adopting again and again and again…

Carle and Debbie Sargent already had three lovely biological daughters, Robin, Julie, and Emily, when they knew they were ready to expand their family. And they knew exactly how they wanted to do it - through adoption.

Mom's Eye View: Carle Sargent, president of USAdoption Solutions, proudly rallies nine of his ten children. His wife, wedding photographer Debbie Sargent, is like most moms...behind the camera! debbie sargent - prismweddingphotography.com The couple had discussed the matter after they were married. Carle says, "My wife was adopted and she always knew that she wanted to adopt children."

So, that's exactly what they did. And they did it again and again. First, with biological siblings Scott and Anna. A second time with Justin. And finally, with Rocky, Cora, Shawn, and Stariona, siblings from Texas who were about to be split up into different homes.

Today the family boasts 10 children since the last quartet was adopted 3 years ago. In the Sargent's 11 bedroom Lancaster home, which also houses two cats, two turtles, and two bunnies, the adoptees are the majority. In this unique family of 12, with children ranging from grades 1 to 12, only four members, including Carle, were not adopted.

The Sargent family blended together with a lot of love and an equal amount of organization. Carle, president of USAdoption Solutions Inc., and Debbie, a professional wedding photographer, plan their time wisely. Although the children attend different schools and are involved in many different daily activities, the family always comes together for dinner, and when the Sargents venture out, they travel in the family's two mini-vans.

A master schedule for the kids' games, concerts, and other activities can be found in the Sargent's kitchen. Carle explains that this one tool is essential for family survival. He says, "I tell the kids, if it's not on the schedule, it's not going to happen." He adds, "Having this many kids forces you to be organized."

Fifteen-year-old Julie Sargent remembers being five or six when her first brother was adopted. While she thought it was "weird at first," Julie has witnessed first-hand the impact a loving family has had on her siblings and thinks adoption is a great thing, something she encourages others to consider. "It is a great opportunity and definitely something you should do."

After their last adoption, the Sargents realized that they could not adopt all the children searching for forever homes. When they discovered that the number of children in foster care awaiting adoption in the United States was a staggering 500,000, they did the next best thing. On May 18, 2006 Carle and Debbie established USAdoption Solutions, a non-profit adoption agency with offices in Worcester and Albany, New York. USAdoptions Solutions specializes in domestic adoption from foster care.

President Carle Sargent brings much experience to the table; not only has he worked in private adoptions as a caseworker, but he now also has the insight of being an adoptive father himself. His major hope is that USAdoption Solutions will raise awareness about all kinds of adoption. Says Sargent, "For example, even if the prospective parents discover they are more interested in adopting a baby overseas and don't use us, there is still a baby who will be adopted. We are dedicated to helping all families find a perfect match and helping as many children as possible get adopted."

USAdoption Solutions is unique in that it charges a family a fee of only $125. Sargent insists, '"We didn't want money to be a deterrent in the adoption process."

The non-profit offers training for the family but also provides support throughout the adoption process and beyond. The agency is dedicated to informing, recruiting, and training the families who will adopt the nation's hard-to -place waiting foster children. It trains the family according to the laws of that particular state, provides home studies and four training meetings per year, searches nationwide for kids waiting to be adopted, and assigns one social worker to the family for the duration of the adoption process.

In this time of economic challenges, the agency depends on donations and fundraising. Julie Sargent has become one of the agency's staunchest supporters. Described by her father as a leader and overachiever, the teenager, dedicated to helping others find a home, is a natural in fundraising and has been instrumental in raising over $20,000 for USAdoption solutions via kick-a-thons and raffles. She has set a new goal to raise another $25,000 by the end of 2009.

Carle Sargent and his wife Debbie have a vision. They hope to expand USAdoption Solutions so that there will someday be an office in every major city throughout the U.S., and that these additional offices will provide even more avenues for children to find families so that no child remains alone.

Countless families are grateful to the Sargents for their help in connecting them with their adopted children. But their most heroic role takes place here in Lancaster when they come home from work and are known to ten children simply as mom and dad.

Leslie Castillo is the baystateparent calendar editor as well as a contributing writer. She lives in Wayland with her husband and two boys.