Karen and Tobias Thompson of Ohio couldn’t have imagined how their lives would turn out when they first met, but they couldn’t be happier now.
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The lovebirds first got together when they were just teenagers, but they eventually drifted apart and started families with other people. As fate would have it though, Karen and Tobias reconnected several years later.
By the time they rekindled their love, they had a combined total of seven children, and it doesn’t stop there. They also have 28 grandkids and three great-grandkids! Though their blended family is large, by the time Karen and Tobias reunited, all of their kids were adults. But the empty nesters didn’t stay that way for long.
In 2015, just one year into their marriage, they discovered that their nephew and niece, William and Wilnya, were having trouble at home. Wanting to give the twins a loving, stable refuge, they decided to take them in.
Soon after, they heard that William and Wilnya’s half-sisters, Shania and Sharleathea, were moving in and out of the foster care system. Wanting to help out in every way they could, Karen and Tobias offered to have the now 9-year-old twins come visit them. That single visit quickly turned into so much more…
“They didn’t want to go home, back to the other foster home,” Karen said. “They’re family, so we might as well keep them together.”
Transitioning these amazing kids into their new home presented Karen and Tobias with some obstacles, as all four children had endured tough situations in the past. Of course, that hasn’t stopped these parents from being 100 percent there for their kids.
“It’s not easy but it’s not hard either, but if you have a lot of love you might as well give it to the children,” Karen said. “It’s all about the kids.”
Although William, Wilnya, Shania, and Sharleathea had been staying with them for some time, Karen and Tobias officially adopted them in September 2021.
The momentous occasion took place at a courthouse, and the whole family made sure to dress up to celebrate!
Now that their already large family has grown by four, the Thompson household couldn’t be further from empty.
“It’s going to be 11 kids now and my house is always full with kids,” Karen said. “I don’t care what time of day it is, somebody’s child is always at my house.”
Karen and Tobias couldn’t be happier with how everything turned out, and neither could their children! The kids have had many rough patches in life, but the genuine love shown to them has made a world of difference.
When recalling her first day in her new home, Wilnya said Tobias told her, “‘You don’t have to be scared, you don’t have to worry about nothing,’ because he’s going to take care of me and I’m safe.”
Ever since then, they’ve proven that to be true! What an incredible way to give four kids a better life!
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