NOVEMBER 2012
THE REVIEW
5
SECOND CHANCES As images of physics teacher Erol Turk’s cided to adopt, they faced unique circumseven-year-old twin daughters flash across stances because of their green-card status his laptop screen, he sighs. (both are British citizens). They adopted “Sometimes, I think the world would be American citizen Katie in Tulsa, Okla., in a very different place if everybody had to an 18-month-long process. face the trials adoptive parents do,” he said. U.S. law requires all prospective adoptive By the time Olivia Paz and Maria Lucia parents to endure an intense home study became members of their family, the Turks process, which involves several interviews had been trying to adopt for over three with social workers and an examination of years, longer than the then two year olds the house to ensure that the parents are fit had been alive. to adopt. Parents choose adoption for different “I would get up at about four in the reasons, but issues such as infertility and morning to polish things no one would miscarriage are frequently cited. While ever look at, even during the home inspecthe average couple wishing to have a child tion process,” Bigge said. faces a gestation period of nine months, “I tore up the house, but I learned it adoptive parents are subject to the whims wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be,” of a bureaucratic system and spend an Upper School Administrative Assistant average of two years waiting. Rebecca Leakey said. “Sometimes people think that adoption Precautions are in place for a reason; the is simple, like Little Orphan Annie and U.S wants to ensure that the adoption Daddy Warbucks. While it may have process is foolproof. been back in the day, now it couldn’t be Coach Ursula Quoyeser adopted her two more different,” fine arts teacher Anthony sons via the public system after deciding Leakey said. she wanted to give children opportunities The Leakeys decided to adopt in 2010 for better lives. She faces trials as a single and were involved in the adoption process adoptive parent. for over two years before being paired with Quoyeser said, “During seasons that I their future daughters. coach after school, it is a huge challenge “When we heard the stories of the kids in to coordinate getting the boys from their the public system and the trials that they’ve schools and then to have to come home, been through, finish homewe realized it work, and eat was the path dinner.” for us,” Mr. Turk said, Leakey said. “There are good The Leakeys days and bad originally days. When wanted to we showed become direct our daughters adoption pictures of parents, so Colombia, evthey would erybody cried, not undergo but ultimately, the devastawe’re a family tion of deeply no matter connecting what.” He with a foster plans to take child they his daughters Anthony Leakey might lose. back to Colom“We wanted bia when they every kid in are old enough Child Protective Services (CPS). We know to learn about their heritage. that we can’t even make a dent in the numTaylor Heeg was born in Jiujiang, China, ber of kids who need and deserve homes, and has been aware she was adopted by her but we weren’t afraid to work with the blonde-haired, blue-eyed mother from a challenges,” Mr. Leakey said. young age. Although the junior said being The Leakeys and their two young daughadopted is a part of her life, she still faces ters are currently awaiting a permanency moments of irksome naïveté when talking hearing that will confirm their legal status. with her peers. They are hopefully anticipating completion “Sometimes friends can jokingly use of the process by June 2013. adoption as an insult,” Heeg said. “I’ve While the Leakey’s story has a happy never thought of adoption as my birth ending, prospective adoptive parents have parents not loving me or caring about me.” to endure many ordeals. The subject of adoption can be difficult “We were unprepared for the heartbreak; to breach for many families. Healthy comseven failed adoption attempts basically munication often depends on openness. dissolved our marriage,” Turk said. After “Katie has great people in her life, and the Turk’s divorce, the twin daughters live she’s lucky enough to have adopted relawith each parent part time. tives. So, we are very open about adoption Applicants undergo extensive psychoand always will be,” Ms. Bigge said. Katie logical assessment and complete reams of has been living with her parents since she paperwork, such as a 500-page emotional was a baby; she is now four. evaluation. Despite the adversity parents and chil“Even things that don’t change, like your dren face along the way, adoption leads to birth certificate, have to be resubmitted remarkably happy families. every six months. You jump repeatedly “When we go out, we don’t blend very through hoops, experiencing things you well. But people are overwhelmingly wouldn’t want anyone to experience,” Turk accepting,” Mr. Turk said. “We get a said. million little looks and smiles that make a When physics teacher Susan Bigge and difference. And those little things are what her husband Michael, a geochemist, decounts.”
“Sometimes people think that adoption is simple, like Little Orphan Annie and Daddy Warbucks. While it may have been back in the day, now it couldn’t be more different.”
Faculty opt to adopt despite obstacles BY MEGAN ROUTBORT
COURTESY OF EROL TURK
Twice the love Erol Turk and his mother Hannah Kissam enjoy quality time with his adopted daughters, Olivia Paz and Maria Lucia. Mr. Turk adopted the twins from Colombia when they were two years old.
COURTESY OFSUSAN BIGGE
Trick or Treat Susan Bigge and her daughter Katie prepare for Halloween. As British citizens, Susan and Michael Bigge adopted Katie four years ago while living in Oklahoma.