SR couple adopts 9 Asian youths

By Eric Freehling Eagle Community Editor

May 07, 2016 Last Updated: May 06, 2016 05:57 PM Community

The nine adopted children of Sue and George Holtz pack into the family van for a road trip. The Holtzes started their second family 12 years ago.

Some faced bleak future in homeland

SLIPPERY ROCK TWP — Sue Holtz thought she was done being a mother when her only child, Jeremy, 40, moved out of the house in 2002 and had four children of his own.

At 48, she thought she had put permission slips, pediatrician's visits and family vacations firmly in the past. She didn't dream she would be starting a second family with the arrival of 3-year-old Kayleen from China in 2004 and that the next dozen years would see the arrival of eight more orphans, some with medical conditions.

Nor did she think she would be returning to China this June to adopt two more orphans.

The Holtzes' second family got started 12 years ago, when Sue realized that something was missing.

“We couldn't have any more kids. I wanted my little girl. It took me 15 years to convince him (her husband George),” Sue said. That's how they came to adopt Kayleen, nicknamed “KK” in 2004.

“I didn't want to adopt but she wore me down with her persistence,” George said.

Because George steadfastly refuses to get on a plane, Sue flew to China by herself to pick up Kayleen and bring her back to Western Pennsylvania.

“She's the queen of the house,” Sue said.

“She needed a playmate. Her brother was 25 years older than her,” Sue said. So, Timmy arrived the next year, followed by Daniel, Logan, Steffanie, Rebekah, William, Nolan and Heather.

Sue Holtz, 60, still works as a pediatric registered nurse for the Home Health Agency. That means, she said, George, 61, who's retired from Slippery Rock University, gets to take the children to sporting events and doctor's appointments and do the shopping during the day.

Some of the children were considered to have special needs in their homeland. Kayleen had a low birth weight, her parents said, but some of her siblings have conditions such as heart defects, cleft palates and club feet.

Heather may eventually need a heart transplant. Nolan had his club feet surgically improved and now is on the Slippery Rock High School track team and throws javelin, discus and shot put.The children had faced very bleak futures in their native China.“To have a defect is considered unlucky. To have no parents is considered unlucky,” Sue said. “If they aren't adopted, they can be turned out of the orphanage when they turn 14. And with no pedigree they can't get a job.”While, “no one was interested in adopting older kids,” Sue said it still cost them three months and an average of $30,000 to complete each adoption.The agencies the Holtzes worked with are Love Without Boundaries, One Sky, Shepherd's Field Children's Village.Bekah is Vietnamese, but Sue said all her children took easily to learning English.“It usually takes about six months to settle in,” she said.Their school district is obligated to provide English as a Second Language classes.“We did go to a Chinese cultural school, but if they are in an English-speaking home it is really difficult.,” Sue said.The Holtzes have had to add bedrooms to their house. The children are parcelled out to two in elementary school, three in middle school and four in high school.Daniel, who is studying culinary arts at Butler Vo-Tech, is in charge of cooking, his parent said.“They all have their own chores. We keep the house pretty clean,” Sue said.“I watch the paper for sales,” George said. “I do all the running with the kids and get the groceries.”“We have a couple that have normal sibling rivalries,” said Sue, but that doesn't stop them from doing outings as a family such as last week's excursion to the Great Wolf Lodge water park in Ohio.Somewhere along the way, one of their grandchildren, Zachary, 17, moved into their house and became part of the teens and preteens underfoot. “He came to play and never went home,” Sue said.

But it won't be long before the house will begin to empty out.Their three oldest sons are beginning to make plans for college. Daniel wants to major in culinary arts at Indiana (Pa.) University, while Logan and Nolan want to go to Penn State in the hopes of becoming math teachers.“It's the second time for 'empty nest' but with a 6-year-old that will be awhile,” Sue said.Asked if her children will be doing anything for her on Mother's Day, she said, “They better.”Daniel said, “I might make her breakfast in bed.”After June, there will be no more adoptions although the Holtzes said they are open to hosting children for weeks at a time.Sue said, “Even if they have special needs, they are unique kids. You don't see their special needs because they are part of your family. The old ones take care of the young ones.”Because they are adopted and not foster children, the Holtzes don't get any money from any government. The children's medical bills are their responsibility, too, although Mr. Holtz admits as a former university employee, his medical insurance is better than some.They also get some help from adoption agencies in forgiving some of the adoption fees. The Holtzes said adoption costs average between $25,000 and $30,000.“What has helped in the past is we didn't buy new cars. Once the IRS gave us a refund that helped finance another two adoptions. We've done fundraising. We've had yard sales. We've sold our gold and antiques. We find ways,” Sue said.Bekah will be getting her driver's license soon, putting further strain on the family's aging trio of vehicles, one of which has 200,000 miles on the odometer.“It wasn't planned,” said Sue. “Basically we adopted one or two a year.”“We don't get invited anywhere because of our large family but we make the best of it.” said Sue.

The children don't seem to mind.William said, “I like having a family, so I'm not helpless. “Steffanie, 15, said flatly, “I wouldn't want to be in China.”If anyone is thinking of adopting, Sue recommended, “Go for it. It's wonderful. It has exhausted and enriched our lives. They are keeping us young.”

Nolan, 17, left, and Daniel Holtz, 19, prepare dinner for the family.

Sue Holtz of Slippery Rock with pictures of her nine adopted children. Sue and her husband, George, had already raised a son before they began adopting.