
True
We're redefining what normal means in these uncertain times, and although this is different for all of us, love continues to transform us for the better.
Love is what united Marie-Claire and David Archbold, who met while taking a photography class. "We went into the darkroom to see what developed," they joke—and after a decade of marriage, they know firsthand the deep commitment and connection romantic love requires.
All photos courtesy of Marie-Claire and David Archbold
However, their relationship became even sweeter when they adopted James: a little boy with a
huge heart.
In the United States alone, there are roughly 122,000 children awaiting adoption according to the latest report from the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. While the goal is always for a child to be parented by and stay with their biological family, that is not always a possibility. This is where adoption offers hope—not only does it create new families, it gives birth parents an avenue through which to see their child flourish when they are not able to parent. For the right families, it's a beautiful thing.
The Archbolds knew early on that adoption was an option for them. David has three daughters from a previous marriage, but knowing their family was not yet complete, the couple embarked on a two-year journey to find their match. When the adoption agency called and told them about James, they were elated. From the moment they met him, the Archbolds knew he was meant to be part of their family. David locked eyes with the brown-eyed baby and they stared at each other in quiet wonder for such a long time that the whole room fell silent. "He still looks at me like that," said David.
The connection was mutual and instantaneous—love at first sight. The Archbolds knew that James was meant to be a part of their family. However, they faced significant challenges requiring an even deeper level of commitment due to James' medical condition.
James was born with
congenital hyperinsulinism, a rare condition that causes his body to overproduce insulin, and within 2 months of his birth, he had to have surgery to remove 90% of his pancreas. There was a steep learning curve for the Archbolds, but they were already in love, and knew they were committed to the ongoing care that'd be required of bringing James into their lives. After lots of research and encouragement from James' medical team, they finally brought their son home.
Today, three-year-old James is thriving, filled with infectious joy that bubbles over and touches every person who comes in contact with him. "Part of love is when people recognize that they need to be with each other," said his adoptive grandfather. And because the Archbolds opted for an open adoption, there are even more people to love and support James as he grows.
This sweet story is brought to you by Sumo Citrus®. This oversized mandarin is celebrated for its incredible taste and distinct looks. Sumo Citrus is super-sweet, enormous, easy-to-peel, seedless, and juicy without the mess. Fans of the fruit are obsessive, stocking up from January to April when Sumo Citrus is in stores. To learn more, visit sumocitrus.com and @sumocitrus.
From Your Site Articles
- Here's what it takes to grow one of the most loved fruits in the world ... ›
- To get love, you give love. Let a woman from San Francisco show ... ›
- For five months, no one visited this premature baby. So her nurse ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Heroes
Irish busker singing 'You've Got a Friend in Me" to boy with non-verbal autism is pure beauty
03.05.21
A video of a busker in Dublin, Ireland singing "You've Got a Friend in Me" to a young boy with autism is going viral because it's just so darn adorable. The video was filmed over a year ago by Terence Power, the co-host of the popular "Talking Bollox Podcast."
It was filmed before face masks were required, so you can see the boy's beautiful reaction to the song.
Power uploaded it to TikTok because he had just joined the platform and had no idea the number of lives it would touch. "The support on it is unbelievable. I posted it on my Instagram a while back and on Facebook and the support then was amazing," he told Dublin Live.
"But I recently made TikTok and said I'd share it on that and I'm so glad I did now!" he continued.
