Rep. Kristi Noem today announced that Pat and Julie Schneider of Turton, South Dakota, will be honored with a 2016 Angels in Adoption award for their commitment to adoption.  After struggling with infertility for nearly a decade, the Schneider’s began to look into adoption through the Lutheran Social Services adoptive mother program.  After mountains of paperwork and numerous in-home visits, the couple was selected by the birth mother to become the new parents of a baby girl, Caycee.  A few years later, the family expanded with the adoption of their second daughter, Jaydn.  Four years later, they adopted a baby boy, Gavin. 

“From the first time I heard Pat and Julie’s story, it was clear their journey to parenthood could help inspire others and give hope to those struggling with infertility,” said Noem.  “Now the parents of three happy children, Pat and Julie serve as tremendous advocates for the miracle of adoption and often act as mentors to others going through the emotional ups and downs of the adoption process.  It was an honor to nominate them and I wholeheartedly congratulate the entire family on this well-deserved recognition.”

Each of the Schneider family’s adoptions have been open, which has enabled them and their children to build relationships with the birth mothers, who are all from South Dakota.  Pat and Julie have even collaborated with the birth mothers to help pick out names for all the children.

“We are humbled and honored to receive this nomination,” said Pat and Julie Schneider upon learning they had been selected as Angels in Adoption.  “Adoption is the best decision we ever made.  We are incredibly thankful that our children’s birth families chose us to raise and love these kids.  All three of our adoptions have been awesome experiences that have opened our hearts and expanded our family in a way we never could have imagined.  We thank the Lord every day that we are blessed with the opportunity to parent our children.”

The Schneider family, along with more than 100 other recipients across the country, will be recognized on September 20, 2016, at the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s annual Angels in Adoption gala in Washington, D.C.  The first Angels gala was held in 1999 and has since honored more than 1,800 Angels from across the country who have made a lasting impact on the lives of children.