One teenager in Kentucky has received the gift of family for Christmas. Thirteen-year-old Ian was officially adopted and is now a part of Ed and Shannon Amundson’s family this year and has three new brothers as well.
When asked what he felt about this Christmas with his new family, Ian told Fox News, simply: “Love, comfort.”
As Fox News reported, Ian’s adoption process began last Christmas when he found out he was going to be a adopted as a permanent member of the Amundson family when he opened his gift – a t-shirt with the words “Adoption loading.”
“I felt actual love, and I felt like I was part of a family, and I just felt more comfortable than I ever have been,” Ian said about that moment last Christmas when he was asked if he wanted to be adopted.
The Amundson couple fostered Ian for about seven months before adopting him through Sunrise Children’s Services.
Ed and Shannon Amundson told Fox News that they knew they wanted to adopt a child early in their marriage, and were motivated to do so by their Christian faith.
“We knew early on that we wanted to adopt… we grew in our faith, in our church, and came across James 1:27, which says ‘pure religion is taking care of the widows and orphans,’ so it hit us again,” Ed said.
The Amundsons recall their first meeting with Ian at church during a youth “Chopped” cooking competition as a hilarious experience, during which Ian was able to bond with his future brothers and parents right away.
Noah Amundson described the bond between the four boys.
“Lots and lots of competitions, lots and lots of competing as brothers do. But also, just the love that you get from your brother. So I know that each and every one of them would do whatever it takes for each other,” he said.
Ed added that Ian changed the family for the better, “Ian is amazing, and our life wouldn’t be the same without him.”
Ed and Shannon are eager to foster and adopt more children after seeing the joy that Ian has brought to their family.
“We would love to adopt again; it’s important to us. I hate the fact knowing that a recent Ombudsman report said that there are foster kids who are sleeping in offices and state resorts because there’s no home for them,” Ed said.
Shannon added, “We are ready for another foster child; we have a bedroom waiting.”
Ed encourages other couples to consider adoption.
“I’m praying you will at least give it a chance. And I think you’ll be blessed. I think there are people just nervous, and they take that step and trust. Because these kids are tremendous.”
[Editor’s note: This story originally was published by Live Action News.]