<p>The video stars Power's younger brother, seven-year-old Edward Gilligan, who has non-verbal autism.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="780f84095c80bc7178956f7ba4b98dd8"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HxXSF6Jeqhk?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Irish street performer sings 'You've Got a Friend In Me' to put at ease an autistic child😍</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxXSF6Jeqhk&ab_channel=QuickSocials" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a>
</small>
</p><p>The busker in the video is Mick McLoughlin, a regular performer on the streets of Dublin. He's also blown away by how people have responded to the video.<br></p><p>"The reaction to this video has blown my mind," he said according to Dublin Live. "Edward is my pal and always will be. He is such an amazing kid and couldn't believe I saw him that day on the Luas." </p><p>The Luas is a light-rail system that runs through Dublin.</p><p>McLoughlin and Edward have met many times on the train and the viral moment was a reunion of sorts.</p><p>"I didn't do this to get attention I did it because Edward is my pal and I hadn't seen him I ages and seen him on the Luas I couldn't not sing to my pal," <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mickmcloughlinbusker" target="_blank">he wrote on his Facebook page.</a></p><p>"He sings to my brother any time he sees him in town," Power said.</p><p>The video is adorable because of the way McLoughlin and the boy interact while he's singing the song. Edward can hardly contain his joy, as he laughs at McLoughlin's spirited rendition of the Disney classic.</p><p>Even though Edward can't express himself verbally, you can tell exactly how he's feeling by hearing his laughter and seeing the big smile on his face. The video is a perfect way to show why people call music "the universal language."</p><p>"You've Got a Friend in Me" is the perfect song for two friends reuniting who haven't seen each other in a while. What seven-year-old kid hasn't seen "Toy Story" a hundred times?</p><p>The song was written by Randy Newman for the first "Toy Story" film in 1995. The song would go on to become a major musical theme in the film's three sequels.</p><p>McLoughlan has a YouTube channel where you can hear him sing a mix of traditional Irish songs. He also does a fantastic version of John Lennon's "Imagine."</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="87f2023d2709ca55fe4132dd681a90f3"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/65jAI52cxIE?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">imagine John Lennon cover by Mick mc loughlin #mickthebusker</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65jAI52cxIE&ab_channel=MickMcloughlin" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a>
</small>
</p><p><br></p><p><br><br></p><p><br><br></p>
From Your Site Articles
- Autism is still misunderstood. 8 parents share what you should know ... ›
- A viral story about David Bowie giving a boy with autism his 'invisible ... ›
- Five-year-old with autism speaks for the first time and his sense of ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Keep Reading
Show less
True
We're redefining what normal means in these uncertain times, and although this is different for all of us, love continues to transform us for the better.
Love is what united Marie-Claire and David Archbold, who met while taking a photography class. "We went into the darkroom to see what developed," they joke—and after a decade of marriage, they know firsthand the deep commitment and connection romantic love requires.
All photos courtesy of Marie-Claire and David Archbold
However, their relationship became even sweeter when they adopted James: a little boy with a
huge heart.
In the United States alone, there are roughly 122,000 children awaiting adoption according to the latest report from the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. While the goal is always for a child to be parented by and stay with their biological family, that is not always a possibility. This is where adoption offers hope—not only does it create new families, it gives birth parents an avenue through which to see their child flourish when they are not able to parent. For the right families, it's a beautiful thing.
The Archbolds knew early on that adoption was an option for them. David has three daughters from a previous marriage, but knowing their family was not yet complete, the couple embarked on a two-year journey to find their match. When the adoption agency called and told them about James, they were elated. From the moment they met him, the Archbolds knew he was meant to be part of their family. David locked eyes with the brown-eyed baby and they stared at each other in quiet wonder for such a long time that the whole room fell silent. "He still looks at me like that," said David.
The connection was mutual and instantaneous—love at first sight. The Archbolds knew that James was meant to be a part of their family. However, they faced significant challenges requiring an even deeper level of commitment due to James' medical condition.
James was born with
congenital hyperinsulinism, a rare condition that causes his body to overproduce insulin, and within 2 months of his birth, he had to have surgery to remove 90% of his pancreas. There was a steep learning curve for the Archbolds, but they were already in love, and knew they were committed to the ongoing care that'd be required of bringing James into their lives. After lots of research and encouragement from James' medical team, they finally brought their son home.
Today, three-year-old James is thriving, filled with infectious joy that bubbles over and touches every person who comes in contact with him. "Part of love is when people recognize that they need to be with each other," said his adoptive grandfather. And because the Archbolds opted for an open adoption, there are even more people to love and support James as he grows.
