Christie and Wesley Werts have taken the idea of a blended family to the next level. When the couple fell in love and married, they brought together her children, Megan and Vance, and his children, Austin and Dakota. The Ohio family became five children strong after officially adopting Levi in January 2023, when he was nearly 2 years old. Levi is the son of Wesley’s ex-wife, who passed away four days after the child was born. The ex-wife had the boy prematurely, at 33 weeks, and died soon after from drug addiction and complications of COVID-19. When Levi was born, he was a ward of the state with no first name or birth certificate. “When I heard about Levi, without hesitation, I said we should take him,” Christie said, according to The Daily Mail, and her reason went far beyond the fact that the child was the half-brother to two of her recently adopted children. “I myself was a foster kid and, although for the most part, I had a great experience, I did not want him going to foster care,” Christie said. She’d been dreaming of him before he arrived Before the family knew of Levi’s birth, Christie had a recurring dream about a blue-eyed, blonde-haired boy. “Before Levi, we had wanted to try to have a child of our own,” she told Newsweek. “I’m in my forties, so we knew that we would probably need fertility treatment, so I thought let’s just think about it and what will be will be.” @cjthemom5 Replying to @Journey Yes, they will always know of her and ill be there for every emotion good or bad. But im also mom, ive been to every game, every doctors appt, sat with them if they needed an ear loved unconditional . I am mom also. #adoption #srorytime #siblings #foryou #loveislove ♬ Paper Birds (3 min) – Jordan Halpern Schwartz The problem was that Levi was in Texas, so the family sold their house and moved to the Lone Star State to go through the arduous adoption process. The situation was further complicated because Levi’s biological father had parental rights even though he had substance abuse problems. The family couldn’t move out of Texas until his rights were legally terminated. But after a 16-month process, in January 2023, Levi became a legal family member. Christie understands that adopting her husband’s ex-wife’s baby may seem unusual to some people. “It’s a lot to process for a lot of people, but honestly, it seems a lot crazier than it was. At the time, it just made sense,” she said. She had doubts, but love won anyway @cjthemom5 Our adoption is official !!! after 17 months!!! #adoption #son #loveyou #ourstory#foryou #fyp ♬ original sound – Jenna Even though Christie knew in her heart that she must adopt Levi, she wasn’t without reservations. “’If I said I did not [have concerns beforehand], that would not be honest,” she told The Daily Mail. “This was different. I was going to walk into a child I never met and was worried the circumstances would hinder this instant love. But […] he stole my heart. I also felt this intense need to protect him.” These days, Levi fits right in with the family, and the rest of the kids are happy to be back to living an everyday life without any caseworkers or inspections. “He’s great, he is the king of the house! We are all very close. He won’t understand the journey right now, but someday, I will let him know we fought for him!” Christie said. Christie has continued to share her family’s journey on TikTok and has since published a book called Life’s Sad Story, God’s Love Story: Transforming a Child’s Adversity into a Tale of Love about her experiences as a foster child and Levi’s adoption story. This article originally appeared five years ago. It has been updated. The post Woman goes to great lengths to adopt baby from husband’s ex-wife to save him from foster care appeared first on Upworthy.

The dog world shifted in 2022 as the sweet-faced, loveable Labrador Retriever was toppled as America’s favorite dog breed. The breed best known for having a heart of gold was replaced by the smaller, more urban-friendly French Bulldog. According to the American Kennel Club, for 31 years, the Labrador Retriever was America’s favorite dog until it was eclipsed in 2022 by the Frenchie. The rankings were based on nearly 716,500 dogs newly registered in 2022, of which about 1 in 7 were Frenchies. Around 108,000 French Bulldogs were recorded in the U.S. in 2022, surpassing Labrador Retrievers by over 21,000. How the Frenchie took over America The French Bulldog’s popularity has grown exponentially over the past decade. They were the #14 most popular breed in 2012, and since then, registrations have gone up 1,000%, bringing them to the top of the breed popularity rankings. BREAKING NEWS! There's a new top dog in town! Are you ready to see who cracked the top 10? https://t.co/Ag7s8nyyZH— American Kennel Club (@akcdoglovers) March 15, 2023 The AKC says that the American Hairless Terrier, Gordon Setter, Italian Greyhound and Anatolian Shepherd Dog also grew in popularity between 2021 and 2022. As of 2025, Frenchies are still America’s top dog three years running. The French Bulldog was famous among America’s upper class around the turn of the 20th century but then fell out of favor. Their resurgence is partly based on several celebrities who have gone public with their Frenchie love. Leonardo DiCaprio, Megan Thee Stallion, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, Reese Witherspoon and Lady Gaga all own French Bulldogs. The