Melanie was a six-year-old girl who had always wanted a family. She had been in foster care since she was two years old, too young to remember her real parents.
She often thought about them and wondered, “Who were they? Did they love me?” These thoughts made her sad, and she’d ask herself, “Why didn’t they want me?” But despite her sadness, Melanie never gave up hope.
Then one day, something amazing happened, something Melanie had been praying for.
A social worker visited Melanie one day, bringing a young couple with her. The man winked at Melanie with a grin, and the woman had the kindest eyes Melanie had ever seen.
“This is Gordon and Helen,” the social worker said, “and they want to adopt you.”
“They do?” Melanie gasped, then looked at them and asked, “Why do you want to do that?”
Gordon was surprised by the question, but Helen knelt down to Melanie’s level and said, “We want to adopt you because we think you’re the nicest, funniest, and prettiest girl in New York City.”
Melanie smiled brightly and hugged Helen. She finally had a family that wanted and loved her just the way she was.
Living with Gordon and Helen, Melanie found out that having parents was both wonderful and difficult. It was great to have two people always caring for her, but it was tough because they noticed when she didn’t do her homework or did something she shouldn’t.
In her foster home, it was easy to get away with things since there were so many kids. But in a real family, people paid attention because they cared. Melanie realized this was a good thing, and when Helen asked her to clean her room, she hugged her and said, “Thank you!”
Helen laughed and said, “I should tell you off more often, Melanie!”
“Yes, please!” Melanie replied. “Then I’ll know you care.”
Six months passed, and the little family grew closer. They learned about each other’s habits—Melanie knew to be quiet in the mornings because Gordon worked night shifts, and Gordon stopped scaring her with plastic spiders after learning she was genuinely scared.
Helen discovered both Gordon and Melanie loved peanut butter cookies, and they’d all sit together on the porch, eating them as fast as they could.
Life was happy, but then something bad happened. Gordon got hurt at work and had to stay in the hospital for weeks. Helen became more worried as the bills piled up.
Melanie noticed and would often comfort Helen at night, sneaking into her bed to give her a hug. “Thank God for you, Melanie,” Helen would say softly.
Thankfully, Gordon recovered and came home, though he had to use crutches. But soon, medical bills arrived, and Helen looked more and more worried. “We’ll sort it out,” Gordon said, trying to stay calm.
“Our savings are gone,” Helen whispered. “What if Melanie needs something, and we don’t have the money?”
Gordon reassured her, saying, “Trust in God.” Then, turning to Melanie, he joked, “Hey, I think there are some peanut butter cookies hiding on the top shelf.”
One morning, Melanie woke up to a loud noise—a party whistle in her ear! She opened her eyes to see her room full of balloons. Gordon and Helen were standing by her bed, wearing silly hats and yelling, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”
Melanie smiled. “I forgot it was my birthday!”
“Come on,” said Gordon. “There’s a surprise!”
In the dining room, a big banner read “Happy Birthday, Melanie!” and on the table was the most beautiful birthday cake she had ever seen.
“Is this for me?” she whispered, amazed. She saw her name on the cake, surrounded by stars.
“It has my name on it!” Melanie cried and burst into tears.
Gordon and Helen were worried. “Why are you crying?” Gordon asked gently.
“I’ve never had a birthday cake before!” Melanie sobbed. “Does this mean you love me? Really, really love me?”
Gordon and Helen hugged her tightly. “Of course we love you!” Helen said. “We chose YOU!”
It was the best birthday Melanie had ever had, and even though she ate too much cake and got a little sick, it was a day filled with happiness.
The next morning, the family was getting ready for church when there was a knock at the door. A tall man stood there. “Are you Melanie’s adoptive mother?” he asked Helen.
“Yes,” Helen replied. “Who are you?”
“I’m a friend of her birth father,” the man said. “I’d like to see her.”
“You can’t take her away!” Helen cried, panicking.
“I’m not here to take her,” the man said gently. “I just want to talk to her.”
Helen and Gordon sat nearby, holding hands, while the man spoke to Melanie. “My dear,” he began, “your mommy and daddy loved you very much. But your mom went to heaven when you were a baby, and soon after, your dad got very sick.”
Melanie listened carefully. “Your dad wanted to make sure you were taken care of, so he asked me to sell everything he had for you.”
The man handed Melanie a piece of paper. “He wanted you to have this when you turned eighteen, or when you were adopted by a loving family. I believe Gordon and Helen love you very much, so I’m giving this to you now.”
Melanie gave the paper to Helen, who started crying. It was a check for $40,000. Melanie’s birth family had left her a gift that came at just the right time, helping her new family when they needed it the most!
Source: Pexels
A social worker visited Melanie one day, bringing a young couple with her. The man winked at Melanie with a grin, and the woman had the kindest eyes Melanie had ever seen.