This sweet story is brought to you by Sumo Citrus®. This oversized mandarin is celebrated for its incredible taste and distinct looks. Sumo Citrus is super-sweet, enormous, easy-to-peel, seedless, and juicy without the mess. Fans of the fruit are obsessive, stocking up from January to April when Sumo Citrus is in stores. To learn more, visit sumocitrus.com and @sumocitrus.
From Your Site Articles
- Here's what it takes to grow one of the most loved fruits in the world ... ›
- To get love, you give love. Let a woman from San Francisco show ... ›
- For five months, no one visited this premature baby. So her nurse ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
popular
A therapist is blowing minds by explaining how men can have sex with men and still be straight
03.02.21
via Pexels and @drjoekort / TikTok
Gay sex and relationships therapist Dr. Joe Kort is causing a stir on TikTok where he explains why straight men who have sex with men can still be considered straight. If a man has sex with a man doesn't it ultimately make him gay or bisexual?
According to Kort, there can be a big chasm between our sexual and romantic orientations.
"Straight men can be attracted to the sex act, but not to the man. Straight men having sex with men doesn't cancel somebody's heterosexuality any more than a straight woman having sex with a woman cancels her [heterosexuality]," he says in the video.
<p><br></p><div class="rm-embed embed-media"><blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@drjoekort/video/6931043975843319046" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="6931043975843319046" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;"> <section> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@drjoekort" target="_blank" title="@drjoekort">@drjoekort</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/straightmen" target="_blank" title="straightmen">#Straightmen</a> can be with a man and still be straight <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/malesexuality" target="_blank" title="malesexuality">#malesexuality</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/kinktiktok" target="_blank" title="kinktiktok">#kinktiktok</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/sexualfluidity" target="_blank" title="sexualfluidity">#sexualfluidity</a><br> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/bee-6732032403629410306" target="_blank" title="♬ bee - Burbank">♬ bee - Burbank</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script></div><p>Kort says he isn't erasing bisexuality, but that it's an entirely different phenomenon from straight men who have sex with men. Bisexual men are attracted to both men and women romantically, but straight men who have sex with other men, are only into the sex, not the person.<br></p><p>"When straight men have sex with men, it's not a gay thing. It's a guy thing," he explains in a later video.</p><p>For the man who has sex with other men and considers himself straight, it's more about getting off than getting close. </p><p>The video has had a lot of negative comments, most saying that men who have sex with men are gay or bisexual, case-closed. "Can I eat steak and still be vegan?" one commenter asks.</p><p>Many also accused Kort of being mildly homophobic for giving straight men the option to have gay sex without having to confront the notion they may be gay or bisexual. </p><p>Kort's videos point out the seldom-discussed idea that sexual and romantic attraction are not the same thing. Then, by adding the twist that someone can be into sex with a certain gender without feeling any romantic pull, makes things even more confusing.</p><div class="rm-embed embed-media"><blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@drjoekort/video/6935131934943137030" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="6935131934943137030" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;"> <section> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@drjoekort" target="_blank" title="@drjoekort">@drjoekort</a> There's a <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/difference" target="_blank" title="difference">#difference</a> between your <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/attraction" target="_blank" title="attraction">#attraction</a> and your <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/fantasies" target="_blank" title="fantasies">#fantasies</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/lesbians" target="_blank" title="lesbians">#lesbians</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/women" target="_blank" title="women">#women</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/straightmen" target="_blank" title="straightmen">#straightmen</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/lgbt" target="_blank" title="lgbt">#lgbt</a><br> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Up-Beat-Married-Life-6831843160709138433" target="_blank" title="♬ Up Beat (Married Life) - Kenyi">♬ Up Beat (Married Life) - Kenyi</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script></div><p>The type of men that Kort describes could be aroused by another man sexually, but wouldn't feel comfortable or have any interest in being emotionally intimate with them. In fact, the emotional intimacy with another man may make them uncomfortable. It's just sex for sex's sake and what's wrong with that?