Here’s the summary of episode 86!
Also, if you’d like to watch it on YouTube instead, click here.
If you’d like to listen on Apple, click here.
And on Spotify, you can click here.
Thanks for being here!
In this emotional episode, I sit down with my Aunt Sherry to hear her incredible journey from a childhood marked by uncertainty, adoption, and resilience, to a life filled with love, family, and healing.
Aunt Sherry’s story is an immaculate example of the resilience of the human heart, the way we carry our past with us, and how love can transcend even the hardest moments. It’s about what it means to belong.
Bring tissues, because we laughed and we cried over these stories. Let me know what resonates with you!
A Surprise Adoption
Aunt Sherry was adopted by my grandparents in 1960. My dad was already 21 at the time, and my uncle Ronnie was about 18. My grandparents, Warren and Nyona Knudsen, were just at the age limit to adopt, but fate had its way. Adoption back then was much simpler—just a few papers and about $40. And just like that, Aunt Sherry became part of our family.
Early Memories As a Child in Aztec
Before adoption, Aunt Sherry’s early memories took place in a small trailer in Aztec, New Mexico, during the oil boom in Farmington. Her parents had come from Oklahoma for work. “As a child, I was happy. I thought everything was fine. I didn’t know people ate three times a day or bathed every day. I didn’t know those kinds of things, so it didn’t bother me.”
Despite her innocence, hardships were present. Her mother left one evening, claiming she was going to the post office but never returned. Days passed, and the reality set in that she was gone. Eventually, social services got involved, and adoption became the next step.
The Pain of Separation
The most devastating day of Sherry’s childhood was when her sister, Rita, was taken away. “Somebody came, picked her up, and she had packed her things in a brown grocery bag. And I didn’t think I would ever see her again. I was brokenhearted.”
A few days later, Sherry learned she would be adopted too—and she would live across the street from Rita. That hope gave her strength, but the moment of departure was still heartbreaking. Her father, usually silent, walked her down to the ice cream stand, bought her an ice cream, but didn’t get one for himself. She later realized why—he was saying goodbye.
A New Family, A New Home
Sherry was taken in by Warren and Nyona Knudsen, introduced as their new daughter. At first, it was overwhelming. Her new father simply turned around and inspected her without a word. But her new mother, Nyona, was different—loving, strong, and warm despite her own physical ailments. “She could have had so many excuses not to take on this child. But she didn’t.”
Though she lived across the street from her sister Rita, the families decided the sisters needed emotional separation, allowing them only 15 minutes together at a time. Yet, every minute with Rita was healing. “Our love could survive on 15 minutes.”
The Loss of a Birth Mother
Sherry’s biological mother, Virginia, had suffered abuse. She had wanted to keep her children but was forced into a heartbreaking choice. “She still refused to sign the papers, so my father beat her and cut her hair off with a pocketknife. He even slashed her across the chest.”
Years later, while pregnant with her fourth child, Sherry reunited with Virginia, who had attempted suicide and was hospitalized. When Virginia saw Sherry, she buried her head in her lap and sobbed, “My baby, my baby.” It was in that moment that Sherry saw the years of sorrow and regret her birth mother had endured.
Growing Up with the Knudsens
Life with the Knudsens was different. There was structure, religion, and love. They ate three meals a day, went to church every Sunday, and followed the teachings of Christ. “I had never been to church before, but when I saw how they lived, I believed.”
Her new family instilled values in her. Hard work was non-negotiable. Honesty was paramount. “An honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay,” her father would say. “You don’t expect something for free.”
She learned to play the piano—though at first, she just admired how well a missionary could play. When offered lessons, she eagerly agreed, not realizing she would be practicing every day for years. Yet, the discipline shaped her.
Love and Marriage: Meeting Joel
At 14, Sherry unknowingly caught the attention of her future husband, Joel. “I saw her at church and told my friend, ‘I think I’m gonna marry her.’”
They officially met when she was 15, and by 16, they were dating. When she was 17, Joel asked her father for her hand in marriage. Her father, a practical man, replied, “They can’t all go on missions. There’d be too many. Let them get married.”
They married young, but it was the right decision. Joel’s love provided her with stability, and together they built a life. “His love is the strongest force in my life. I never have to worry.”
Motherhood and Legacy
Sherry became a mother at 18 and went on to have seven children. “Every time one of my children turned six, I would think, ‘How could a mother give away her six-year-old?’” The compassion for her birth mother deepened with time.
Years later, Virginia was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by missionaries who had become like family to her. That connection brought Sherry peace. “She had the truth now. We had more to talk about after that.”
The Power of Family Bonds
Sherry remained close to her adopted family and biological siblings. Rita, her childhood lifeline, ended up in Virginia, while Sherry built her life with Joel. Though miles apart, their connection remained strong.
She also maintained a bond with her adoptive mother, Nyona. “She always told me how wonderful I was. She never hit me. She made me feel like I was a princess.”
Her father, Warren, showed his love in quiet ways. When Sherry crashed her car in high school, she feared she was in trouble. Instead, he took a rubber mallet, fixed the dent, and simply said, “You got a little too close.”
Sherry’s story is one of resilience, love, and the incredible power of family. Through adoption, faith, and determination, she built a life she loves, breaking cycles of hardship along the way.
Her message? “We can do hard things. Love can heal anything. And family—whether chosen or given—is everything.”
If you’ve been touched by Sherry’s story, share it. Let it be a reminder that even in the hardest of circumstances, love finds a way.
God bless you!
