A woman has been praised for her big heart after adopting her husband’s ex-wife’s baby so that the child wouldn’t become an orphan.

Christine Werts, 48, met her husband Wesley five years ago after the man separated from his then-wife and the pair started a family of their own with Christine’s two children, Megan, 21, and Vance, 15, and Wesley’s two kids, Dakota, 10, and Austin, 14.

After Wesley’s ex-wife died from addiction complications, Christine also made the brave decision to adopt her newborn baby, Levi, so that he wouldn’t end up in foster care like she did when she was young.

“When I heard about Levi, without hesitation I said we should take him,” Christine admitted.

“I myself was a foster kid and, although for the most part I had a great experience, I did not want him going to foster care.

“My husband did not really speak to the biological mother’s family often, but she had Levi on a Monday and passed away that Friday.

“We lived in another state at the time so we sold our home in Ohio and rented a house in Texas because we had to officially foster to adopt him. So we did – the process took 16 months.”

Speaking of her decision to do everything in her power to give Levi a loving family, the doting mother said: “Although, my experience was overall as good as it can be in foster care, I just knew I loved my stepkids enough to make sure they got to be with their half-brother. I did not want Levi to end up in the foster care system.

“If I said I did not [have concerns], that would not be honest. I love kids and bonded with my stepkids real quick. I also was in love with my bio kids at first sight.

“This was different – I was going to walk into a child I never met and was worried the circumstances would hinder this ‘instant love.’ But […] he stole my heart.”

The mother went on to say that she now feels an intense urge to protect her beloved son and give him the life he deserves.

She also admitted that she would go through it all again even though the process of adopting is far from an easy and stress-free one.

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