“This is Gordon and Helen,” the social worker said, “and they want to adopt you.”
“They do?” Melanie gasped, then looked at them and asked, “Why do you want to do that?”
Gordon was surprised by the question, but Helen knelt down to Melanie’s level and said, “We want to adopt you because we think you’re the nicest, funniest, and prettiest girl in New York City.”
Melanie smiled brightly and hugged Helen. She finally had a family that wanted and loved her just the way she was.
Living with Gordon and Helen, Melanie found out that having parents was both wonderful and difficult. It was great to have two people always caring for her, but it was tough because they noticed when she didn’t do her homework or did something she shouldn’t.
In her foster home, it was easy to get away with things since there were so many kids. But in a real family, people paid attention because they cared. Melanie realized this was a good thing, and when Helen asked her to clean her room, she hugged her and said, “Thank you!”
Helen laughed and said, “I should tell you off more often, Melanie!”
“Yes, please!” Melanie replied. “Then I’ll know you care.”
Six months passed, and the little family grew closer. They learned about each other’s habits—Melanie knew to be quiet in the mornings because Gordon worked night shifts, and Gordon stopped scaring her with plastic spiders after learning she was genuinely scared.
Helen discovered both Gordon and Melanie loved peanut butter cookies, and they’d all sit together on the porch, eating them as fast as they could.
Life was happy, but then something bad happened. Gordon got hurt at work and had to stay in the hospital for weeks. Helen became more worried as the bills piled up.
Melanie noticed and would often comfort Helen at night, sneaking into her bed to give her a hug. “Thank God for you, Melanie,” Helen would say softly.
Thankfully, Gordon recovered and came home, though he had to use crutches. But soon, medical bills arrived, and Helen looked more and more worried. “We’ll sort it out,” Gordon said, trying to stay calm.
“Our savings are gone,” Helen whispered. “What if Melanie needs something, and we don’t have the money?”
Gordon reassured her, saying, “Trust in God.” Then, turning to Melanie, he joked, “Hey, I think there are some peanut butter cookies hiding on the top shelf.”
One morning, Melanie woke up to a loud noise—a party whistle in her ear! She opened her eyes to see her room full of balloons. Gordon and Helen were standing by her bed, wearing silly hats and yelling, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”
Melanie smiled. “I forgot it was my birthday!”
“Come on,” said Gordon. “There’s a surprise!”
In the dining room, a big banner read “Happy Birthday, Melanie!” and on the table was the most beautiful birthday cake she had ever seen.
“Is this for me?” she whispered, amazed. She saw her name on the cake, surrounded by stars.
“It has my name on it!” Melanie cried and burst into tears.
Gordon and Helen were worried. “Why are you crying?” Gordon asked gently.
“I’ve never had a birthday cake before!” Melanie sobbed. “Does this mean you love me? Really, really love me?”
Gordon and Helen hugged her tightly. “Of course we love you!” Helen said. “We chose YOU!”
It was the best birthday Melanie had ever had, and even though she ate too much cake and got a little sick, it was a day filled with happiness.
The next morning, the family was getting ready for church when there was a knock at the door. A tall man stood there. “Are you Melanie’s adoptive mother?” he asked Helen.
“Yes,” Helen replied. “Who are you?”
“I’m a friend of her birth father,” the man said. “I’d like to see her.”
“You can’t take her away!” Helen cried, panicking.
“I’m not here to take her,” the man said gently. “I just want to talk to her.”
Helen and Gordon sat nearby, holding hands, while the man spoke to Melanie. “My dear,” he began, “your mommy and daddy loved you very much. But your mom went to heaven when you were a baby, and soon after, your dad got very sick.”
Melanie listened carefully. “Your dad wanted to make sure you were taken care of, so he asked me to sell everything he had for you.”
The man handed Melanie a piece of paper. “He wanted you to have this when you turned eighteen, or when you were adopted by a loving family. I believe Gordon and Helen love you very much, so I’m giving this to you now.”
Melanie gave the paper to Helen, who started crying. It was a check for $40,000. Melanie’s birth family had left her a gift that came at just the right time, helping her new family when they needed it the most!
Sir Elton John, 76, raises his two sons not to be spoiled as they already do chores for some pocket money
David Furnish, Sir Elton John’s spouse, and they have been together for more than 20 years. The couple is also raising their two boys, Zackary and Elijah, to be modest and aware of the worth of money.
Famed artist Sir Elton John has released thirty-two albums to far and shows no signs of slowing down. Even at seventy-three, the vocalist continues to be in high demand.
David Furnish and Sir Elton John in London in 2001 | Photo courtesy of Getty Images
Despite having a successful career for more than thirty years, the musician wants to concentrate on other areas of his life, such as his marriage to David Furnish and his two sons, Zachary and Elijah.
