Walker - Party of Eight: Our International Adoption Story | Rock Your Kindness Podcast

Rock Your Kindness highlights extraordinary stories of everyday people experiencing life changing kindness. Whether it's a random act, saves a life or helps you be kinder to yourself, these stories will increase empathy, compassion, and hope. You never know how your kindness can change the trajectory of your life or the life of another. Rock Your Kindness is hosted by Tracey Ferrin. Tracey is a mother, wife, best-selling author and TikTok superstar. She is often called a "breath of fresh air" by those who know and meet her. She is a mom of 4 and has been married to the love of her life for 18 years. Together, they call Texas home. In this episode, Tracey and Jamie chat about Jamie meeting her husband and early days of creating a family, and a home. Jamie discusses how meeting the founders of The Raining Season changed the trajectory of their family plan in a way she never imagined adding not one but two boys to their family, and how life has been throughout the adoption, after adoption and much more! “If someone told me right then, you have to decide right now. Take them or leave them. I would've taken them no questions asked and just figured it out later.” Show Notes:  [0:00] “One man's desire to adopt. One woman's reluctance to adopt and the family's journey to embracing two brothers from Sierra Leone taking their family of six to a family of eight.” [0:24] Welcome back to Rock Your Kindness Podcast, hosted by Tracey Ferrin [0:58] Jamie details out meeting her husband in school, marriage and early life growing a family   [9:26] “We had four healthy children, like we would have no reason to adopt..” [10:28] In the summer of 2013 made for new opportunities and new challenges [12:23] Connecting with Jason and Erica, Founders of The Raining Season [13:39] Pencils of Promise [14:35] Jan 2019, Joe prepared for his first trip to Sierra Leone [16:27] Joe met James in 2019. At this point adoption was was nowhere on the radar [17:59] July 2019, Jamie tells of Joe’s second trip to Sierra Leone [23:00] Jamie expresses her reasonings for going to The Raining Season in November 2019 [24:14] Meeting Abraham and James for the first time… “It was magnetic.” [28:32] “If someone told me right then, you have to decide right now. Take them or leave them. I would've taken them no questions asked and just figured it out later.” [32:44] November of 2019, Jamie and Joe started started the process of adoption  [36:31] In September 2021, Jamie and Joe received were approved to adopt the boys [38:56] “Walker. Party of eight was officially all together, all home.” [41:15] Abraham’s first birthday cake [42:45] James gets his first birthday cake! [42:58] Question: What do the boys think of these viral videos? What are their thoughts? [45:02] Question: Going through all of this as a family, what kind of perspective have James and Abraham brought into your guys' family as a whole, as individuals, and for you? [47:50] Check out more about The Walker Family and their story on instagram @jamie.n.walker [47:52] Thanks for listening to this episode of Rock Your Kindness. If you know someone this story might resonate with, send them a link to this episode. Also tag me Tracey Ferrin on Instagram at @Traceyferrin and let me know what part of this story resonated with you the most. The best way to help support this show is to rate, review and subscribe. :) Until next time.. Rock Your Kindness --- Social Links: Website: https://www.lovewhatmatters.com/  Instagram: @lovewhatmatters  Facebook: @lovewhatmatters YouTube: @lovewhatmatters  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices