Baby Austin was literally thrust upon Frank and Kathleen Chester - by a blindfolded mother who warned: "I'm leaving him with you because, if I take him tonight, he might not be alive tomorrow." He was "the saddest looking, 6-month-old, filthy, atrophied-from-the-waist-down little boy," Kathleen says. Allexis was born to a methadone addict, had a hole in her heart and was given slim odds of overcoming severe disabilities. More than 50 people on the adoption waiting list ahead of the Chesters said they didn't want her. The Indiana couple fell instantly in love with and adopted both children. Camaraderie and guidance along the way from the Indiana Post Adoption Network also helped, according to this recent article.

Many prospective parents are scared off by the special-needs label during the adoption process, but Frank and Kathleen say their story offers proof that committed parents can create a happy home. Austin's struggles with reactive attachment disorder and Allexis' battle through methadone withdrawal and early ambulatory and developmental issues were taxing, and the parents admit they were initially naive with regard to the challenges often associated with abused and neglected children. Their introduction to Indiana Post Adoption Network helped turn things around. "All of them," Kathleen says, "are parents who have adopted special-needs kids. It is a clearing house of information with other parents in a safe environment where you aren't afraid to admit your kids are driving you crazy."

Today it would be easy to confuse Austin and Alexis with most of their 8- and 5-year-old peers. This success was not achieved without substantial cost, in the form of counseling and therapy, but the Chesters say the sacrifice was well worth it. The IPAN program now considers the family experts in difficult cases, but they would like to share their knowledge and story with an even wider audience. "When people find out that a child is addicted to drugs, people won't adopt them," Kathleen says. "They wind up in foster care where they won't get the individual family love they need. We would love to go on Oprah so we can send a message." It's a message that comes through loud and clear with one look at the family ties they've forged.