>>> IT IS CHRISTMAS.
THERE'S NO GREATER GIFT THAN
FAMILY
WE WOULD LOVE TO INTRODUCE YOU
TO THE COAL CATEGKEES
>> THEY OPENED THEIR HOME TO
ADOPTION
>> SPEAKING OF SURPRISES, WE
HAVE A HUGE CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR
MELODY AND DAVID
ONE YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS
LOOK HOW THEY BUILT THEIR
WONDERFUL FAMILY WITH A LITTLE
HELP FROM THE GIFT OF ADOPTION
FUND
TAKE A LOOK.
>> WE MET EACH OTHER WHEN WE
WERE SEVEN YEARS OLD, WE DIDN'T
KNOW WE WERE GOING TO FALL IN
LOVE, GET MARRIED SOMEDAY.
WE WENT OFF, ABLE TO DO A LOT OF
THINGS IN THE WORLD, CAME BACK,
OUR PATHS CROSSED.
>> WORKING ON THE 20 YEAR HIGH
SCHOOL REUNION COMMITTEE,
STARTED DATING, HERE WE ARE.
>> AFTER RECORRECTNNECTING, MELY
KNEW WHAT DAVID KNEW ALL ALONG,
TWO YEARS LATER THEY WERE
MARRIED.
>> GOT PREGNANT QUICKLY.
>> I TOLD HER SHE WAS PREGNANT
SHE WAS HAVING CRAZY CRAVINGS.
NO I'M NOT, YES, YOU ARE.
>> THEY WERE OVERJOYED
BOTH WANTED TO BE PARENTS.
A MONTH SHY OF DELIVERING THEIR
FIRST BABY, THE UNIMAGINABLE
HAPPENED
>> LATE IN THE 36th WEEK OF AN
OTHERWISE NORMAL, PERFECTLY
HEALTHY PREGNANCY.
ONE DAY SUDDENLY THE LIGHTS WENT
OUT.
UP TO THIS DAY, DOCTORS SAID
UNFORTUNATELY SOMETIMES IT JUST
HAPPENS.
>> BABY GABRIEL WAS BORN STILL
AFTER PLACENTA ABRUPTION
>> AFTER I LOST GABRIEL, THERE
WERE TIMES I CONSIDERED SUICIDE
BECAUSE IT FELT LIKE MY HEAR
HAD BEEN RIPPED FROM MY BODY AND
I DIDN'T KNOW HOW I WAS GOING TO
KEEP MOVING ON WITHOUT MY HEART.
>> IT TOOK US FIVE YEARS OF
TRYING TO GET PREGNANT AGAIN,
TRYING TO GRIEVE, TRYING TO
RECONCILE WHAT HAPPENED.
>> GRIEF IS SUCH A STRONG THING,
DIFFERENT FOR EVERYBODY.
ALL OF THE GRIEF LOSING OUR ONLY
BIOLOGICAL SON, WE GOT SO MUCH
FROM IT.
WE GAINED SO MUCH FROM THAT.
>> AMONG WHAT WAS GAINED, THE
OPPORTUNITY TO GROW THEIR FAMILY
ANOTHER WAY.
>> I WENT AND SAID THE LORD IS
WORKING ON ME, IT IS TIME FOR US
TO ADOPT
SHE SAID ME, TOO
WE STARTED THE PROCESS
A YEAR LATER, WE END UP WITH THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ADOPT FOUR KIDS
WITH A SET OF TWINS IN IT.
THAT'S HOW WE ENDED UP WITH THE
FIRST FOUR
MACKENZIE, MADISON, RICHARD,
SHAWN.
>> THE FOUR BIOLOGICAL SIBLINGS
FILLED MELANIE AND DAVID'S
BROKEN YET HOPEFUL HEARTS.
I HAVE TWO ADOPTED CHILDREN, I
KNOW THE FEELING OF LOVING A
BABY BEFORE YOU LAID EYES ON
THEM
DID YOU KNOW YOU WERE IN LOVE
BEFORE YOU SAW THEM?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I WAS ALSO AFRAID.
DON'T GET ME WRONG
THEY OUTNUMBERED US.
BUT ABSOLUTELY
AS SOON AS WE SAW THEM, WE WERE
LIKE OH, MY GOD, HOW COULD WE
NOT SAY YES.
A LOT OF PEOPLE COME TO US AND
SAY HOW CAN YOU LOVE A CHILD
THAT YOU DIDN'T GIVE BIRTH TO.
YOU JUST DO.
AND IT DOESN'T MATTER.
AND THE DAY WE SAW THEM, MY
HEART JUST OPENED UP IN WAYS I
CAN'T EVEN EXPLAIN TO YOU.
YOU JUST HAVE TO BE OPEN
OUR CHILDREN ARE THE MOST
INCREDIBLE PEOPLE, THEY'RE
SWEET, KIND, AND JUST WANT TO BE
LOVED AND GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY
TO BE IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, SO
THEY CAN FLOURISH AND BE WHO GOD
WANTS THEM TO BE.