<br></p><p>This same type of man may enjoy fantasizing about gay sex or watching gay pornography while having little interest in actually performing the act in real life.</p><p>Kort further explained his thoughts in a subsequent video.</p><p>"When I'm talking about straight men who sleep with men, I'm talking about a difference between who you're attracted to and what fantasies you have in your head. You have a sexual orientation and an erotic orientation," he says. </p><p>"And the things that are embedded in your erotic orientation that turn you on, that bring you to the finish line, can include other genders. You can imagine yourself being another gender," he continues.</p><p>Kort does a great job at explaining the difference between romantic and sexual attraction and that, for some, it spans gender. It may also help some men who are only into guys sexually and are unsure why they have zero romantic interest in someone, feel a little less confused.</p>
From Your Site Articles
- Fox News Endorses Straight Marriage, Falls Into A Gay Marriage By ... ›
- A straight man in Oklahoma wants you to know not all country boys ... ›
- Gay men gave straight guys relationship advice and they'd be dumb ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Keep Reading
Show less
popular
In a beautiful act of defiance, BYU's LGBT students lit up 'Y Mountain' in rainbow colors
03.05.21
The dark mountains that overlook Provo, Utah were illuminated by a beautiful rainbow-colored "Y" on Thursday night just before 8 pm. The 380-foot-tall "Y" overlooks the campus of Brigham Young University, a private college owned by the Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), commonly known as Mormons.
The display was planned by a group of around 40 LGBT students to mark the one-year anniversary of the university sending out a letter clarifying its stance on homosexual behavior.
"One change to the Honor Code language that has raised questions was the removal of a section on 'Homosexual Behavior.' The moral standards of the Church did not change with the recent release of the General Handbook or the updated Honor Code, " the school's statement read.
<p>"Same-sex romantic behavior cannot lead to eternal marriage and is therefore not compatible with the principles included in the Honor Code," it continued.</p><p>The clarification to the Honor Code came after a section banning "all forms of physical intimacy that give expression to homosexual feelings" was removed. LGBT students saw it as a signal that the university was softening its strict anti-LGBT policies. The removal inspired many to take photos of same-sex kisses in front of university landmarks and others to come out of the closet because they believed they were safe.</p><p>"That day felt like a betrayal for a lot of LGBTQ students," Bradley Talbot, a gay student who organized the event, said according to the<a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2021/03/05/lgbtq-students-byu-light/" target="_blank"> Salt Lake City Tribune. </a>"It was traumatic. So this was a day for us to reclaim that and try to turn it into something positive."</p><div id="ef865" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7b9b0611efa964aa1cd024c678388291">
<div class="rm-embed-container rm-embed-twitter rm-loading">
<span class="rm-embed-spacer" style="padding-bottom: 115%"></span>
<blockquote class="rm-embed twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1367684054733099009" data-partner="rebelmouse">
<div style="margin:1em 0">There are an estimated 4,357 LGBTQ+ students at BYU. Tonight is for all of them.❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤 https://t.co/kkzuXkvC8L</div> — calvin burke (@calvin burke)
<a href="https://twitter.com/calvinjburke/statuses/1367684054733099009">1614916263.0</a>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div><p><br></p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f470f61e9678b0cadb59243714370b49" id="3a331">
<div class="rm-embed-container rm-embed-twitter rm-loading">
<span class="rm-embed-spacer" style="padding-bottom: 148%"></span>
<blockquote class="rm-embed twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-extracted-i161497502930770656="true" data-twitter-tweet-id="1367679858281566212">
<div style="margin:1em 0">Grateful for the great work being done at BYU to help LGBTQ students feel loved, valued and welcome 🌈 https://t.co/cYG8UgpwlH</div> — Papa Ostler (@Papa Ostler)
