In adopted daughters, Hempfield family finds 'missing pieces to the puzzle'

Amber Pearce knows what it’s like to be in the foster system — that’s why she and husband John continue to keep their Hempfield home open to children in need.

In 2014, they adopted daughter Nia, now 10.

On Wednesday, they adopted two more daughters — Deziray, 7, and Reylynn, 3, who are biological sisters.

“They were the last piece to our puzzle,” Amber Pearce said.

“We keep finding missing pieces to the puzzle,” John Pearce joked.

Seven local families and members of the Westmoreland County Children’s Bureau on Wednesday celebrated the adoption of 14 children during its annual Adoption Day. The bureau has worked with 320 children in the foster care system in 2023, 24% of whom were adopted.

The Pearces have three biological children — Jase, 16; Jaykob, 15; and Abbygail, 10. The siblings have had the normal ups and downs since Deziray and Reylynn arrived, John Pearce said, but the two girls fit in just right.

“We’ve been waiting for this for so long, it is such a relief,” Amber Pearce said, adding that it is important to her to provide a safe foster home for children who find themselves in a tough situation.

During a ceremony Wednesday to finalize the adoptions, both parents were asked why they wanted to make the two sisters official parts of their family.

Amber Pearce took a moment to compose herself and wipe away tears.

“I’ve loved them from the first minute I saw them,” she said. “I knew they were my daughters.”

“They’re beautiful. They belong in our family,” John Pearce said. “They’re a perfect fit. Everybody gets along so it’s fantastic.”

Judge Justin Walsh ruled it was in the girls’ best interest to become Pearces.

When it came time to pose for a family photo in the courtroom, the youngest member perched high on the arm of her oldest brother, flailing her arms out and repeating “cheeseburger.”

“She’s always hungry,” Amber Pearce laughed.