Impromptu Court Speech From A Thirteen-Year-Old Brought His Foster Mom To Tears

Years Before, They Wanted To Foster

For Sara Cozad, fostering children was her life's dream. Both she and her husband, Stuart Shank, carried this dream into their marriage. In an interview with Good Morning America, Cozad said that she mentioned fostering "ten minutes into their first date."

"I was impressed with how he rolled with it," she admitted. "I never felt compelled to have biological children, and it just made sense if kids in our community need a place to stay and we have a house, that is what we would do."

Making Their Dream Come True

For most people, discussing becoming a foster parent seems like an odd choice on a first date. But foster parenting was such a significant ambition in Cozad's life that she couldn't help but mention it. And Shank shared her long-term goal--the perfect match!

The couple fell in love quickly. In 2014, they married in their home state of Washington. Despite both being in their early 20s, the two planned to begin fostering two weeks after they returned from their honeymoon.

But fostering children would bring up challenges that they never anticipated.

Difficult, But Not Impossible

Despite the couples' motivation, they worried that they were too young. Most U.S. states require a minimum age of 21 to foster parent, and Cozad was 23 at the time. Although they were of legal age, they believed that their lack of experience could inhibit their relationships.

The social worker who spoke to the couple recommended that they take in toddlers and newborns to start. "It went great, and we loved it," Cozad wrote on her website.

In The Beginning

In the beginning, the Shanks had taken enough classes to shelter toddlers. They cared for newborns who needed it, either for a couple days, weeks, or months. The couple supports reuniting the children with their parents whenever possible.

"You get to play this small role in raising kids and being a support for a family when they need it," Cozad told Good Morning America. They cared for the children until the toddlers could return to their families.

How Do They Handle Letting Go Of Children?

Although the Shanks support reunification, they still acknowledge how difficult it can be. On their website Love What Matters, Cozad addresses those who believe that letting go of a child will be too hard. "And that's true. It is hard," she wrote. "And I cry every single time a child leaves."

Cozad adds that they maintain their relationships with all of their foster children and their parents. "Our relationship doesn't have to end just because they return home," she elaborated.

In time, the Shanks would encounter a child they didn't want to let go...

Their Parenting Strategy

Throughout their years of fostering, Cozad and Shank never harbored any ill-will towards the families of the children. "We walk hand-in-hand with them," Cozad said. "When we go to court, I'm sitting next to their moms and supporting them."

The couple worked to reunite families in every situation. Fortunately for them, a situation arose that they never expected. After all--what would happen if the child couldn't return to his family?

The Boy Who Changed Everything

At one point, Cozad and Shank were assigned to take care of a three-year-old boy named Michael. They only had to take him in for two days, which they accepted. Although they didn't know it, Michael would capture their hearts as no one else had.

Near the end of the weekend, a social worker asked the couple to extend Michael's visit to one week. They agreed; they hadn't even noticed how quickly time flew by.

Becoming More Than A Visit

"That weekend turned into a week. And that week into months. And those months into years," Cozad wrote on the couples' website. It wasn't long until Michael no longer seemed like a guest. He became a member of their family.

Of course, Cozad and Shank adored the three-year-old. But reuniting him with his family was still their priority. They were reminded of this when a family member came to visit.

Meeting Michael's brother would present the Shanks with the hardest choice of their lives.

Brothers Reunite

A few months after the Shanks took in Michael, they agreed to supervise a sibling visit. Michael was scheduled to talk to his older brother, ten-year-old Dayshawn.

"The second Michael caught a glimpse of his brother from across the playground, he ran with all his might and jumped into his arms," Cozad wrote on Love What Matters. "It was that second that Stuart and I looked at each other, and we truly understood the importance of Dayshawn and Michael needing to be together.

But Could The Brothers Stick Together?

Cozad and Shank acknowledged that the boys couldn't reunite with their parents. If they wanted to keep the boys together, they would have to take in Dayshawn. But they were hesitant about fostering a preteen. After all, they had not yet taken the classes for handling a soon-to-be-teenager.

Specifically, Cozad worried that she was too young to parent. At the time, there was only a 13-year age gap between her and Dayshawn. But once she started talking to him, all her fears fled.

Like They Were Meant To Be Family

"We fell in love with Dayshawn as soon as he opened his mouth," Cozad later said. The couple describes him as empathetic and social. While Michael was more reserved, Dayshawn was effervescent and, as Cozad called him, "a ham."

"Being his mom feels so natural," Cozad later wrote on her website. "He doesn't even seem to notice that I'm so young (or he just doesn't care.) To him, I'm just his mom."

Even so, the couple struggled for years over an intense moral decision.

But What About Reunification?

Although the Shanks loved the two boys, they found themselves debating over their unexpected plan. "Adoption wasn't our primary goal, although we were open to it if it became available," Cozad wrote on Love What Matters. "We advocate for reunification whenever possible."

Unfortunately, reunification wasn't possible with Michael and Dayshawn. If the couple didn't adopt them, there was no guarantee that they would stay together. But they didn't have the experience to care for Dayshawn, either. What could they do?

