For Michelle and Clay, adoption out of foster care was the best option for expanding their family. The couple had three children and several miscarriages, but still felt they had love to give a child.
“I felt like we should name her Lilly before we ever knew she existed. I thought that’s what we would name her and Clay made fun of the name. ‘Oh, what do we call her Lilypad? Ha,ha,ha,'” Michelle mimicked her husband with a laugh. “So then I got a call from social services and they said, ‘We’ve got a child we’d like you to consider. Her name is Lilly.'”
“It was really like a family decision. It was exciting,” said Makayla, Michelle and Clay’s oldest daughter. She was 11 years old when Lilly came to the family.
“Lilly’s abuse was so severe that the parental rights were terminated very quickly. She was hurt when she was 5 months old,” Michelle explained.
“Going from her not really responding to us at all to then she was finally responding to us, it was really neat,” Makayla recalled.
CBS 
Makayla spent years go to Lilly’s therapy appointments and learning how to care for her. The experience shaped Makayla’s future.
“I don’t think I would have been a special education teacher without that and had the patience with kids that I do. I can be so patient with kids,” she told CBS News Colorado.
Lilly is 15 now. She goes to high school.
When asked if she likes school, Lilly replied, “Yep, except when we have fire drills. Those are the worst.”
“It changed my outlook on kids and what they can do,” Makayla said.
Growing up with Lilly had a profound impact on Makayla. When it came time for her to have a family of her own, she also considered adoption.
“There’s just so many kids out there that need good homes,” she said.
LINK: A Day for Wednesday’s Child
CBS Colorado has been partners with Raise the Future for nearly 40 years. Join CBS Colorado for a day of fundraising and awareness during A Day for Wednesday’s Child on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
