FAMILY—Earl and Nancy Wood of Sparta consider themselves blessed, having recently completed their family through adoption. Pictured are (from left) 3-year-old Savannah, Earl, 6-month-old Lileigh, Nancy, 3- year-old Karrey and ,22-year-old Josh holding 22-month-old Brian

Family grows through adoption

If Nancy and Earl Wood were to summarize themselves in one word these days, it would be "blessed.”

Twenty-three years ago, the current Alleghany residents were wed. Like many couples, one goal they set for themselves was to have children.

The two went through a period of personal trials as they suffered through Nancy conceiving several children, but not once being able to carry the child full term.

The couple has now been blessed with children five times over, with the adoption of 6-month-old Lileigh Katherine last month completing the Wood family.

Josh

The story of the Wood family began with adoption of 4-year-old Joshua "Josh” Clinton Wood in 1989.

Mrs. Wood, a former factory worker, recounted, "One night, I came home from work...and the news was on. There was this story about this little boy in Reidsville who had gotten run over. He was 2-and-a-half years old and they didn't know if he would live or not. In the emotional state I was in, I would just break down and start bawling and praying, ‘God, please don't let that little guy die. God, give him to me and I promise I'll take care of him and love him forever and do whatever it takes to have his needs met.'”

The couple decided to attempt to adopt a child and proceeded with a home study, which consisted of a licensed social worker visiting the home. The individual makes sure that the potential adoptive parent has room for a child to play and would provide a loving and stable home for the child.

A few months later, the couple was interviewed by individuals from the Department of Social Services (DSS) in Forsyth County for a boy who was 4.