A brief romance blossomed between John and Furnish in 1993, before their lives got consumed with parenting their sons. The singer of “Sacrifice” announced that he had moved back into his Windsor home and was looking to socialize.
John then requested a friend to invite Furnish and other individuals to dinner, saying he felt an immediate connection with Furnish. John admired how well-groomed and reserved he was.
After going on a date the next day, the two’s long-term relationship officially started. After nine years of being in a civil partnership, they made the decision to tie the knot in 2014.
The pair used Instagram to send out invites. The highlight of the day was spending time with their sons, who had the important duty of serving as ring carriers.
Furnish and John found great joy in sharing their partnership with their children, particularly considering the difficult road they had to go to become parents. It all began in 2009 when they were acquainted at an HIV orphanage with a young boy from Ukraine named Lev.
Lev came from a shattered family, so the couple wanted to help him, but the government wouldn’t let it because he was too old. Still, the couple assisted Lev and spoke with him.
John came to the realization that he may be a father after meeting Lev. He acknowledged that he had always believed he was too old to have children. Zachary, their first son, was born in 2010 through a surrogate, and Elijah followed in 2013.
Bringing Up Children Outside of the Media
The couple desired to be actively involved with their children while leading a hectic lifestyle. “We don’t want to entrust housekeepers and nannies with raising our kids,” Furnish stated. The couple decided that having boys was the best course of action, and now their primary objective is to raise their sons in a happy and healthy environment.
John expressed to his sons in a touching letter how much they had altered his life. “You two are the best gifts I have ever received, Zachary and Elijah. In ways I never imagined imaginable, you have given my life meaning and purpose and filled my heart with love,” the singer added.
Furnish and John are content with the lovely family they have created. The love and support their children will always have from their parents is something they do not want them to forget as they grow older.
John talked candidly about how becoming a parent has altered his outlook on life and some of the values he and his spouse want their kids to grow up with.
John talked about how having children affected his attitude toward money. Having two children of his own now, he values his time with Zachary and Elijah more than a popular song or artwork.
The singer acknowledged that because he and Furnish were used to living as the center of attention, they had spent a lot of money before having children. However, John claimed that since their sons arrived, they had drastically cut back on their spending.
The couple’s current concern is ensuring that they own only what they require. Additionally, the couple has been instilling in their kids the importance of money and the labor required to acquire it.
Although John is aware that his kids have a privileged existence already, he still wishes they had humility. The artist has stated that he does not intend to leave them his whole estate as a result. Rather, he aims to strike a balance between providing his kids with a wonderful life and keeping them grounded. He thought to himself:
Naturally, I would like to leave my boys in a very secure financial situation. But giving children a silver spoon is a poor idea. Their lives is ruined by it.
John has attempted to instill in the boys an appreciation for money since they were young children. Zachary and Elijah may not have realized how well-known their parents were at the age of five and three, but John and Furnish did teach them a valuable lesson about budgeting.
The singer said in 2016 that doing chores around the house, such the kitchen or garden, would earn them £3 ($3.74) in pocket money. Each coin would then be divided between savings, spending, and charity. As they grew older, their responsibilities included tidying their rooms, and they received stars for each task completed.
Although the couple is aware that their children would not have a typical childhood, they nevertheless make an effort to give their lives some degree of normalcy. According to John, his children are “not stuck behind the gates of a mansion,” but rather live like locals.
When questioned if he was afraid of having his kids in the spotlight, he replied that he knew there would be drawbacks but that he didn’t mind at all because he thought people were “brilliant” and “not hostile,” especially when they wanted to see pictures of him and his family.
The musician and his spouse would take their kids to the movies or out for pizza because they want them to spend quality time with their family somewhere else than their mansion.
Because of his celebrity, John does not want to miss out on special times with his kids. The musician is also prompt in picking up and dropping off his youngsters at school.
Elton John Flaunts His Offspring
The “Rocket Man” singer posted a unique picture of Furnish, their sons, and their godmother, Lady Gaga, on social media, while John and his spouse typically don’t post any pictures of their sons online. The musician conveyed his love despite expressing his regret at missing the opportunity to picture with them.
On Elton John’s page, leave a remark | Source: Instagram/eltonjohn
Fans expressed disbelief at Zachary and Elijah’s growth in the comment section. “However, the boys are growing quite tall.” Very attractive tiny fellas, a commenter commented. Another admirer exclaimed, “Look at these gorgeous boys and their pappa and Godma!”
John expressed to his sons in a touching letter how much they had altered his life. “You two are the best gifts I have ever received, Zachary and Elijah. In ways I never imagined imaginable, you have given my life meaning and purpose and filled my heart with love,” the singer added.
Furnish and John are content with the lovely family they have created. The love and support their children will always have from their parents is something they do not want them to forget as they grow older.
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