Profile by matthew shearer

Under One Roof

by Matthew Shearer

“Please remain seated until the aircraft has come to a complete stop and the fasten seatbelt sign has been turned off.” Leslie Porter has just reached the gate of the San Francisco International Airport with her two new adopted sons, Toby and Lee. They speak in mandarin, undoubtably about the new world they have just entered. They make their way through the airport and collect their bags. Waiting for them

at baggage claim is Brad, Luke, Colin, Jake, Llana, Meghan, Amy, Kali, and Tulum Porter. As they fill the elevator to go to the parking garage, Mrs. Porter realizes just how large their family is.

Leslie Porter and her husband Brad had three biological children of their own when they decided that they wanted a girl. Friends of theirs had adopted from Russia so they tried it and adopted Llana. Since then they

have adopted Meghan from Russia, Amy from Guatemala, Kali and Tulum from Ethiopia, and Toby and Lee from China. Mrs. Porter now homeschools all of the adopted children except Tulum in the garage which they converted into a classroom. Mrs. Porter is making such a positive difference in these children’s lives by saving them from growing up in an orphanage and giving them a loving home.

When discussing why they kept adopting, Mr. Porter said, “There were very few people coming to adopt children down there. Then we found out that the mortality rate for adopted children that go all the way through the Russian system and then leave is very high.” Instead of donating to various organizations and trusting them to make change, Mrs. Porter has chosen to be the change that she wants to see.

Mrs. Porter steps out of one of their family minivans among a ruckus of “My shoes untied!” “I want to play soccer!!!” and “How come Tulem is the only one in the camp?” We have agreed to meet her at Grant Park where she takes all of her adopted children for P.E. class on Tuesdays. Tulum and Toby go off with a group of children to their soccer camp and the rest of the kids run around on the playground or play soccer in the field.

Each one of these kids has come from a dif-

ferent part of the world and spoke a different language and Mrs. Porter has managed to form a family out of them.

She says, “It’s made us think more about what we have and it’s made us think that we have

more room and resources to have more kids.”

Although they have ten children ranging from age four to twenty all living in the same house they make it work because they know that they are giving each of them new life.

Every day Mrs. Porter homeschools Llana, Megan, Amy, Kali, Toby, and Lee in their garage which they have converted into a classroom. She has chosen to homeschool them because she feels that it is the best way to address all of their individual needs.

When the kids come to this country they don’t know english and some have learning disabilities.

Some may argue that by homeschooling them, Mrs. Porter isn’t letting them adjust to their new lives in a new comunity. They wouldn’t be able to get the same attention in a public school as they do in the home. This is also good way to help them become to trust her as a parent. She explained how important that it was to build trust with the kids especially when they weren’t adopted as babies. Homeschooling has also given them the chance to introduce the kids to their new culture.

Mr. Porter says, “There’s a balance of keeping up with the culture they came from which is important, I think, as well as immersing them in our culture because they are going to have to live. They are now U.S. citizens, they are going to have to live in this country, they are going to have to work here, go to school here, have friends here so they do need to immerse themselves in

this culture.” The Porters work very hard to bring their children into a new culture and family.

The adoption process had become a lot harder in recent years.

Countries like China and Russia have started closing their doors for adoption. “She is probably the best person in California, maybe even the west coast at adopting internationally.” says

Mr. Porter. The Porters have come a long way since they adopted Llana and are currently bringing in Toby and Lee to their family.

“When the procces gets longer, the only ones that suffer are the children that need to be adopted.”

The adoption process had become a lot harder in recent years.

Countries like China and Russia have started closing their doors for adoption. “She is probably the best person in California, maybe even the west coast at adopting internationally.” says Mr. Porter.

The Porters have come a long way since they adopted Llana and are currently bringing in Toby and Lee to their family. “We are going through the assimilation phase.” Mr. Porter said when asked if they would adopt again.

“It’s a little hard to an-

swer that question right now.” Like many of the children before them, Toby and Lee had never lived in a supportive family environment.

“Instead of worrying about, does this child have any issues, do they have learning disabilities, do they have whatever. I just think about, Wow I know I’m going to love this child so I should be really excited to be forming this relationship and not worry about the difficulties at the beginning.” Maybe they will be inspired to adopt again, but only time will tell.