>> EVEN AFTER BRINGING HOME FOUR
KIDS, MELANIE AND DAVID STILL
HAD ROOM IN THEIR HEARTS,
ADOPTING A FIFTH BIOLOGICAL
SIBLING, LUKE.
THEIR KIDS' BIRTH MOM HAD A
SIXTH CHILD, MASON, NOW THREE,
PLACED WITH ANOTHER FAMILY
SHORTLY AFTER BIRTH.
>> HE FELL THROUGH THE SYSTEM SO
TO SPEAK, WAS BEING ADOPTED BY
SOMEONE.
WE FOUND OUT ABOUT HIM THE DAY
PRIOR TO HIS ADOPTION BEING
FINALIZED.
>> WE WERE DEVASTATED, TO SAY
DEVASTATED WAS AN
UNDERSTATEMENT
WE REALLY GOT A CHANCE TO KNOW
HIS ADOPTED MOM VERY WELL,
BECAME FRIENDS WITH HER.
WE SAID WE'RE GOING TO KEEP IN
TOUCH.
>> AND MELANIE SAID HE IS GOING
TO END UP IN OUR HOUSE
I KNOW HE IS GOING TO END UP IN
OUR HOME.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT YOU KNOWING
THAT SIXTH CHILD WAS MEANT TO BE
WITH YOU.
>> LUCKILY HE WAS ADOPTED TO A
WONDERFUL PERSON
SHE REACHED OUT TO US, SHE WAS
HAVING CHALLENGES WITH HIM, FELT
HE NEEDED TO BE WITH HIS
BIOLOGICAL SIBLINGS, FIRST
APPROACHED US ABOUT IT, WE
WONDERED HOW IN THE WORLD ARE WE
MAKING THIS HAPPEN, WITH THE
HOUSE, WITH EVERYTHING ELSE.
OUR HEART SAID IMMEDIATELY YES
OUR MINDS SAID HOW ARE YOU GOING
TO FUND IT
>> YOU'VE PL HAVE APPLIED FOR A.
TO THINK THERE'S SOME CASH
STANDING IN BETWEEN YOUR FAMILY
AND THE SIBLING THAT THEY ALL
NEED AND YOU ALL NEED IN YOUR
LIFE HAS TO BE FRUSTRATING TO
THINK THAT'S ALL IT IS ABOUT
NOW, RIGHT
>> IT IS
BUT WE JUST NEED ONE STEP AT A
TIME WITH EVERY DECISION THEY
MAKE
THEY HAVE TO TAKE ONE STEP AT A
TIME
>> TAKE A LITTLE STEP.
LET'S TAKE A LITTLE STEP
TOGETHER
MEET MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
PLAYER ERIC SO GUARD AND HIS
WIFE CASEY, THEY HAVE FIVE KIDS,
TWO THEY ADOPTED
CASEY SERVES ON THE BOARD OF THE
GIFT OF ADOPTION
THEY ARE WITH US AND THEY HAVE
SOME NEWS THEY WOULD LIKE TO
SHARE WITH YOU
>> WE SAT IN TEARS READING YOUR
STORY.
OUR HEARTS ARE JUST SO FULL AND
WE JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW
THAT YOU WILL BE RECEIVING A
GRANT FROM THE GIFT OF ADOPTION.
>> OH, AWESOME
THANK YOU.
>> DOES THAT MEAN LITTLE MASON
WILL BE ON THE WAY
IS THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
RIGHT NOW?
>> HE'LL BE HOME SOON, YES,
ABSOLUTELY.
>> WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU,
MELANIE AND DAVID, TO KNOW THAT
LAST LITTLE STEP YOU HAVE BEEN
WAITING FOR JUST HAPPENED?
>> IT IS JUST AWESOME, BUT IT IS
A BIG WEIGHT LIFTED OFF OUR
SHOULDERS, THAT'S REALLY
AWESOME.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY
AND YOUR LOVE.
YEAH
THERE'S NO WORDS
THANK YOU.
WE KEEP PRAYING ONE DAY WE CAN
BE IN A SITUATION WE CAN BE IN
YOUR SEAT BLESSING SOMEONE ELSE.
>> CASEY, YOU AND ERIC, WHAT
DOES IT MEAN BEING ABLE TO SHARE
THIS MOMENT WITH THESE GUYS
TODAY?
>> YEAH, I MEAN, ADOPTION IS
OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT'S VERY,
VERY CLOSE TO OUR HEARTS
WE KNOW HOW MUCH IT HAS BLESSED
OUR FAMILY, AND WE JUST LOVE
SEEING ADOPTION BRING JOY TO
OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES AND
FAMILIES
>> THANK YOU
>> GUYS, KEEP SPREADING THE JOY.
WE LOVE IT
GOD IS GOOD.
YOU ARE RIGHT.
YOU KNEW IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN,
DIDN'T KNOW WHERE, DIDN'T KNOW
HOW, BUT YOU KNEW IT WOULD
AND IT DID
SO CONGRATULATIONS
WE CAN'T WAIT.
WE CANNOT WAIT
I WANT A FRAMED PICTURE, I WANT
TO PUT IT ON MY DESK RIGHT HERE.
>> YOU GOT IT.
