Lani Kerness met and married her husband, Bryan, after she graduated from Whittier College. The couple had tried to have a child for one year and were told that in vitro fertilization would be the next approach to try. They both thought this procedure was too invasive and decided instead to adopt a child or siblings from the foster care system.
Bryan and Lani became certified foster/adoptive parents with Children’s Bureau in July 2005. One day the couple received a call to see if they were interested in 10-month-old twins, a boy and a girl. That was on a Thursday and the twins needed to be picked up the next day. The couple scrambled to get clothes and an additional crib and baby carrier. Sloane, the Children’s Bureau social worker, went to pick up the babies with Lani and Bryan. Baby Rudy smiled at Lani and Bryan when they first held him (and he still smiles all the time). Ruby looked at them suspiciously putting her eyebrows together, expressing “Who are you?” The babies were released for adoption after several months, and the couple was able to adopt them.
“I feel that providing foster care to children in need is a selfless, yet highly rewarding task. Foster parents tend to love children, are givers and most of all have a wonderful sense of humor. I have always felt a great fondness for our foster parents because they work hard to give these children a good life – whatever the outcome. Sometimes is takes a while for the reunification process with the parents to succeed or fail, but during this time the child is growing up and learning in school and at home. The child continues to have needs while the system moves through the necessary steps,” observed Marcia Morris, Recruiter for Foster Care and Adoption.
Ruby learned to walk at 11 months and Rudy at 13 months. Their first words were cookie, mama and dada. They are three years old and love to dance, sing and watch children’s television shows. They go to preschool and love to paint, color, sing, talk all day and love to swim in the pool. The children in the neighborhood are called “the paparazzi” because every time that Rudy and Ruby go out, they get swarmed by them. Rudy and Ruby are shining stars in their neighborhood and in Lani and Bryan’s loving eyes!
For more information, please call 661-272-9996 or visit our website at www.all4kids.org .