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Couple Realizes Dream Beyond Expectation: 21 Kids
Kilgore pair adopted 16 foster children with disabilities
By BECKY CRABTREE
Kilgore News Herald
Dec. 19, 2002, 2:45PM
Take the number 12 and reverse it. Doris and Guenter Stone have 21 children, although six of the children are living on their own.
The Stones, who both grew up in one-child families, said they have always dreamed of having a large family, but they had no idea that their family would become this large.
"When I was a young girl, I used to say I want 12 children, and I want to adopt a lot more," Doris Stone recalled. "I never knew it would really happen later. It was just something I've wanted to do my entire life."
Forty-one years ago, the Stones started their family with five biological children.
But, they didn't want to stop there. They became foster parents nine years later, taking in the "hard-to-place" children that no one else wanted.
The Stones ran what Child Protective Services calls a group home, with at least 12 foster children in the home at all times.
Although they were subsidized $1,000 per month from the state for each foster child, in addition to clothing allowances, the Stones said God had another plan for them.
"We felt God wanted us to give more of ourselves. God wanted us to give these kids more permanency," Doris Stone said.
At that time, the Stones were fostering four siblings who each had fetal alcohol syndrome.
Doris Stone said a conversation with the oldest child, Corina, made her realize that adoption was the right thing to do for the children.
"Corina came up to me one day and said `Momma, you're never going to leave me, are you?' I couldn't answer her. I knew she could be moved to another foster home at any time. When her mom died, we knew we had to adopt those four kids," she said.
Although Guenter Stone is twice retired, and the parents admit they are in their twilight years, the couple said they wouldn't spend their retirement days any other way.
"My daughter says, `Mom, this is a time in your life when most couples are traveling and going on cruises.' And, I say, `We could go on a cruise and be retired, but then what would we do?' This way, we are busy all the time," Doris Stone said.
The Stones moved to Kilgore from La Marque a year ago, but the couple had to leave behind four of their bedridden children who require constant care. Their 32-year-old child and four nurses are caring for the children in La Marque until they are be able to move to Kilgore as well.
"As soon as we can add on to this house, we will bring them up here," Doris said. Their Kilgore home is 1,800 square feet.
"We had hoped as soon as we moved here we would add on, but then my husband had to quit Tyler Pipe and the income went down. We're at a standstill, but we are in prayer. On weekends, I go home and Guenter keeps the fort down here. We love the school system here, so we don't want to leave."
Although the Stones admit that supporting 15 children can be a challenge, they say a frugal lifestyle and faith in God get them through the tough financial times.
"We support our family on savings, inheritance and just being blessed," Doris Stone explained. "God's been wonderful and has blessed us richly. Because we've been obeying him, he provides for us."
Doris Stone said her weekly grocery bill runs $400 to $600 per week, but she said her cooking habits help her keep the cost down.
"I remember when I was a child how my mother cooked from scratch and with lots of vegetables. I don't buy ready-made items. We even make our noodles. We peel our own potatoes, and the kids are good about eating their vegetables," she said.
All of the Stones' adopted children have disabilities ranging from autism to Down syndrome to fetal alcohol syndrome, but their disabilities don't prevent them from helping out around the house.
"The children all make their own beds, and the two oldest ones help with the laundry in the evenings," Doris Stone said, pointing out that she does seven to eight loads of laundry per day here and four to five loads a day in La Marque.
Doris Stone said she's never had anyone compare her to the nursery rhyme of the old woman in the shoe, who had so many kids she didn't know what to do.
"We know what to do," Guenter Stone replied.
However, the Stones said going out in public often means others will stare at their unconventional family. "They stare and say `Do all of these belong to you?' and we say, `Yes, aren't we blessed?' " Doris Stone said.
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