TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — The journey to fatherhood is not the same for everyone. For one Tallahassee man, it's exactly what he is meant to be.
Jeremiah Mercer describes life as a dad with three simple words: "Crazy, wild and adventurous."
"Get up at two in the morning to help change a diaper," said Mercer. "Give up my afternoons so we can go to the park. Completely change my schedule around just for them."
The road to get here wasn't the easiest. Jeremiah and his wife Lindsey couldn't have children biologically, but that didn't stop them from wanting children. For the Mercer's it was deeper than wanting, it was a calling.
"I felt like God was saying just because you'll are not having children, doesn't mean I am also not calling you to be a parent," said Mercer. "We believe God was calling us to do something with children, something with children's ministry."
After the couple went on a mission trip to Nicaragua, with their church, their calling to be parents grew.
"[There are] 2,200 children in Florida are in the system either waiting to be adopted or in foster care waiting in limbo and that just blew our minds," said Mercer.
After learning of the need, they contacted fellow church friends who were foster parents to learn more about their journey. Through the years, the couple has fostered eight children.
Mercer said even though they aren't biologically his, they are still his children.
"Parenting is really the same," said Mercer. "Biologically, adoptively, foster care; it's all the same thing."
The Mercer's foster children through One More Child, a faith-based organization that provides local and global opportunities to help aid children and families.
For more on One More Child, you can visit their website by clicking here.
