‘Families don’t have to match’ – Black couple share their journey to adopting three white children

Sadie and Jarvis Sampson had been hoping to start a family since their marriage in January 2018, but despite their efforts, conception proved elusive. The Houston couple tried various methods to help the process along.

“We used ovulation tests, prenatal vitamins, cycle tracking apps, fertility monitors,” Sadie shared with Love What Matters. “We even took the unsolicited advice of friends, family, and strangers who told us maybe we should just stop trying.”

For over a year, the Sampsons tried, prayed, and waited, facing one negative pregnancy test after another. “It seemed like we were going to need medical assistance to conceive. We even began consulting doctors about our options,” Sadie recounted.

Then, when they had almost accepted the idea of being only an aunt and uncle, a life-altering text arrived, dramatically changing their trajectory overnight.

Doctors didn’t seem to offer the couple much help. They all told Sadie to lose weight and she would conceive so with no other advice to go on she had gastric surgery and lost 28 pounds.

Sadie’s OBGYN shared her excitement at the weight loss and told Sadie how proud she was of her.

“She told me that if I wasn’t pregnant within six months then she would refer me to a fertility specialist because she couldn’t prescribe me the fertility medication,” Sadie said. “I was over the moon about that. Finally, we got something other than a no! We got a ‘not right now,’ and we were thrilled.”

But sadly the couple didn’t get pregnant as they thought they would after Sadie lost the weight and they felt like they were back where they started.

“Completing Our Family – Adoption Puzzle Fundraiser Update: Two weeks ago, we received a call about our little one…

Posted by Sadie Sampson on Friday, August 30, 2019”

“I had always felt like I was meant to be a mother,” Sadie revealed. “After my surgery, my surgeon emphasized how fertile I might be, yet I still wasn’t getting pregnant. Eventually, we resigned ourselves to the idea that we were meant only to be aunt and uncle to our nieces and godparents to our goddaughters.”

Just as Sadie and her husband had accepted their situation, she received a life-changing text from a friend. The message asked if they would consider fostering a baby from a couple who were exploring adoption options for their child.

Initially, the couple was hesitant; they were simply asked to care for the baby temporarily while the biological mother received treatment. The fear of becoming too attached loomed large. However, the situation quickly evolved.

“The birth mom has decided she wants you to adopt the child instead,” the caseworker informed them.

“Holy crap!!” Sadie exclaimed when she learned they could become the child’s permanent parents. “We shifted from not having children to potentially fostering, to becoming full-time parents virtually overnight!” she recounted. “I was still reeling from the news when I called my husband. ‘Babe!! They want us to adopt the baby! They want us to be parents,’ I screamed. His response was disbelief, ‘Wait! REALLY?! I thought they just wanted us to foster him!’ ‘Nope! They want us to be his mom and dad,’ I clarified.”

The weekend gave the couple time to process the sudden turn of events, but they also prepared themselves for the possibility that the biological mother might change her mind.

By Monday, not only did they receive confirmation that the mother was still committed to them adopting her baby, but she also wanted to proceed with an independent adoption and was ready to sign the papers that day.

Their baby boy was born prematurely at 33 weeks, weighing just 4 pounds, 5 ounces. “He could fit in one of my husband’s hands,” Sadie shared.

“He was so tiny, wrapped in a white blanket adorned with pink and blue stripes,” she continued. “He had an NG tube from his nose because he was too premature to eat on his own. But he was absolutely adorable!”

The couple announced their joyous news on social media and were encouraged to set up a registry. They listed 72 items, and incredibly, 55 were purchased for them within just three days.

Ezra Lee’s adoption was finalized in October 2020, and the family celebrated with a photoshoot, donning T-shirts emblazoned with the phrase “families don’t have to match.”

In 2021, Sadie and Jarvis expanded their family through embryo donation, welcoming twin girls, Journee and Destinee. Embracing their family motto, the Black couple became parents to three white children—a boy and two girls—showcasing the beauty of a family that doesn’t have to match.

For anyone who judges this beautiful family, they have just one response: their family is built on the most robust foundation ever – love.