Brian and Rachel Grant of Columbiana have been fostering Rosie, 4, since January of 2021; Isaiah, 4, since May of 2021; Zyaire, 3, since July of 2022 and Daisy, 2 since May of 2023. They are also currently fostering the seven-month-old brother of two of the children they just adopted. They hope to adopt him as well in the future when he is able to be adopted.

The Grant family came to the hearing wearing custom made shirts which had a heart in the form of a puzzle with five missing pieces. Around the heart were five puzzle pieces, four which had the names of the children adopted and the fifth was left blank to recognize the child they hope to adopt. Text on the shirts read “We found our missing pieces.” Each of the adopted children had shirts that had a corresponding puzzle piece on them with their name in it recognizing them as the missing pieces to the family.

When the adoption proceedings were over. Baronzzi addressed the young children telling them that the day was a good day for them, that it was their day and they were officially and forever a family. He congratulated the family who broke out into cheers and applause at the end of the hearing and joined the Grants for their first official family photo.

When asked if the family was complete now, Brian responded that they are still waiting for the last missing piece, the infant they are hoping to adopt.

Members of the Grant family show support for the Grants’ adoption wear shirts saying, “We are the village,” referencing the phrase “it takes a village to raise a child,” to the adoption hearing Wednesday where the Grants adopted four of their five foster children. The Columbiana family is close knit, and relatives offer their support to the children. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

Rachel, whose happiness showed in her tears when Baronzzi pronounced it official, said she was glad, and she told the children that she and Brian get to be their mommy and daddy forever. She noted they would still have their birth mom, but they get to live and be with them forever.

Rachel and Brian agreed they are feeling secure in their family unit now that they no longer have the fear of losing the children or the family being broken. Both parents agree the parental bond is formed between them and the children and they love them like their own.

The Grants allow contact with the children’s biological parents through photos and updates, but physical contact with supervision is undetermined.

When asked about the decision to adopt, Rachel said immediately “There was no decision, it was just natural.”

“It was never not an option once we were aware that reunification wasn’t going to happen, it was never an option or a doubt we were going to adopt,” Brian said.

Daisy, 2, Rosie, 4, Isaiah, 4 and Zyaire, 3, officially became permanent members of the Grant Family when Brian and Rachel Grant adopted them after being their foster parents since they were infants. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

Rachel said the children had been with them since they were babies and they bonded with us and Brian said they have been their kids since they were placed with them and that each of the children were placed with them at the age of six weeks or younger making them the only parents the children have ever really known.

Brian and Rachel’s biological children Kayla, 24; Malkyiah (Ky), 16; and Kayson, 13, like their parents, are relieved that the adoption is final and they don’t have to worry about losing their young siblings.

When asked what it meant to them to officially have four new siblings Kayla said, “It’s definitely a lot, but we love them very much and they make us all complete.”

Ky said that it feels really good to have four new siblings, but it doesn’t feel that much different because nothing changes except he can now drive them places and do other big brother things he couldn’t do before.

Kayson said it’s great that the four children are officially his siblings, and the fear of losing them is gone.

Brian and Rachel Grant of Columbiana sit with four of their five foster children in Columbiana County Probate Court waiting for Judge Thomas Baronzzi to finalize the adoption of the four children Wednesday. The couple is hopeful about adopting their fifth foster child. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

“It’s great that they are officially my siblings now,” Kayson said. “It’s really good to have them

Rachel and Brian both agreed that having a grown child and two teenagers and starting over again with young children can be challenging.

Rachel said that their life is different from where they thought they would be at this point, but in a good way.

Rachel’s mom, Bonnie Conrad, said she has loved them since the moment she laid eyes on them and now they can be hers forever.

Rachel’s sister and brother-in-law Anna and Jeremy Deger, who were at the hearing to show their support wearing custom made shirts that said “We are the village #adopt” referencing the phrase “it takes a village to raise a child,” offer the Grants support and help the children.

Columbiana County Probate Court Judge Thomas Baronzzi joins the Grant family in their first official family photo after he pronounces the adoption of four of their five foster children as final Wednesday. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

Jeremy said that it’s fantastic that the adoption is official and they were supporting kids that are amazing

“I’m just in love with these kids and I’m so excited to have them permanently in our family forever,” Anna said.

The Grants will continue to foster the baby in their care while waiting to see if they can adopt him; they plan to keep their foster care license to help other foster families by providing respite care, Rachel said.

The family has recently moved to a bigger house which they are adding on to and planning an open house, an adoption party and a baby shower for Kayla, who is expecting her first child in the fall.

The Grants continue to encourage others if they are able to be foster parents due to the need for them.

“Take the plunge; you are going to bond with them and even if they don’t stay with you, that is okay because they need bonding and they need to be attached,” Rachel said. “We need people who want to do that, whatever that looks like in the end. Sometimes that looks like what happened today and sometimes it doesn’t, but we need people to do it.”

Brian said he hears a lot of people say that they don’t want to foster because they don’t know if they can ever give the children back or not. His response to that is “you don’t know if you’ll be able to or if you won’t be, but that’s not a reason not to, because sometimes they will be forever but sometimes they won’t,” Rachel added “but either way they still need that attachment.”

Baronzzi, who believes there is a real need to get the word out about the need for the foster parents, added that often times he sees children in the most unfortunate circumstances, a lot of them beyond imagination, which can leave images that are hard to forget, and he has to terminate those parents’ rights in Juvenile Court.

“To see those same children a year or two or three years later come through probate court and the difference in the children and the opportunity it gives them, and to see the happy ending by the adoption in probate court it makes it easier,” Baronzzi said. “If I only got to do the juvenile court and never got to see the happy ending with an adoption it would be harder.”