Rutherford Weekly - Shelby NC
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1498971
"In our little house there's always room for one more" is certainly a true statement for the Charlie and Gina Greene family of Ellenboro. On this Mother's Day as Gina cel- ebrates with her own mother, Ava Mace, she also shares the special day with her six children — three were born to the couple and the other three (half-siblings to each other) came by way of adoption just before Christmas in 2021. Charlie and Gina have known each other since the second grade after Gina and her mom moved to Ellen- boro from the Philippines. The cou- ple started dating their senior year at East Rutherford although they met in elementary school and went through school and college together. Gina said Charlie talked once about having enough children to fi eld a ball team, but they didn't think it would happen so quickly. Gina talked about the couple's chal- lenges in 2018 that included seeing their infant son Cooper suffer a stroke and just weeks later learning a relative of Charlie's was so into drugs, three young children desperately needed care. Today the couple and their six chil- dren — biological children — Ava Greene - 12.5 years old - 6th grade; Chuck Greene - 9 years old - 3rd grade; Cooper Greene - 5 years old - PreK; and their adopted children — Karigan Greene - 12 years old - 5th grade; Hayden Greene - 11 years old - 4th grade; Tommy Greene - 5 years old - PreK — are living life to the full- est. Little Cooper has minimal defi cits after the health scare as an infant. He was delayed in most of his milestones, but is now on track with his age and developmental stages, his mom said. Charlie and Gina had begun the paperwork for foster care parenting and training well before Tommy and his half-siblings came into their lives. "I was working as a school nurse and I saw the huge need of families for children in our county. It put a fi re in my heart for foster care, Gina explained. "God orchestrated every step of the way to be ready for the children to come into our family," said Gina. HOW THE GREEN FAMILY QUICKLY GREW BY THREE Gina said she and Charlie made one of the biggest decisions of their lives in 2018. She received a call from a family mem- ber that Charlie had a nephew, Tommy, that was placed in DSS custody. There were no other family members capable of taking responsibility for him. Gina and Charlie's youngest biological son Cooper had just weeks earlier suf- fered a stroke and they were not in the best place emotionally or physically to take on other challenges. But the couple agreed, although diffi - cult, they needed to take little Tommy into their home. At that time, he was separat- ed from his half-siblings. "It truly was an easy 'Yes' to Thomas. I mean, he is our nephew, Charlie's blood. No one else could take care of him and he had already been in a couple of place- ments before we even knew he existed. How could we say no?" Gina said. The day little 'Tom Tom' was dropped off at Gina's workplace, he had nothing but the clothes on his back and some rice ce- real. "Most people get nine months to pre- pare for a life of multiples. We got two weeks," Gina said. Two months later Gina and Charlie dis- covered Tommy's half-siblings were about to be removed from current care place- ment with the real possibility the three could forever be separated from each other. "Knowing that Tommy could someday discover that he had siblings separated from him tore at my heart," Gina said. "Charlie and I prayed and poured over the decision. God placed in our hearts these children and we couldn't say 'no'." The couple went from three children to having six children in a span of three months. Almost fi ve years later, all three children were legally adopted and now all six are thriving and enjoying their brothers and sisters. "Having two 3 month olds was so unbearably diffi cult at times. I truly did not think I could do it. The Lord truly took over because I will tell you I could not have survived without him," Gina said. "Charlie always said he wanted to have enough chil- dren to form a ball team. Technically, we have enough children for a basketball team," Gina said. Continued on page 3. 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The challenges and celebrations The challenges and celebrations of a large family On December 15, 2021, the Charlie and Gina Greene family became a family of 8. Believing as the writing above the courthouse door says, "In God We Trust."