breed earned a lot of attention as show dogs in 2022 when a Frenchie named Winston took second place at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and first in the National Dog Show. Stars love them too The breed made national news in early 2021 when Gaga’s dog walker was shot in the chest while walking two of her Frenchies in a dog heist. He recovered from his injuries, and the dogs were later returned. They’ve also become popular because of their unique look and personalities. “They’re comical, friendly, loving little dogs,” French BullDog Club of America spokesperson Patty Sosa told the AP. She said they are city-friendly with modest grooming needs and “they offer a lot in a small package.” They are also popular with people who live in apartments. According to the AKC, Frenchies don’t bark much and do not require a lot of outdoor exercise. The French Bulldog stands out among other breeds because it looks like a miniature bulldog but has large, expressive bat-like ears that are its trademark feature. However, their popularity isn’t without controversy. “French bulldogs can be a polarizing topic,” veterinarian Dr. Carrie Stefaniak told the AP. The downside of having a Frenchie French Bulldogs have been bred to have abnormally large heads, which means that large litters usually need to be delivered by C-section, an expensive procedure that can be dangerous for the mother. They are also prone to multiple health problems, including skin, ear, and eye infections. Their flat face means they often suffer from respiratory problems and heat intolerance, and Frenchies are also more prone to spine deformations and nerve pain as they age. While they’re friendly, they can also be stubborn and may require more training than the average dog. Overall, however, the AKC says that French Bulldogs are good for families with children due to their laid back, social nature and lack of aggression. Here are the AKC’s top ten most popular dog breeds for 2022. 1 French Bulldogs 2 Labrador Retrievers 3 Golden Retrievers 4 German Shepherd Dogs 5 Poodles 6 Bulldogs 7 Rottweilers 8 Beagles 9 Dachshunds 10 German Shorthaired Pointers Part of the reason the 2022 list was so noteworthy was the change at the top, as these lists don’t tend to change much year to year. In fact, the 2025 Most Popular Dog Breed list looks very similar to 2022, with only minor movement. The biggest change was the Dachshund moving up to #5, nudging the Poodle out of the top five for the first time in years. Beagles came in at #6, Rottweilers at #7, German Shepherd Dogs at #8, German Shorthaired Pointers at #9, and Bulldogs at #10. So congratulations, Frenchies for keeping your top dog spot for the fourth year in a row. This article originally appeared three years ago. It has been updated. The post Pass down the crown, Labradors. America has a new favorite dog breed. appeared first on Upworthy.

It wasn’t long ago that a millennial was seen as a college kid that baby boomers chided for being entitled and Gen Xers thought were way too sincere and needed to learn how to take a joke. Today, the oldest millennials, those born around 1980, are now in their mid-40s and have lived long enough to have some serious regrets. They also have enough experience to take some pride in decisions that, in hindsight, were the right moves. The good news is that at 40 there is still plenty of time to learn from our successes and failures to set ourselves up for a great second half of life. These lessons are also valuable to the Gen Zers coming up who can avoid the pitfalls of the older generation. The Reddit thread that hit a nerve A Reddit user who has since deleted their profile asked millennials nearing 40 what their biggest mistakes were at this point in life and they received more than 2,200 responses. The biggest regrets these millennials have are being flippant about their health and not saving enough money when they were younger. They also realized that the carefree days of youth are fleeting and impossible to get back. So they should have spent less time working and more time enjoying themselves. Many also lamented that they should have taken their education more seriously in their 20s so they have more opportunities now. The responses to this thread are bittersweet. It’s tough hearing people come to grips with their regrets but the realizations are also opportunities to grow. Hopefully, some younger people will read this thread and take the advice to heart. Here are 21 of the most powerful responses to the question: “Millennials of Reddit now nearing your 40s, what were your biggest mistakes at this point in life?” On health and relationships 1. “Not taking care of my hearing, not even 35 and going deaf.” – Kusanagi8811 2. “Not getting healthy earlier.” – zombiearchivist 3. “Staying too long at a job in my 20s, just because it was safe and easy. When I finally got the motivation to leave, ended up with an almost 50% pay boost.” – Hrekires 4. “Thinking that I could and should put myself on the back burner for anything and anyone else.” – lenalilly227 5. “Smoking and not dealing with my sh** the right way.” – Allenrw3 6. “Pining after the wrong person.” – runikepisteme 7. “I turned 40 this year and just started liking who I am. Why the fuck did it take 40 years for self acceptance?” – guscallee 8. “Take care of your f***ing back. Lift with your knees. Sure it’s rad when you grab a fridge by yourself and lift it