LEXINGTON, Ky. – For many, November is a month that launches the holiday season, a time to come together with family. For Jamie and Joseph Hurt-Mueller, November also brings with it celebration, a time to honor the transformative power of family, connection, and belonging during National Adoption Month.
The Hurt-Mueller’s began their adoption journey in 2018, fostering to adopt their daughter. In 2020, she was officially made part of the family, Jamie describing their daughter as the perfect fit.
From there, the Hurt-Mueller’s fostered several children until their family grew once more, adopting their son, who the Hurt-Mueller’s had an instant connection with, in 2024. Now, Jamie and Joseph are navigating the joys and challenges of parenting their 18-year-old daughter and 15-year-old son.
“We knew we wanted a family and we didn’t put a number on it; it was just that we wanted children, and we knew there was a foster parent need in Kentucky,” Jamie said. “Adopting and parenting teenagers is difficult but at the same time, it’s very rewarding. They have taught us so much.”
Navigating those teenage years is what got the Hurt-Mueller’s involved in UK College of Social Work’s (CoSW) Adoption Support for Kentucky (ASK) program, attending the Foster/Adoptive Parents of Teens Support Group, hosted by Stephanie Spires, Adoptive Parent Facilitator.
“Every month we attend the teen support group with Stephanie, it’s great,” Jamie shared. “Parents, foster parents, adoptive parents—everyone should attend. We just talk about anything and everything with these kids. It’s a great resource to have each other, whether we vent or learn something new.”
Through this support group, the Hurt-Mueller’s have connected with other parents who are navigating a similar journey with their teens, building relationships that transcend the weekly meetings.
In addition to attending the support group, the Hurt-Mueller’s utilize ASK’s online database, which hosts a variety of trainings, from trauma-informed care to sibling attachment and adoption. Jamie shared the flexibility of the trainings being online, as well as the variety of the topics covered, have made ASK an asset in their foster and adoption journey.
Another piece of advice Jamie shares, in addition to joining ASK support groups and trainings, is to keep an open mind during the foster and adoption process.
“Take your trainings, go to support groups, and realize that some kids you meet—you instantly know they’re yours. I knew mine,” Hurt-Mueller shared.
The ASK program serves as a cornerstone of support for adoptive, foster, and kinship families throughout the Commonwealth. Founded on evidence-based practices and the lived experiences of adoptive families, ASK operates from a fundamental understanding: adoption isn’t the conclusion of a story—it’s the opening chapter of a lifelong relationship that requires ongoing nurturing, support, and understanding.
During the month of November, ASK is offering a training or support group every day. Learn more and browse the support groups and trainings here.
