Lanny and Lakyn King’s First Father’s Day

When Lanny and Holly King got word the evening of last Nov. 20 to come pick up their newborn daughter the next morning, they were slightly unprepared. They had no crib, no diapers — not even a sippy cup. That’s because when they signed with the nonprofit Adoption Bridges of Kentucky, their counselors suggested that outfitting a nursery too soon might make them more anxious while they waited for a child to adopt.

In the King’s case, the wait was a mere two months, proving that hopeful parents-to-be don't have to go internationally to adopt a child. Plenty of children need homes right here in our own Kentucky backyard.

“We'd heard that domestic adoptions are expensive, that we were too old and the wait would be years,” Lanny says. “But those are myths. The fee was set, there were no maximum age limits and we met at least five couples who received children within months. Domestic adoption is much easier than we thought.”

Lanny King is an attorney with Stout, Farmer & King. The firm specializes in civil litigation, including personal injury, business disputes, bankruptcy and debtor/creditor relations. Holly King manages the Paducah office of Sherman Carter Barnhart Architects. Lakyn Lee King recently learned to scream “Dadadadadadada” at the top of her lungs, including all day Mother’s Day.

While the Kings headed to the hospital, family and friends descended upon their home with bags of baby stuff, preparing the nursery for their return. “When we got back, we had everything we needed,” Lanny says. “We were blessed with so much generosity.”

That includes the blessing of little Lakyn Lee.

“You consider so many different situations when you adopt,” Lanny says. “But as soon as we brought Lakyn home, none of those could have mattered. Holly and I both realized that no other child would have been as perfect a match for us as Lakyn. She’s it.”

We suspect she feels the same way. Happy Father’s Day, Lanny — and to all dads!

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