Their Internal Struggle

Cozad and Shank ended up fostering the brothers for three years. Throughout that time, they experienced what they called a "flip-flop of emotions." They continually debated whether they should work harder toward reunification or adopt both boys.

"We would support the goal of reunification, and we would mentally prepare ourselves for that and then all of a sudden, the case plan would be switched to adoption," Cozad later wrote. "And then six months later, back to reunification."

Despite the struggle, fostering provided the Shanks with a joy they never anticipated.

That Long Period Wasn't Wasted

Although the couple debated their stance on the situation, they still worked to develop their parenting skills. They took classes with parenting coaches. They attended conferences to talk to other foster parents. And they accessed plenty of online resources.

Through their learning, the couple employed Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), a parenting style that helps kids who experienced trauma. As Cozad describes it, "you become a person they can attach to before you fix the behaviors."

Things Only Got Better

The classes helped the couple feel more comfortable with fostering a teen. In the meantime, Michael and Dayshawn became their longest foster kids ever, and the family grew close. Parenting the two boys became more and more natural.

On her website, Cozad recalled that she eventually let go of her internal debate. "This process really made me realize that I needed to just sit back and enjoy every single moment with our boys, because I truly had no control over what the future held.

But They Did Have Control Over The Future

Despite the couple's flip-flopping, they eventually settled on adopting Dayshawn and Michael. They worked on arranging a court hearing for official adoption. However, the process took a lot longer than they expected--months upon months upon months.

Meanwhile, Michael and Dayshawn grew incredibly excited to be adopted. Even so, the couple continued to foster other kids. Cozad said that Dayshawn "makes it his personal mission to welcome every new child who comes to us."

The Shanks still couldn't guarantee that the adoption would be approved. Would they convince the judge?

Finally--The Adoption Court Hearing

On August 13th, 2018, the Shanks and two brothers attended the final court proceeding. Family and friends traveled to celebrate the potential adoption. At this point, the couple had fostered the boys for three years. Michael was six, and Dayshawn was 13.

Although most people assumed that the adoption would be approved, the Shanks were still nervous. There was always a slim chance that the court hearing could go awry.

During The Proceeding

The entire court proceeding was recorded on video. It was a highly emotional hearing, but one moment in particular brought people to tears. During the meeting, the judge hypothetically asked, "You think they all agree that this adoption ought to go forward?"

Based on the judge's tone, most attendees assumed that they didn't need to respond. But Dayshawn did reply. The 13-year-old interrupted the judge to express his love for his parents.

This Is What He Said

"They all love us," the teenager cut in. Now having the floor, Dayshawn continued. "We love them. Our whole family is the best thing we ever had. I'm glad to have these people in my life. I'm glad to be their son."

At this point, Cozad was visibly crying. Dayshawn added, "They're the best thing I ever had. If I could wish for anything in the world, I would wish I could just love these people for the rest of my life."

But the story isn't over. The Shank family changed for the better.

And The Adoption Was Finalized

Dayshawn's mother wept tears of joy at his unexpected declaration. The judge, clearly moved, responded, "If I had any doubts, they're gone now." She finalized the adoption then and there. Dayshawn's wish was fulfilled.

The Shank family left the courtroom to celebrate with friends and family. They rode a limo to a doughnut party with people who love them. Photographer Krista Welch shot their heartwarming pictures of the official adoption.

Their Lives Post-Adoption

With their adoptions finalized, Michael and Dayshawn took on the last name, Shank. According to Cozad, "everything has changed and nothing has changed." They had already been living as a family before the court date, but now it felt more official.

"If someone told me five years ago I would be 26 and adopting a teenager, I would have thought they were crazy," Cozad said in an interview. "Now, I can't imagine it any other way."

Will The Shanks Still Foster Now?

By the time the Shanks adopted Dayshawn and Michael, they had fostered 14 children. The family agreed to foster more children, specifically teen moms, LGBT+ youth, and victims of sex-trafficking.

"It's heartbreaking that these demographics of teens sit in social workers offices or shelters for WEEKS (or even months) on end since so few homes are open to them," Cozad expressed on Love What Matters. After the adoption, the family welcomed in a 14-year-old who needed a good home to stay in.

They're Not Incredible People

"Sometimes people say we are incredible people," Cozad told Good Morning America. "That's not true. It's just showing up and trying to do your best. We meet incredible kids and families and it's a great privilege to care for kids in our community."

The Shanks truly believe that fostering children is the most rewarding thing one could do, even though it isn't easy. "No child should feel grateful to have a family love them," Cozad asserted. "It should be given."

Keep reading for another incredible adoption story.

Colorado Mom Adopts Two Children, Months Later Learns Their True Identities

In her early 30s, Katie Page was living in Alabama, yet was feeling unfulfilled. She was looking for a new beginning to get out of the rut she felt she was in. Her marriage had recently ended, and she felt completely lost.

It was a time she has described as the hardest in her entire life. She knew that the only thing she could do was to start over entirely, and despite having friends and opportunities in Alabama, she needed to get out.

Little did she know that her desire for a new life would result in an incredible mystery.

Making Crucial Decisions

Even after her marriage had ended, she was aware that there were still opportunities that she could take advantage of. So, she decided to figure out which ones were worth examining.

