Coming from a big family, I’ve always liked kids. So when I started dating my future wife, it was just fine with me that she had a 3 year old son. We got to hang out quite a bit, because his dad left before he was born. This poor little kid never had a dad, and his mom was busting her butt to support him.

We would play Mario Brothers (the original game) watch football, go to the pool, and just hang out. I wasn’t trying to be his dad, just a guy trying to help this little kiddo have a normal life.

Eventually, we decided to get married. It was a small wedding. A little 5-year-old blonde, spikey haired boy walked his mom down the aisle on our wedding day. Yes, he gave his mom away to me. And he was very proud to do it.

Two weeks after our wedding, my wife got a letter from an attorney. It was from her ex-husband, wanting to know if I was willing to adopt his son. When I got home from work, my wife was furious. She hadn’t heard anything from him in years, but as soon as she got married, he was willing to give his son up.

I stood there in disbelieve. I stood there trying to process all of this for a few second, and then I shouted, “Yes! I will adopt him right now.” I had never thought about adoption. I just figured, since I married his mom, he was my responsibility. He was MY son, now. I then told my wife, I will not only adopt him, but I have one of the best adoption attorneys in the state of Florida IN my family. (Now our family).

My wife just stood there, staring at me, then she burst into tears. I thought, NOW what did I do? I thought I was doing a good thing, I thought I was doing the right thing, and I already thought he was my son, so adopting him was perfect. I then learned those were tears of pure joy, that my wife couldn’t believe this was happening. I assured her, that this was definitely happening.

You see, she never dreamed she would marry again. She never thought her son would have a dad, and now I was ready to give her both. It was our own little forever family. (We had two other kids later, but that’s another story)

My son is Ryan Charles TATE. He is my oldest son, and adopting him was the second-best thing I ever did in my life, second only to marrying his beautiful mom.

Oh, and that attorney is none other than the illustrious Jeanne T. Tate.