A mother to many

RICE HILL — In the past 30 years, more than 125 kids have called Margie and Mike Reece’s house their home.

Some were exchange students visiting the United States for part of, or the entire, school year. Others were foster kids in need of a temporary, long-term or, in a few cases, permanent home. And others were the couple’s biological children.

Regardless of whether or not the kids had the Reece last name, the children became part of the Reece family while they lived under the same roof.

Currently, Mike and Margie are providing a home for two of their biological kids, four adopted kids and three foster kids.

Margie and Mike still hear from several of the kids they’ve fostered in recent years, whether by phone or personal visits to the couple’s Rice Hill home.

And today, Mother’s Day, it’s probably safe to say Margie will cross the minds of at least a few of the kids who have called her “Mom” at some point during the last 30 years.

Introduction to foster care

Margie first opened the doors of her home to foster kids in 1978, when she took in four girls in their early teens with various disabilities. When she separated from her first husband, the single mother of two biological children and four foster children moved back to her hometown of Denver.

Margie only lived in Denver for about a year in the early ’80s, but in that time she met the man she would eventually marry.

Mike was visiting Denver while on leave from the Coast Guard. He was visiting the city, trying to decide whether to re-enlist in the military or try something new. Margie persuaded him to try something new.

The pair and Margie’s six kids moved to Mike’s hometown of Grants Pass. In 1985, the couple married, and a few years later Mike adopted Margie’s two biological kids, Michael and RaShell.

In 1985, the foster kids who had lived with Margie for seven years began aging out of the children’s foster care system and officials wouldn’t let them stay with Margie any longer.

Margie was heartbroken and decided foster care was not for her. So Mike enlisted in the Army and the family of four moved around the country for a few years.

In 1994, the family — which at that point included the couple’s kids Derek and Kat, now 18 and 16 years old respectively — moved to Portland. For about seven years the family hosted foreign exchange students. Some stayed for summers, others for full school years. In all, more than 100 foreign students passed through the Reeces’ home.

About five years ago, the family moved to Douglas County. Margie and Mike wanted to help kids and volunteered as Special Olympics coaches. Then, someone suggested the pair look into providing foster care.

When they realized the need in Douglas County, the family once again opened its doors to kids in need of a home.

“Once we started down here, it just kind of grew,” Margie said.

'They don’t have anybody'

The Reeces first became Douglas County foster parents five years ago. In that time, they have parented 16 foster kids, and in many cases have offered mentoring to parents who lost their children to the foster system.

Throughout the years, the Reeces have taken in kids who were considered difficult and poorly behaved. They’ve cared for kids who had a wide range of disabilities. And they’ve loved kids who were neglected and ignored.

In fact, physical abuse, drug abuse and domestic violence that have plagued the kids’ young lives are all factors that encourage the couple to foster children.

“When you hear and see things like that, it’s hard not to keep your doors open,” Mike said.

In recent years, the Reeces took a couple of kids into their home who were previously living with several other people in a 29-foot trailer. The kids didn’t understand personal space because they were living on top of each other, Margie said.

At the Reeces’ they had their own bed and toys. With time, they began to understand and respect personal space and each other.

Another time the Reeces agreed to foster three kids who had been starved. The kids had been drinking pet milk and were emaciated. Their hair was infested with lice.

When they moved in with the Reece family, the kids hoarded food. They saved parts of their sandwiches and hid them in their beds, for fear that they would suddenly be cut off from the food supply.

With time, Margie said, the kids came to understand that they would always have access to food and could get snacks from the pantry when they were hungry.

“It teaches you that they don’t have anybody,” Margie said.

Usually, after living with the Reeces for a short time, the kids’ behaviors change and they begin to love themselves — sometimes for the first time, Margie said.

“They totally change when they realize somebody wants them,” she said.

'We're family'

At the Reece home, foster kids are not only wanted, they are part of the family.

“We’re teaching them family,” Margie said. “Up here we’re family ... whether they are (legally) our kids or not, they’re all our kids.”

To stress the importance of family, Margie, 53, and Mike, 47, often agree to house siblings who are in the foster system, sometimes even bringing together siblings who have never met.

During the day, the older kids attend school while Margie stays home with the three youngest kids. Margie usually spends her time catching up duties around the house — like the three loads of laundry she does each day — or volunteering at Yoncalla schools. Mike works part time as a school bus driver, after a back injury a few years ago limited the type and amount of work he could perform. And when he’s not working, Mike is usually volunteering as well, Margie said.

From time to time, Margie said the family piles into a 15-passenger van and goes out to dinner at a pizza parlor or a high school softball or basketball game. They like to attend Yoncalla School District events and activities sponsored by the foster care system. And they also enjoy curling up on the couches to watch movies together.

But no matter how hectic the day is, the family makes it a point to eat dinner together every night.

“It’s a big deal with us,” Margie said. “It’s something the kids need. Being together is important.”

Expanding the Reece name

About three years ago, Mike and Margie agreed to temporarily foster a little girl named Christal. “Temporarily” turned into a couple of years, and the Reeces decided to adopt the girl. Christal, who is now 8 years old, legally became a member of the Reece family in January 2007.

“We knew if we didn’t adopt Christal she would go from foster home to foster home,” Margie said of the couple’s first adopted child.

Since that first adoption of a foster child, the Reeces have added three more members to the family.

Three-year-old Michael’s adoption was finalized in September 2008; he had lived with the Reeces since he was 6 weeks old. And just last month the adoption went through for 10-year-old Jon and 8-year-old Shain, who have lived with the Reeces for about three years.

And the Reeces aren’t done adopting yet.

“We hope by the end of the summer to have two more Reeces,” Margie said. The couple plans to adopt two of the three foster kids currently living with them.

And even those adoptions — No. 5 and No. 6 — likely won’t be the last.

“Every time we think we’ve got them all adopted, someone calls,” Margie said.

About two months ago, an employee at the Department of Human Services asked the family to foster a baby who will be born in late August. The couple will also likely adopt the baby, who is a sibling to one of their adopted kids.

“What’s one more,” Margie said. “We always have room for one more.”

• You can reach reporter Marissa Harshman at 957-4202 or by e-mail at mharshman@nrtoday.com.