From Temporary Foster Placement to Forever Family: Inside The Beautiful Story of Black Mom’s Journey to Adopt a White Toddler

What started as a temporary foster placement developed into a beautiful family bond for Georgia mom Kayla Summers and her now three-year-old daughter, Paisleigh. According to TODAY.com, Summers, a Black 30-year-old single mother, welcomed Paisleigh, who is white, into her home in June 2024 when the little girl was just 12 months old.

At the time, the plan was for Paisleigh to reunite with her biological family. However, as Summers watched her take her first steps, say her first words and reach other childhood milestones, the thought of saying goodbye became increasingly difficult.

“I’d have to push the thought out of my mind,” Summers told TODAY.com.

Four months after Paisleigh arrived, Summers began asking her case manager about adoption. Interestingly enough, she also discovered a few coincidences that made their connection feel bigger than chance. Paisleigh’s middle name is Renee, the same as Summers’ and her mother’s. The toddler also shares a birthday with Summers’ mother, and all three were born in Florida.

“I literally gasped,” Summers recalled after discovering Paisleigh’s middle name.

Still, the possibility of reunification remained until the court terminated Paisleigh’s biological parents’ parental rights. On Sept. 30, 2026, Summers officially adopted the little girl she’d spent more than two years raising.

And if you think Paisleigh is just along for the ride, think again. The toddler, affectionately nicknamed Pay Pay, has quite the personality. From princess dresses and toy heels to playing in her mother’s makeup, she’s already giving Summers a run for her money. “She is a mini version of me,” Summers said.

Although they have a lot in common, the Georgia mother believes that acknowledging their differences is equally important.

“Paisleigh, your skin is white. Mommy’s skin is brown,” Summers recalled explaining to her daughter, who simply responded, “OK, I’m white, Mommy’s brown.”

Those differences have also caused Summers to educate herself on things like caring for Paisleigh’s hair and understanding how her fair skin reacts to the sun.

But Summers isn’t trying to erase her daughter’s background. She’s maintained contact with Paisleigh’s biological extended family and hopes a relationship with her biological mother might eventually be possible.

“I don’t work in a colorless world,” Summers told the outlet. “You can acknowledge my color because I acknowledge our color difference.”

For Summers, the message is simple. Families don’t always look the way people expect, and that doesn’t make their connection any less real. “See my heart and see hers, and just move with love.”