>>> NOW TO THE MOTHER'S DAY SERIES MAGNIFICENT MAMAS.
TODAY WE'RE GOING TO INTRODUCE YOU TO AN OREGON MOM WHO RAISED
12 CHILDREN. >> WE'RE TALKING 12 AND RAISING
SUCH A BIG FAMILY HAD ITS CHALLENGES.
BUT IT WAS HER LOVING AND GIVING SPIRIT THAT MADE EACH OF HER
KIDS FEEL SPECIAL. >> MY NAME IS MOLLY BARRETT AND
I AM NOMINATING MY MOTHER, CHRISTIE OBIE BARRETT.
SHE IS JUST REALLY SPECIAL. FIRST SHE RAISED 12 CHILDREN.
SHE HAD THREE ADOPTED AND BIOLOGICAL CHILDREN ALL WITHIN
NINE MONTHS OLD. >> CHRISTIE AND HER HUSBAND BILL
RAISED 12 CHILDREN TOGETHER. THE WELCOME SIGN OVER THEIR
FRONT DOOR SAYING IT ALL. >> I ALWAYS HAD IN MY MIND THAT
I WANTED 12. AND I TOLD BILL WHEN WE MET THAT
I WANTED 12. WE HAD THREE BIOLOGICAL KIDS.
I THOUGHT, WELL, THIS IS THE NATURAL TIME TO LOOK INTO
ADOPTION. THERE WAS THIS NEED WITH
AFRICAN-AMERICAN BABIES THAT WERE WAITING FOR HOMES.
>> I PUT MY FOOT DOWN EIGHT TIMES.
AND EACH ONE OF THE KIDS, EVERY TIME CHRISTIE WOULD COME TO ME
AND SAY, WHAT DO YOU THINK, I WOULD SAY TO MYSELF, WHERE WOULD
THEY BE IF THEY'RE NOT WITH US. >> THE BARRETTS ENDED UP WITH 7
BOYS AND 5 GIRLS, INCLUDING ADOPTED SISTERS.
ALL OF THEM ARE GROWN UP, THE YOUNGEST BOUND FOR COLLEGE.
FROM THE START, THIS FAMILY SHARED EVERYTHING.
>> WE REALLY WORKED ON THE HAND-ME-DOWNS.
>> FAMILY MEALS REQUIRED THREE TABLES, BUT EVEN IN THIS CROWDED
HOUSE, CHRISTIE MADE SURE EACH OF HER KIDS FELT SPECIAL.
>> WE WOULD HAVE ONE NIGHT A WEEK WHERE WE WOULD GET TO
CHOOSE WHAT WE WOULD MAKE AND WE WOULD ALL COOK IT TOGETHER.
SHE WOULD MAKE US HALLOWEEN COSTUMES BY HAND.
SHE IS THE PERSON THAT I ALWAYS THINK TO CALL WHEN THERE'S
ANYTHING GOING ON, HAPPY OR SAD. >> I REALLY TRIED TO MAKE TIME
FOR THEM, TO NURTURE THEIR INDIVIDUAL CREATIVITY AND LOVES
AND DESIRES. >> BILL, A RADIO DEEJAY, AND
CHRISTIE SCRIMPED AND SAVED TO GIVE EACH CHILD THEIR OWN
BIRTHDAY PARTIEPARTIES. AND AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES.
>> THERE WAS A LOT OF FUN TIMES, A LOT OF GREAT TIMES AND JUST
AMAZING HOW SHE WAS ABLE TO JUGGLE WHAT SHE DID EVERY DAY
FOR EACH OF US. >> CHRISTIE TAUGHT HER KIDS TO
BE EACH OTHER'S BEST FRIENDS. >> I CAN TALK TO MY OLDER
SISTERS OR WITH MY OLDER BROTHERS ABOUT SCHOOL PROBLEMS,
AND THEY'LL JUST HELP ME WITH THEM.
>> THE GREATEST GIFT THAT MY MOM GAVE ME WAS MY BROTHERS AND
SISTERS. I HAVE 11 PEOPLE THAT I CAN CALL
AT ANY TIME THAT WOULD BE THERE IN A HEARTBEAT.
>> BUT IN THEIR SMALL RURAL TOWN OF EUGENE, OREGON, RAISING A
MIXED RACE FAMILY HAD ITS CHALLENGES.
>> WE HAD ISSUES WITH THEM BEING FOLLOWED BY THE POLICE, OR ALL
THE STORIES YOU HEAR, YOU KNOW, BEING CALLED THE N WORD.
>> IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THEY'RE BIOLOGICAL CHILDREN OR IF WE
LOOK ALIKE, SHE JUST TAUGHT US TO LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY.
>> BRADEN SAYS HIS MOM HELPED HIM THROUGH THE YEARS OF
STRUGGLING WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION.
>> SHE WAS ALWAYS THERE FOR ME, HELPING ME OUT WITH IT.
ALWAYS GIVING ME ADVICE, BRINGING ME UP WITH POSITIVE
WORDS. >> COOPER, WHO HAS ASBERGER'S, A
FORM OF AUTISM, BEGAN TO DRIVE. >> SHE HELPED ME REALLY RESPOND
TO PEOPLE SOCIALLY. >> NOW CHRISTIE HAS TAKEN HER
PASSION FOR KIDS NATIONWIDE, STARTING HER OWN NONPROFIT TO
HELP FOSTER CHILDREN. IT'S ALREADY PLACED MORE THAN
5,000 KIDS WITH ADOPTIVE FAMILIES.
>> SHE MAKES YOU WANT TO BE A BETTER PERSON BECAUSE YOU KNOW
SHE IS DOING EVERYTHING IN HER POWER TO HELP OTHERS.
AND SO GROWING UP IN THAT HOUSEHOLD, YOU STRIVE TO BE
BETTER. >> OKAY.
OH, THAT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL! >> SHE IS SO AWESOME.
YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT FATHER, TOO. KUDOS TO HIM.
>> HE PUT HIS FOOT DOWN EIGHT TIMES.
>> EIGHT TIMES HE PUT HIS FOOT DOWN.
>> CHRISTIE, MOLLY