissa received a direct call from the same woman, the biological mother of the Groves’ seven adopted children. She was pregnant again and wanted to know if the hospitable family would take in another boy. “No one would have judged us if we had refused. After all, we could have said that we didn’t have enough money, time, etc. But everything worked out well. And in October 2013, we found ourselves in the hospital, expecting the birth of our eighth son, Zane,” Melissa says. Scott and his wife knew that Zane had Down syndrome. The thing is, the mother of their children was a drug addict. And luckily, all the other children were born healthy. However, Melissa knows from her own experience what it is like to be a person with disabilities. In 2015, she lost her leg. But not optimism. “Zayn teaches us patience and unconditional love every day. I can’t imagine my life without him anymore,” the parents say. “At first, adoption was just a way for us to become a full-fledged family. But we had no idea that children would bring us so much love and happiness.” P.S. They also have two dogs. That makes three.