Carthage couple seeks funds to bring home brother of their adopted son

Carthage couple is seeking help to fund another international adoption, this time the brother of their son, Elijah Morton. Wendi and Trevor Morton are seeking to raise more than $25,000 to adopt the older boy Nick, who suffers from diabetes insipidus. Elijah Morton rides his tricycle around his parents home.

Scott Brunner/News Messenger (enlarge photo) A Carthage couple is seeking help to fund another international adoption, this time the brother of their son, Elijah Morton. Wendi and Trevor Morton are seeking to raise more than $25,000 to adopt the older boy Nick, who suffers from diabetes insipidus. Pictured above, Grace Morton, almost 2, adopted from Guatemala, and Elijah Morton, 4, adopted from Russia, sit inside their parents home in Carthage.

Bringing brother home

By ERICA FACER

News Messenger

A family in Carthage is asking the public's help to reunite their adopted son with his older brother, who is in Russia.

Wendi and Trevor Morton of Carthage recently found out that their son, Elijah, 4, has a 7-year-old brother, Nikolai, in Russia who is available for adoption.

Wendi, 55, and Trevor, 33, are self-employed as petroleum landmen, which constitutes the business side of the oil and gas and mineral exploration and production.

The Mortons have two children who were adopted internationally, Elijah, who was adopted in 2004, and Grace, who was adopted from Guatemala in January 2006. The Mortons had not planned on adopting any more children, but once they knew Elijah's brother was available, they said they had to bring Nick home.

According to Mrs. Morton, in Elijah's adoption paperwork, it states that he had one brother, but he had cancer and was not adoptable. In October 2006, the Mortons found out that it was not cancer, but diabetes insipidus, which is caused by a hormone deficiency that prevents the kidneys from concentrating urine.

Even with his medical condition, nothing could change the Mortons minds about Nick's adoption. They are ready to face the challenges that are ahead of them.

The Mortons recently found out that Elijah and Nick had been in the same orphanage when Elijah was initially adopted by another family at the age of 18 months. The Mortons do not know if Elijah remembers his brother, but they assume that Nick, who was nearly 5 at the time, does.

The Mortons are now trying to raise funds to cover the $25,000 adoption fees. They are trying to raise $9,500 through online donations at their Web site, www.myfamilyforever.com, by Jan. 25 and also have an account set up at Farmers State Bank in Carthage called The Trevor Morton Adoption Fund.

"There are fees all the time," said Mr. Morton. FedEx fees for shipping paperwork overnight, $3,400 for the adoption agency to send the paperwork to Russia, $600 for required fingerprints, airfare from Dallas to Moscow costs $1,600. "Lodging in Moscow can be $300 a night, just for a basic hotel," said Mrs. Morton. The Mortons estimate it will cost $35,000 to adopt Nick.

The Morton say they are still financially recovering from adopting Grace a year ago. Adopting Nick was unexpected, something they didn't plan, or save, for, but the Mortons say, "It's not like we're not going to do it."

The adoption could take eight to ten months after the money is raised, and Nick's medical conditions are why the Morton's pleas are immediate.

"If he weren't sick, we wouldn't be so concerned," said Mrs. Morton, "We don't know if he's being properly treated or not." The Mortons want to get Nick to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston to see a specialist as soon as possible.

The family is selling handmade scented jar candles made by a friend of Wendi's to raise money to help offset the costs.

"We need the public's help, no amount is too small, every little bit helps," said Mr. Morton.

The Mortons are hoping to travel to Russia at the end of January to meet Nick and their goal is to have him home in Carthage by his eighth birthday.

"We'll make it happen one way or another."