Melanie was six years old when she decided she wanted to start a family. She’d been in foster care since she was two years old, too little to remember her mother or father.

She frequently questioned herself: “What were their names? Did they have feelings for me?” She’d cry and mutter, “Why didn’t they want me?” But then something beautiful occurred, something Melanie had hoped for.

An assistant social worker and a young couple paid Melanie a visit. Melanie smiled as the man winked and beamed at her. Melanie had never seen such beautiful, caring eyes.

“This is Gordon and Helen,” the social worker introduced them. “They also want to adopt you.”

“They do?” said Melanie, then turned to the pair and inquired, “Why do you want to do that?”

When you least expect it, miracles happen.

Gordon, the male, was surprised by Melanie’s query, but Helen kneeled down and added, “We want to adopt you because we want the sweetest, funniest, and cutest girl in New York City to be our daughter.”

Melanie gave Helen a bright, warm, cheerful grin and wrapped her arms around her. She had discovered a family that desired her and was prepared to adore her for herself!

Melanie moved in with Gordon and Helen, where she realized that having parents was both beautiful and terrifying. That was amazing because you had two people constantly showering you with love and care.

It was dreadful because you had two people constantly showering you with love and attention and noting when you didn’t do things you were expected to do.

Melanie found out that she couldn’t get away with not doing her homework or doing any of the bad but fun things she’d done while living with her foster family. There were so many kids there that you could get away with anything.

You don’t get away with anything in a true family because people worry about you! That was a joyful epiphany, and when Helen informed Melanie she needed to tidy her room before supper, she burst out laughing and hugged her.

Helen burst out laughing. “I have more reprimands for you, Melanie!” she shouted.

“Please,” Melanie said. “Then I know you’re concerned!”

Six months passed, and life settled into a routine that suited the small family. They became acquainted. Melanie was aware that Gordon worked the night shift, so she avoided making any disturbance in the mornings. Gordon learned not to terrify Melanie with fake spiders because she was truly terrified, not just pretending to be terrified.

Helen discovered that Gordon and Melanie also like peanut butter cookies. They’d sit on the back porch and eat an entire jumbo package in five seconds, shoving the entire cookies into their mouths to see who could eat the fastest.

They all discovered what it was like to have a joyful family.

Then something terrible happened. Gordon was injured at work and had to stay in the hospital for many weeks. Helen became increasingly concerned as the days passed.

Melanie was a brilliant young lady. She was aware that physicians were expensive. When she heard Helen crying late at night, she crept into her bed and hugged her.

“Thank God for you, Melanie,” Helen would say softly before kissing her.

Gordon recovered and returned home, although he had to walk on crutches. That’s when the bills started rolling in. Helen piled them on the dresser and stared at them with concern. “We’ll figure it out,” Gordon murmured quietly.

“All of our funds are gone, Gordon,” she said quietly. “I’m terrified. It’s no longer just us. What if Melanie requires anything and we do not have the funds?”

Gordon encircled Helen with his arms. “Believe in God, my darling,” he said. “Melanie, what’s up with your melancholy expression? Isn’t there a stash of peanut butter cookies on the top shelf?”

Melanie awoke with a start one morning, bright and early. Someone had blasted the celebration whistle directly into her ear! She sprang awake and opened her eyes.

Her room was filled with balloons! Helen and Gordon (yep, he was awake!) were beaming and wearing funny party hats near the foot of the bed. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” they exclaimed.

Melanie began to smile. “I completely forgot it was my birthday!”

“Get up, get up!” Gordon yelled. “I have a surprise!”

Melanie stood up and walked into the dining room with Helen and Gordon. On the wall was a large banner that read, “Happy Birthday Melanie!” And there was the most magnificent birthday cake she’d ever seen on the table!

“That for me?” Melanie spoke quietly. She got closer and noticed the silver lettering on the cake with stars all around: “Happy Birthday, Melanie.”

“That bears my signature!” Melanie exclaimed, breaking down in tears. Helen and Gordon were terrified and horrified when she began weeping so loudly.

“Excuse me, Melanie,” Gordon said. “What’s the matter, honey?”

“I’ve never eaten a cake!” Melanie burst into tears. “Does this imply that you adore me? Honestly, truly adore me?”

Gordon and Helen encircled Melanie with their arms. “Of course we adore you!” cried Helen. “WE SELECTED YOU! We wanted YOU out of all the tiny girls in the world!”

Melanie went to bed with a bit of a tummy ache from eating too much cake, but it was the happiest birthday of her whole life.

The next day was a Sunday, and the family was getting ready to leave for church when the doorbell rang. A tall man was standing there. “Are you Melanie’s biological mother?” he inquired of Helen.

“Sure,” Helen confirmed. “What is your name?”

“I know her late father,” the man explained. “I also want to see her.”

“You can’t take her,” Helen sobbed. “She was given to us by the court.”

“I don’t want to take her away,” murmured the guy softly. “All I want to do is see her.”

When the man chatted with Melanie, Helen and Gordon sat in the lounge holding hands. “My darling,” he said. “I believe you will grasp the narrative I’m about to tell you better when you get older.”

“I’m seven,” Melanie proudly stated. “I just turned seven!”

“I understand,” the man answered, smiling. “I was present at your birth. Melanie, you should know how much your mother and father adored you. Your mother, however, died when you were a year old.

“Not long after that, your father found he was seriously ill. He wanted to make certain that he did everything possible for you, so he asked me to sell everything he owned.”

The man provided Melanie with a piece of paper.”Dad intended me to give you this money when you were eighteen or when you were adopted by a respectable family. Helen and Gordon are excellent individuals who care for you. This is dedicated to you and your new family.”

Melanie handed the paper to Helen, who burst into tears. That was a $40,000 check. Melanie’s biological family had reached out to her new family at a time when they needed it the most!

As a result, miracles occur when you least expect them. Melanie was adopted by a beautiful couple after she had given up hope, and then her birth parents surprised her with an unexpected present.

Love and acceptance are the foundations of a family. Melanie, Gordon, and Helen formed a great family despite the fact that they were unrelated because they adored each other.