MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — Beyond the good food, for many of us the Thanksgiving celebration is also about family. One Murfreesboro couple deeply understands that children need a feeling of belonging at all times.
"C'mon. Y'all gonna cook something?" said Dominique Gill, calling out from the kitchen. "Joc! You're the egg master!"
Breakfast at the home of Dominique and Kevin Gill is all hands on deck. To meet this sweet family from all areas of life, watch the video above.
"Who's the better cook? Mommy or daddy?" Dominique asked her young daughter, Kennedy.
"Daddy!" Kennedy laughed.
Son Joc started scrambling eggs. His best friends Gabe and Drew started slicing the sausages. Kennedy knew just what to add.
"Syrup!" Kennedy shouted.
"What are you gonna put it on?" Dominque asked.
"Eggs!"
"You're gonna put syrup on eggs?"
"Yeah!"
So, who was the best cook that morning?
"It don't gotta be in this house, right?" Joc laughed.
This sizzling, cinnamon coated breakfast collaboration has quite a story behind it.
Drew has lived about half his life in foster care. The Gills were one of the families he lived with. That all changed on a day about three years ago when Drew discovered in a surprise he was being adopted by the Gills. Then, this year, the Gills adopted a second foster child, Gabe. Gabe joins a mulicultural family with Drew and the Gills' three biological children.
"What's your brothers' names?" Dominque asked Kennedy.
"Joc! Drew-Drew! Gabe!" Kennedy replied.
"Got all the brothers?"
"Mm hm."
Over six years, the Gills have gone through Youth Villages to foster more 30 children. It's a dedication that led the Gills to a big new home in Murfreesboro.
As we get ready to spend time with our own families on a major holiday, there's something to keep in mind. In Tennessee right now, there are more than 8,000 children in the foster care system.
"There are a lot of kids in the system who need care," said Kevin.
"It's hard to find an adoption home," said Drew. "Most kids wait years to find one."
"We know they are missing their birth families," said Dominique. "We show them our love, our affection, our stability."
With things like these breakfasts, the Gills give responsibility and structure.
"We wanna keep them on a routine, y'know," said Kevin.
The Gills teach that families look all kinds of ways, and they assure, in this house, you can find all the syrup for your eggs you could ever want.
"That's not even your plate!" Dominique laughed, as Kennedy buried a plate of eggs in syrup.
"Every situation was a blessing," she said, thinking of all the children who have lived in their home. "Everybody we've had, they've all left with something from us, to feel included and feel part of a family."
If you might be interested in fostering or adopting a child, visit Youth Villages here.
