Introducing: The Short Family....Finally

If you have ever been around my family, you know we have the privilege to call everyone in the Short household FAMILY. I will try to keep this brief, however, if you know the Short Family, you know their story; you know the support, safety, stability, and absolute unconditional love they have for their kids. I’m not just talking about the kids they gave birth to; I’m also talking about the kids they raised as their own. This family has been through so much in their lives together, and yet, they still rise together. Here is a quick glimpse into the last 24 years of their lives:

Right out of high school, they provided refuge for a single mom, who happens to be our cousin, and helped her raise her baby. After several years of Caleb and his mom living with the Shorts on and off, Caleb was finally reunited with Courtney and Nathan due to his mom being incarcerated.

It’s unfortunate that this young mom’s life was riddled with drugs, crime, and jail in place of making memories with her first child. The years after she was released, she gave birth to two more lovely kids, that have both been with the Short family full time for the last 14 years with the exception of a short time their mom was clean from drugs…until she wasn’t. So once again they are reunited with the only real family they had ever known and once again these children were absolutely flourishing. Caleb joining the military, Javiona excelling in softball and just graduated high school, and Jamian is starting high school and doing so well. Life was good, 7 years of peace with no contact from mom until a letter showed up explaining that she once again is in a program to keep her from serving a 15-year sentence in jail. This particular program is based around reuniting with Jamian…the child that she hasn’t spoken to or financially contributed to raising in over 7 years.

We are at a point in the lives of the kids, that they have requested to have no contact due to the trauma they experienced last time they were with her. This is not an option for these kids! They are safe, they are loved, and they are in a stable home thriving. In order to protect Jamian, adoption is the safest route to ensure that forced visitation or reunification is not an option.

While the discussion of adoption has been a frequent conversation for the last 20 years, the financial cost has kept this from happening. Courtney and Nathan have not only been financially responsible for themselves and their 4 children but also for these three children, Caleb, Javiona, and Jamian, whom they have raised as their own. While my sister and Nathan have fought for their family in their own way of making sure the kids are safe, healthy, and whole, I will fight for them the best way I know how and that is to fundraise so that we can pay for the adoption. Please join me in raising funds so the Short Family can be family in heart and in NAME.

With heartfelt gratitude,

All those that love this family!