When Maxine and Jake Young of Reading, Pennsylvania got married, they agreed they wanted at least five kids.
There was just one problem: Maxine’s Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) can make getting pregnant without medical intervention tricky. After being inspired by a friend, they decided to become foster parents just in case biological parenting didn’t work out.
Turns out they needn’t have worried! As they were getting certified to foster, Maxine discovered she was pregnant. She was carrying their biological son Henry when they welcomed foster siblings Aiden, Parker, and Connor into their home.
“It wasn’t even a month later that we got a call that they had a new baby sister and could we take her as well?” Maxine told Today. “I wanted to keep them all together. They’d been through so much already.”
Babies Elliott and Henry soon joined the crew, bringing the family’s kid count up to five. Then, in December 2019, they made it official by adopting all four siblings!
The Youngs have a great relationship with their kids’ biological grandparents, who were there in the courtroom on the day they got adopted.
“We’re really close with them,” Maxine said. “That’s a really important connection. They’ll be able to ask questions that we might not have the answer to. We’re so grateful they have that biological link.”
Everything seemed to be clicking into place for the family when life threw them another curveball. Maxine found out she was pregnant again!
This story originally appeared on InspireMore.
“I was in total shock,” the mom said. They had conceived Henry using fertility treatments and didn’t think she could get pregnant on her own. “Boy was I wrong!” she exclaimed.
In July, she gave birth to not just one, but four babies: Theo, Silas, Beck, and Cecilia. That means they now have nine kids under the age of 8!
While Maxine said their household is chaotic, everyone is thriving.
“It’s actually a lot easier than I thought it was gonna be,” she said. It helps that the older kids are madly in love with their new infant siblings! “They want to hold the babies all day long,” Maxine added. “Life is pretty beautiful.”
It’s a good thing Maxine and Jake have enough love to go around! We’re wishing them all the best as they navigate the wonderfully busy years ahead!
You can keep up with this big, happy family’s adventures on YouTube and Instagram.
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