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25 adopted boys find a home in one house California couple make room for disabled children
USA TODAY ^ | Janet Kornblum

Posted on 11/26/2003 9:21:28 AM PST by GrandMoM

Edited on 04/13/2004 1:41:33 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

Ann Belles was only 5 in 1968 when her mother took her to see Oliver, the movie musical about orphan boys based on Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist. But in that darkened theater, her fate was sealed.

''I walked out of that movie saying, 'I'm going to adopt orphan children.' I dreamt about it. I thought about it. I got books on orphans. I was consumed by it.''


(Excerpt) Read more at usatoday.com ...


TOPICS: Health/Medicine; Society
KEYWORDS: greatamericans
''Family is not about blood,'' says Hunter, the 16-year-old from South Carolina. ''Family and home -- it's where they love you. No matter what
1 posted on 11/26/2003 9:21:29 AM PST by GrandMoM
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To: GrandMoM
What a great story you found. Thanks for posting it.
2 posted on 11/26/2003 4:34:06 PM PST by Cagey
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To: Cagey
Thanks, but sadly no one will see it here in chat!
3 posted on 11/26/2003 5:16:16 PM PST by GrandMoM ("Without prayer, the hand of GOD stops, BUT, with prayer the hand of GOD moves !!!)
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To: GrandMoM
That's a shame too. It looks like USA Today thought it was worthy enough to put on their page 1A so why this is in chat is beyond me. Human interest stories used to get lots of attention here at FR. I can see them sending drivel to the "chat" section, but "good news" stories like this one should be seen by more people. I suppose stories like "Caption Michael Jackson" are more important.
4 posted on 11/26/2003 6:17:35 PM PST by Cagey
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To: yoe; Jackie; GrandMoM
Come and see a beautiful story about a wonderful family who has Thanksgiving every day.
5 posted on 11/26/2003 8:33:29 PM PST by B4Ranch (Wave your flag, don't waive your rights!)
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To: GrandMoM
Well I found it and others will :-) (Great Story)
6 posted on 11/26/2003 9:54:37 PM PST by stlnative
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Comment #7 Removed by Moderator

To: brigette
THANKS for the picture brigette!
8 posted on 11/26/2003 10:06:46 PM PST by GrandMoM ("Without prayer, the hand of GOD stops, BUT, with prayer the hand of GOD moves !!!)
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To: GrandMoM
The facts of life

• 20 boys, two parents and four dogs live in the 4,000-square-foot Silcock house.

• The five oldest children, 18 to 25, live in nearby apartments.

• There are 14 aides on staff. Most work full-time. Aides cost $14,000 to $16,000 a month.

• Belles and Silcock rise at 5 a.m. and go to sleep between 11 p.m. and midnight.

• They have two full-sized washer/dryers and do 30 loads of laundry a day; they use about 80 pounds of detergent a week.

• They own five vans: three minivans with lowered floors for wheelchairs, one with eight seats and one that seats six plus two wheelchairs. Gas costs $2,000 a month.

• A simple breakfast: 21 bananas, six boxes of cereal, 3 gallons of milk and 11/2 gallons of orange juice. For scrambled eggs, they start with 30 eggs.

• Weekly bills for groceries and supplies run $1,250 to $1,400, much of that at Costco or Sam's Club, though they also shop at Trader Joe's and a produce store. An outing to McDonald's runs at least $75.

• The electricity bill is more than $500 a month.

• Silcock and Belles try to provide new toys and stylish clothing, but the boys often wear hand-me-downs. The garage is filled with bins of clothing sorted by size.

• Silcock and Belles have a combination lock on their bedroom door. Everyone in the house, including the youngest child, knows the code.

• All the Silcock boys have acting portfolios, and several have appeared in TV shows and movies, including Boston Public and The Pretender. They will have access to their earnings when they turn 18.

• On Thanksgiving Day, they will all go to Knotts Berry Farm for an annual brunch. The entire Silcock-Belles clan will attend, including extended family: Belles' parents, the birth parents and siblings of two boys, and one boy's former foster parents.

Tons of photos of them here... Some great photos!
http://www.usatoday.com/life/gallery/2003-11-25-25kids/flash.htm
9 posted on 11/26/2003 10:09:34 PM PST by stlnative
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To: GrandMoM
see link in post 9 (tons of photos there - the first one is a group photo of all of them)
10 posted on 11/26/2003 10:11:23 PM PST by stlnative
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To: brigette
What great photos-Thanks
11 posted on 11/26/2003 10:31:16 PM PST by GrandMoM ("Without prayer, the hand of GOD stops, BUT, with prayer the hand of GOD moves !!!)
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To: brigette
Thanks brigette, just looked at them, aren't they great!!!!!!
12 posted on 11/26/2003 10:32:27 PM PST by GrandMoM ("Without prayer, the hand of GOD stops, BUT, with prayer the hand of GOD moves !!!)
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