>> GUESS WHAT, THE GANG IS ALL
HERE
WE ARE GOING TO FIND OUT HOW
THEY'RE DOING.
THIS IS
>>> MERRY CHRISTMAS.
>> SORRY WE DON'T GET TO BE WITH
YOU.
LOVE YOU, BYE.
MERRY CHRISTMAS.
>> LOVE THAT
GUYS, BEFORE THE BREAK WE ME
TWO INCREDIBLE PEOPLE.
MELANIE AND DAVID COCHLEY WHO
WERE ABLE TO ADOPT THEIR SIXTH
CHILD.
ALL OF THE KIDS ARE BIOLOGICAL
SIBLINGS, THANKS TO GENEROSITY
OF AN ORGANIZATION CALLED GIFT
OF ADOPTION.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, ALL
THE KIDS ARE TOGETHER UNDER ONE
ROOF JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS.
GOOD MORNING.
>> MERRY CHRISTMAS, Y'ALL.
>> YOU HAVE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL
FAM
FAMILY PORTRAIT.
WHERE IS LITTLE MASON.
HI, MASON, HOW ARE YOU
>> GOOD.
>> JUST THE LAST PUZZLE PIECE.
IT JUST FITS, DOESN'T IT, GUYS
HOW DOES IT FEEL TO ALL BE
TOGETHER TODAY
>> GOOD!
>> MELANIE, I HAVE TO TALK WITH
YOU BECAUSE I THINK CHRISTMAS IS
ABOUT GOD'S GRACE, IT'S ABOUT
GRACE PERSONIFIED.
THAT IS YOU.
BOTH OF Y'ALL.
YOU TOOK WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN
THE PAIN OF A LIFETIME AND JUST
CREATED LOVE, THIS BEAUTIFUL
FAMILY
HOW DID YOU DO THAT?
>> YOU SAID IT, IT IS ALL GOD.
IT IS ALL GOD.
WHEN YOU GO THROUGH GRIEF, IF
YOU GO THROUGH SOMETHING THAT
SEVERE, YOU NEED TO HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO PUT IT IN OR OUT.
WE DECIDED TO PUT IT OUT
WE DECIDED TO LOVE HARDER.
GOD SHOWED US THE REST
HE SHOWED US THROUGH THE LOVE,
WHERE TO GO, GAVE US THE MEANS
TO DO IT
AND THROUGH GREAT PEOPLE LIKE
YOU GUYS, WE'RE ABLE TO.
>> THE GREAT PEOPLE ARE ON THAT
SIDE OF THE SCREEN
EACH CHILD SAY YOUR NAME SO WE
KNOW WHO YOU ARE
START IN THE FRONT
>> MY NAME IS MACKENZIE.
I AM NINE YEARS OLD.
>> MY NAME IS RICHARD AND I AM
EIGHT YEARS OLD.
>> MY NAME IS MADISON, I'M ALSO
NINE YEARS OLD
>> MY NAME IS SHAWN AND I AM
SIX.
>> WHAT'S YOUR NAME?
>> MASON.
>> HOW OLD ARE YOU
>> ONE MORE.
>> MY NAME IS LUKE
>> HOW OLD ARE YOU
>> HE IS TWO
>> WE WERE COUNTING, THAT'S A
LOT OF KIDS.
SO WE KNOW WE WANTED TO HELP YOU
MAKE LIFE A LITTLE EASIER.
I'M GOING TO ASK A FAVOR
Y'ALL ARE SITTING TOGETHER
COULD YOU GRAB YOUR PHONE, COULD
YOU WALK TO THE FRONT DOOR AND
TELL US WHAT YOU SEE
IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND PICKING UP
THE PHONE OR COMPUTER, WHATEVER
IT IS.
HARD TO UNPACK THE KIDS.
AND WILL YOU ALL WALK WITH YOUR
DAD?
WALK TOGETHER WITH DAVID
LET'S SEE WHAT WE GOT.
>> LET'S SEE WHAT IT IS.
>> I SEE SOME FOLKS IN THE YARD.
>> WHAT ELSE DO YOU SEE?
>> A VEHICLE
>> A VEHICLE, THAT'S RIGHT
>> WE FIGURED YOU NEEDED MORE
SEATS FOR ALL OF THE KIDS.
THAT'S WHAT YOU GET.
>> THAT BIG SILVER CHRISTMAS
BOW, DAVID, A 2021 TOYOTA
SIENNA, IT SEATS EIGHT
PASSENGERS
ENOUGH SPACE FOR ALL OF Y'ALL.
TOYOTA FOUND OUT ABOUT THE
FAMILY'S CURRENT SEVEN SEAT CAR.
>> ANYWAY, YOU GOT SOME WHEELS
FOR CHRISTMAS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR
WHEELS, DAVID?
>> AWESOME
THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH!
SAY THANK YOU!
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK
>> WE LOVE YOU GUYS.
YOU HAVE ALL THE LOVE IN THE
WORLD.
THE CAR IS JUST EXTRA.
>> WE LOVE YOU TOO
>> MERRY CHRISTMAS, OKAY
>> THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.
>> THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR DAY