A YOUNG woman became a single foster mum of five kids at the age of 24 before adopting each child.
Beth Hyde, now 30, from Indiana, US, thought her chances of getting married were slim, however in 2020, Beth met her husband, Marc, 30, who also had two kids, and they are now a happy family of nine.
Beth says that people are shocked to find out that the 30-year-old couple has seven kids between and are confused about how they have so many kids at such a young age.
After a trip to an orphanage in Ecuador when she was 15 years old, Beth says that she knew that this was going to be something that she did for the rest of her life.
She added: "After finishing college I wanted to work overseas in orphanage care.
"But after a church service one day, I decided to call fostering agencies. At first, I was knocked back because I was only 23 years old and single.
"Everyone thought that I was crazy for wanting to become a foster mum at such a young age. They couldn't understand why I would want to put myself in the situation.
"However, by the time I was 24, I was given my first two foster kids Ava, now ten, and Sadie, now eight. They were sisters and they were two and four at the time.
"Going from no kids to two kids was the hardest transition.
"I had to try and understand being a mum in general, trauma and their special needs. I felt defeated, I almost gave up and gave them back.
"But I didn't give up.
"Becoming a foster mum was difficult because it felt like I was given a pile of information and then handed a child. It was extremely overwhelming.
"Some days I felt insane and under-qualified but it has been the best gift because I now have my kids.
"Ten months later, I was asked if I could take a one-month-old baby girl, Nora, now four, and all of a sudden I had three kids.
"She was a perfect baby and it was a smoother transition going from two kids to three.
"At the beginning of January 2017, I decided I was going to adopt my three foster children."
Beth then decided it was time to close her home for a while so that she could bond with all of the children.
In July 2018, she reopened her home and fostered her fourth daughter, a prematurely born baby, Mia, now three, who was ready to be picked up from NICU.
Beth said: "Four months later, my third daughter's biological mother had another baby, Lucy, now three, and requested that she wanted me to have her because she knew she would be loved.
"So I brought home another newborn and my fifth daughter.
"And I eventually went on to adopting my other two girls.
"So I was a single mum of five and people were constantly telling me I would never find a husband because of the kids.
"I'd tried online dating, but nothing worked out. I'd pretty much given up hope.
"Until I was interviewed by Marc, my now husband, for a podcast about foster care in 2020, at the start of the pandemic.
"We got talking and discovered we had many connections, and we just continued to get to know each other.
"He had two kids from his previous relationship.
"Within a month of knowing him, I knew he was going to be the man I would marry."
Later that year, Beth and Marc moved in together and got engaged.
In 2021, they got married and Marc also adopted Beth's five girls and they became a family of nine at the age of 30.
Beth said: "I love being part of a big family. I love watching all of the kids interact and play with each other.
"The house is loud and full of love.
"It's very busy and I am constantly trying to keep on top of laundry but I wouldn't want it any other way.
"We are all honoured to be a part of each other's lives. Once we were just all random strangers and now we are a family. It is a privilege.
"People can't believe that we have seven kids and we are only 30. It's funny to see the look on their face."
