In Honor of Adoption Month: How We Got Here {The Coxs}

This family is one of the first families I got to see up close doing the foster & adopt thing. They have been a steady example of how to live outside yourself, forsaking the original image of what their family would look like, and being obedient to what God has called them to do - even when it is hard! Love that theme in this story that God just wasn't done! AMEN.

Here is "How We Got Here" from the perspective of Tracy Cox:

I was an only child growing up in my mom and step dads home. I was so lonely and I was so jealous of my friends that had siblings. I always said that I was going to have a big family so I would never be lonely again. I rarely follow through with my goals I am a bit of a procrastinator (If I’m going to be honest).

In Dec. 2003 I met the man I was supposed to marry, Eddie.  Eddie and I began our blended family in July of 2004 with my two children and his three children all of which lived with us in our happy house. Since I’m being honest, it was tough, sometimes downright horrible, but with a lot of prayer and love we made it work.  In 2007 we only had our two youngest kids at home at the time. Eddie was done with kids and looking forward to having "Eddie and Tracy" time. I, on the other hand,  felt called to help, I was bringing home stray animals and the occasional homeless woman and children; I just wanted them to know they matter and I wanted to help.

One day Eddie’s mother called and said that Eddie’s niece could not take care of her 22 month old son, Jacob, any longer and asked if we would watch Jacob until the family could make permanent plans for him. We agreed and immediately there was a mom/baby bond going on between me and Jacob. In 2008, ten months after Jacob’s sudden arrival, his mom arrived with her three older children and returned to Aransas Pass taking Jacob with them. I was devastated! I just lost it. I couldn’t breathe. I literally felt like I had lost a child. I had severe depression. I mourned, but I never got over losing him.”

During the next three years, we heard very little about Jacob. Then, in 2010, through a series of miraculous circumstances, we got the opportunity to keep Jacob permanently in our home. I believe the conversation between Eddie and I when he called from Aransas Pass to tell me he was bring Jacob home with him went something like this: "Bring him! Bring him now! Bring my baby home!" 

I don’t think I slept that night I was so excited to hold my Jacob and smell his temple just at the hair line (sounds crazy but I knew his smell and I craved it much like most moms do their newborn babies - I sure hope I’m not the only one). Then, in 2011, a year after Jacob’s return, we found out that Jacob’s older sister Mari (14) and his older brothers John (13) and Joshua (12) were all in separate foster care homes in different Texas cities. After much prayer and family discussion, Eddie gave me the go ahead to do what we needed to do, and that was to get Mari in our home. (ya know we were down to a junior and a sophomore in high school, Eddie was done once again but God wasn’t)

By June of 2012, just four months after making that decision, Mari was living with us as our very first foster child. The following month, John and Joshua were included in our family’s Thanksgiving celebration. After more prayer and discussion the two boys also became foster children in our home March 2012. Because these children have had such a hard life and they are teenagers we have been met with many challenges but with each challenge we peel away a layer of their past.

On August 13, 2014 we adopted John and Joshua, a few week later their new birth certificates arrived and Joshua looked at his and simply said “Finally!!!”.  My heart jumped with joy knowing that he knows he is home and he is happy. We are one BIG happy family (most of the time) and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

 The Cox family is a great family apart of Sagemont Church. If you have any questions or would like to get in touch with Tracy for any reason, she would love to be available to provide any wisdom or encouragement that she has gained along the way! Email me at jennifer@jenniferjamesmusic.com and I will get your her email.