From Foster to Forever: The Wood Family’s Journey to Adoption
After navigating the emotional road of fostering, Amanda and Bryan Wood found their forever family in Asher and Raelynn. With joy, resilience, and love, they built a life full of laughter, adventure, and cherished memories in Highland Lakes.
Their favorite place on earth.
The road to a forever family can be challenging, especially for foster children and the families who open their hearts and homes to them. Amanda and Bryan Wood walked that path with strength, patience, and unconditional love, ultimately welcoming two bright, adventurous children into their lives—and into their hearts—for good.
Amanda and Bryan met while working at Bread Financial. Amanda attended Coastal Carolina University near Myrtle Beach, while Bryan graduated from Ohio State University. Though raised in different suburbs—Amanda in Hilliard and Bryan in Reynoldsburg—their Ohio roots eventually brought them together.
Married for nearly a decade now, the couple bonded early on over their love of Pokémon, Harry Potter, and late-night marathons of the online game Guild Wars 2. Both are passionate Ohio State Buckeye fans—so much so that Bryan proposed to Amanda on ESPN GameDay during the 2016 Ohio State vs. Michigan game. (A nearby Michigan fan even booed during the moment!)
The Woods moved to Highland Lakes about three years ago, buying a larger home with plans to start a family. When traditional avenues didn’t work out, they found inspiration and support from their neighbors and community. That encouragement helped lead them to foster—and eventually adopt—siblings Asher and Raelynn, who joined their family in January 2023 and were officially adopted in April 2024.
Now three and four years old, Asher and Raelynn immediately brought joy and energy into Amanda and Bryan’s lives. Amanda says it felt like fate: their birthdays are close together, Raelynn’s name echoes Amanda’s maiden name, and all three share the same striking blue eyes. These small coincidences made their connection feel meant to be.
The siblings are full of life and laughter. They love spending time at the Highland Lakes aquatic center, attending gymnastics on Saturdays, and bouncing around the house and playground. The family even built a padded climbing area in their basement to keep up with the kids’ boundless energy.
Asher and Raelynn are naturally funny and full of personality. Amanda describes Raelynn as having “villain energy”—she giggles whenever the villains appear in Disney movies. The two love anything Disney and enjoy singing “Jingle Bells” or “Happy Birthday” regardless of the season. They even have a 350-gallon fish tank featuring Nemo and Dory.
Some of their most cherished memories have come from extended family trips to Disney World, where they’ve spent months at a time staying in an RV near the park. Days were filled with rides, roller coasters, and swimming—Raelynn even learned to swim there—capped off each night with fireworks.
Raelynn has always looked out for her younger brother. Early in the fostering process, she showed such care for Asher that it helped build trust between her and her new parents. Asher, in turn, watches her closely and often follows her lead. They’re cuddled up on the couch watching Paw Patrol when they're not racing around the house.
Amanda and Bryan are continually impressed by how thoughtful the kids are. When they once spilled bubbles on the floor, they cleaned it themselves before their parents noticed. Raelynn already talks about growing up and taking care of her mom. With his problem-solving mind and curious nature, Asher keeps them on their toes—they joke he’s a future engineer in the making.
Through it all, Amanda and Bryan say the fostering process taught them to live fully in the moment. Amanda often reminds herself that childhood doesn’t last forever and to cherish the small moments. She lives by the phrase “Se Lavi” (a play on the French C’est la vie), reminding her to seize the day.
Their favorite memory came when they told the children—after a day at school—that they were officially part of the family forever. That night, Raelynn lay in bed and whispered how happy she was to have a forever home finally.
The Woods say they feel overwhelmingly grateful to be Asher and Raelynn’s forever parents. They even joke about a T-shirt slogan they imagined from the kids’ perspective: “We stole their hearts. Now we’re stealing their last name.”
Through love, laughter, and a little bit of Disney magic, the Wood family story is one of perseverance, joy, and a forever bond that was meant to be.