With so many options in front of her, she was hesitant but knew that whatever she did would help the situation she was in. At least, she hoped. It was at that time that Katie received a job offer that seemed like the answer to her problems.

New Job, New Life

Katie took the job and moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she started working as an integrated service manager for the construction company GE Johnson. She was feeling positive that she had made the right decision in order to turn her life around and accomplish some of the goals she had.

She ended up purchasing a four-bedroom home that required a lot of renovation. Katie commented that "The house was a large four-bedroom home. I told my friends at the time that it was meant for 'more,' even though I really didn’t know what ‘more’ meant at the time."

She Was Focusing On Self-Care

Renovating a home, no matter what size, is not cheap by any means. So, Katie decided that she would take on the job herself, keeping her busy, and giving her a purpose. She stated: "The house I bought would require extensive work to transform into my vision – and most of which I would have to do myself in order to afford it."

However, she was doing some self-reflecting at the time too recalling, “I remember literally looking in the mirror one day and sobbing at the woman I saw, and I knew that I was not the woman my heart desired to be.”

She Still Felt An Emptiness

Katie was well-aware that her decision to remodel her home herself would be a daunting task. It was no light remodel either, she would even have to replace the floors! While she felt fulfilled while working on the house and was keeping busy, she still felt that something in her life was missing.

It wasn't long before Katie received a letter in the mail that would change her life forever. She realized she had been presented with the opportunity of a lifetime that she wasn’t going to pass up.

But what was the letter?

Finding Religion

After moving to Colorado, Katie became a deeply religious person, joining a local church. On that fateful day, Katie received a letter from her church about a seminar they thought she would like to attend.

It was about the opportunity for her to become involved in a foster program for children in need. She wondered if this was the answer she was looking for, and the longer she thought about it, the more confident she became. So, she agreed to attend her church's seminar.

Everything Started To Add Up

In the events leading up to Katie receiving the letter, she had been focusing on becoming the woman that she wanted to be. She moved across the country, started a new job, and became involved with her church.

Yet, she still felt that there was more she could so, not just for herself, but for others. Katie figured that the foster program would be an excellent way to help, and would bring her the satisfaction she had longed for. Looking at all the space in her home, she knew she wanted to put it to good use.

She Needed Support

After deciding to attend the seminar, she knew that she would need to talk through everything before she made such a life-changing decision. So, she called the person that she trusts the most, her mom. If her mom agreed with her decision, Katie knew that it was definitely the right choice.

However, at first, her mom was caught off-guard with Katie's proposition. She couldn’t wrap her head around why Katie was interested in becoming a foster mom. Her mom was well aware of how difficult it is to raise children but agreed to attend the meeting with her.

Both were unsure what the future would hold.

It Was The Right Decision

After speaking with her mom, Katie was surer than ever that she had made the right decision to attend the seminar. Once she got, there, she felt more passionate than ever about everything. She knew this was exactly what she needed.

During the presentation Katie learned the ins-and-outs of what it meat to be a foster parent, becoming inspired by the many stories she heard from those already involved with the program. Of course, she was also nervous, but this was a huge decision!

Something To Look Forward To

At this point, Katie had done just about everything to turn her life around. She moved to a new city, started a new job, joined a new church, and was fixing up her house! Now, she had this to look forward too!

Before receiving the letter from her church, she had never even considered being a foster mom. Now, she wouldn't stop thinking about it. Yet, that doesn’t mean she dove in headfirst. She knew what a big decision it was and didn’t want to mess it up right out of the gate.

She Was Diligent Before Making Ger Final Decision

Although Katie believed that being a foster mother was her calling in life, she was also aware of how much time and dedication it takes. This led her to feel both excited and anxious about the whole thing.

On top of that, she hoped that she would even be able to meet the requirements! She poured over the documents and looked at all the options available. After a final discussion with her family and friends, she decided she was going to do it!

All She had left to do was fill out the paperwork.

She Completed Her Application

On Mother's Day, 2015, Katie completed and submitted her application for the foster program. After taking the proper amount of time to think things through, she knew she had made the right choice. With each step she completed in the program, she was feeling more and more fulfilled.

As she became more involved with the program, she also learned about all the ways she would be helping these children in need, only solidifying her feelings. Even though she was still scared, she wasn’t going to back down.

Yet, she didn’t know she would be faced with anything beyond her training.

She Was A Certified Foster Mom

After completing the application process and the necessary training, Katie was a full-time foster mom. Her first few cases weren't infants either, but children who needed temporary housing after a traumatic event.

She cared for each child with all of her heart, providing them with whatever they needed while simultaneously being there for them emotionally. While she took her job incredibly seriously, over time, she began to feel that she wanted to be more than just a foster parent.

She Was A Natural

During her time as a foster mom, Katie had the opportunity to help four children in need. After just her first case, Katie knew that she was meant to help these children. Not only that, but she turned out to be a natural at parenting, making being a foster mom not even feel like a job.

While she was content with being a foster parent, another feeling began to grow inside of her. She started to think that she wanted to become an actual mother herself.

Her r