<a href="https://twitter.com/Papa_Ostler/statuses/1367679858281566212">1614915263.0</a>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div><p><br></p><div class="rm-shortcode shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed" data-rm-shortcode-id="29780536abab46be4012f95673a5cd03" id="308b9">
<div class="rm-embed-container rm-embed-twitter rm-loading">
<span class="rm-embed-spacer" style="padding-bottom: 118%"></span>
<blockquote class="rm-embed twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-extracted-i161497502930770656="true" data-twitter-tweet-id="1367732846912102402">
<div style="margin:1em 0">Light 'em up, BYU. https://t.co/Mp5oz683Ct https://t.co/oOnb1v0ctC</div> — Joshua Rush (@Joshua Rush)
<a href="https://twitter.com/JoshuaRush/statuses/1367732846912102402">1614927896.0</a>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div><p>"If BYU won't show their love to us, we're going to make sure our love is visible to them," Danny Niemann, a senior and gay student at the school, said before climbing the hill to light up the "Y."<br></p><p>After the group of LGBT students turned off the lights and headed back down the mountain, they were met by police cars from the university, but no arrests were made. On the trailhead they were greeted by supporters who blasted "Born This Way" and "I Kissed a Girl" from their car speakers.</p><p>The university wasn't impressed by the display.</p><div id="dc08f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0429ca9694b4a92eefdb93b0aece1c7c">
<div class="rm-embed-container rm-embed-twitter rm-loading">
<span class="rm-embed-spacer" style="padding-bottom: 73%"></span>
<blockquote class="rm-embed twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1367689857917579264" data-partner="rebelmouse">
<div style="margin:1em 0">The Y is BYU property and any form of public expression on university property requires prior approval.</div> — BYU (@BYU)
<a href="https://twitter.com/BYU/statuses/1367689857917579264">1614917647.0</a>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div><p>The LDS Church has a long history of being anti-LGBT. All homosexual or same-sex sexual activity is forbidden by The Church and it believes that god doesn't approve of same-sex marriage.<br></p><p>Therefore, all homosexual members are presented with three unhealthy lifestyle options. They can either attempt to change their sexual orientation, marry someone of the opposite sexual orientation or live a celibate lifestyle. </p><p>The lighting of the "Y" was applauded by Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds, a former BYU student and member of the LDS Church. Reynolds has a long history of supporting pro-LGBT causes.</p><div id="e6950" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d1b1d55c6f28cecd15cfe015de8e5e12">
<div class="rm-embed-container rm-embed-twitter rm-loading">
<span class="rm-embed-spacer" style="padding-bottom: 80%"></span>
<blockquote class="rm-embed twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1367698335167959047" data-partner="rebelmouse">
<div style="margin:1em 0">hey @BYU this is an opportunity for you to celebrate your LGBTQ students. they do make up ~13% of your student body… https://t.co/7SwUXIdyyW</div> — Dan Reynolds (@Dan Reynolds)
<a href="https://twitter.com/DanReynolds/statuses/1367698335167959047">1614919668.0</a>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div><p>The church has softened some of its anti-LGBT positions over the last few years. In 2019, it reversed a 2015 decision that classified people in same-sex marriages as "apostates." It also allowed children from LGBT marriages to be baptized.<br></p><p>The LDS Church has a long history of bigotry, but LGBT members should find some solace that it has changed with the times, albeit decades too late. From the mid-1800s until 1978 it prevented most Black men from being ordained to the church's lay priesthood, barred Black men and women from participating in the ordinances of its temples, and opposed interracial marriage.</p><p>The priesthood is bestowed upon "worthy" males and allows them to perform the work of god.</p><p>In 1978, President Spencer W. Kimball, received a "revelation" that allowed Black men to be part of the priesthood.</p><p>In 2013,<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2013/mar/05/mormons-black-priests-ban" target="_blank"> the Church admitted</a> its stances were motivated by bigotry.</p><p>Maybe the church can have a similar revelation that mirrors the times and will allow LGBT people the same rights as straight Mormons. </p>
From Your Site Articles
- 11 lives were lost in 11 days. For the LGBTQ community in Utah ... ›
- Students at BYU are protesting their school's 'honor code' as sexist ... ›
- A side-by-side comparison of the Dakota pipeline protest and ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Keep Reading
Show less
Get stories worth sharing delivered to your inbox
By signing up you agree to Upworthy's privacy policy.
Get stories worth sharing delivered to your inbox
By signing up you agree to Upworthy's privacy policy.
Trending Stories