in the back of a moving truck unaided, but one day that shit is going to have consequences that won’t just magically go away by resting and ‘taking it easy’ for a week.” – GuyTallman 9. “I wish I spent more time with my dad while I had the chance.” – CharlieChooper 10. “I’m 37. I absolutely could have taken better care of my body, but I’m in relatively good health. I’m starting to realize how important it is to maintain my health. I do also think I drank far too much in my 20 and early 30’s. I’m trying to rectify that now, but it’s hard. So that I guess.” – dartastic On work, money and missed opportunities 11. “I’m not sure if people have experienced the same but when I entered my 30s I became convinced I was rapidly running out of time. Rather than using that as motivation I let it paralyze me with indecision because I ‘couldn’t afford to make the wrong choice.’ Consequently, I’m now 39 and, though I’ve had great things happen in my 30s, I regret spending so much time worrying and so little time committing to a course of action.” – tomwaste 12. “Work to live, don’t live to work. You have half your working life after you turn 40 but only 20-25 years to really live it up before the responsibilities become heavy and your joints start to ache. Live life. Really LIVE it. Experience as much you can. Every sensation, sight, sound, touch. Be open. Be brave. Live your first few decades in the fast lane. You have the rest of your life to take it easy, when you have no choice.” – MrDundee666 13. “I should have paid more attention to my parents telling me to save money and less attention when they were teaching me about purity culture.” – Arkie_MTB 14. “If I could tell my 18 year old self one thing, it would be to save 10% of every paycheck I ever got.” – PutAForkInHim 15. “Thinking that I have time to do everything I want only to find myself loosing time, and the endless energy I used to have in order to purse them.” – ezZiioFTW A man with a regrettable sunburn. Photo credit: Canva 16. “Not wearing sunscreen.” – blueboxreddress 17. “Not recognizing the importance of work/life balance earlier in life. My late teens, all 20’s, and early 30’s were spent pulling 60-100+hr weeks because I thought it was what was required to succeed. How wrong I was. Others stabbed me in the back and reaped the reward.” – [Deleted] 18. “When you get out of college, keep your friends. No matter how hard it is. Hold on to them.” – mpssss22 19.“Should have bought a home. We qualified 20 years ago for enough to buy a small 2 bedroom but I didn’t think we could afford it. That 2 bedroom would be worth nearly 3Xs and paid off by now. We pay nearly double in rent what our mortgage would have been. Gotta love the SF bay area cost of living.” -Thelazywitch 20. “Always ask for more pay. Starting, yearly, before leaving, whatever. Get that money.” – SensibleReply What younger generations can take from this Reading through these responses, one thing becomes clear: most of these regrets aren’t about big dramatic failures, they’re about the small, quiet choices that compound over time. The good news is that the same principle works in reverse. Small, quiet choices toward health, connection, and financial security add up, too. This artice originally appeared five years ago. It has been updated. The post Older millennials share their biggest mistakes so you can learn from them appeared first on Upworthy.

Taylor Swift’s engagement ring isn’t her only piece of jewelry that celebrates her future husband, Travis Kelce. The pop queen was spotted in New York City on April 27th wearing a gorgeous opal ring with a matching bracelet. Opal, which happens to be Travis’ birthstone. And it’s the inspiration for the song Opalite, which she wrote about her relationship with the NFL star. | Fox Estate Jewelry reveals that the set Taylor Swift wore yesterday, was originally created for ELIZABETH TAYLOR. It was resold in 2011. pic.twitter.com/harciavCGD— The Taylor Swift Updates (@theTSupdates) April 28, 2026 Taylor Swift’s ‘Opalite’ is a Tribute to Travis Kelce Taylor Swift has admitted to being smitten with the stone since it represents her beau. “I had learned that [opalite is] actually a man-made opal,” she once told U.K.’s Capital FM radio station, per US Weekly. “Opal can be man-made just like diamonds, and so, Travis’ birthstone is an opal. I’ve always fixated on that, [and] I’ve always loved that stone.” “I thought it was kind of a cool metaphor that, like, it’s a man-made opal and happiness can also be man-made, too,” she continued. “That’s what the song is about, the juxtaposition of those two.” But in true Taylor fashion, the easter eggs don’t stop there. The ring actually may have a double meaning. The ring and bracelet were once owned by Elizabeth Taylor, one of Taylor Swift’s most beloved icons. As most Swifties know, her Life of a Showgirl album features a song that’s named Elizabeth Taylor. Taylor has been keeping a very low profile since getting engaged in August 2025. The mega-star has been taking a well-deserved break to plan her wedding and enjoy some alone time with her fiancé. The two are set to marry on July 3rd. This story’s featured image is by Aeon/GC Images via Getty.

In 2007, Wes Dixon gave his teenage girlfriend Kelsey Dixon (@kelseyrileydixon) a cherry tree sapling for their first anniversary. They planted it in his mother’s backyard in Pennsylvania and did what seemed like a sweet but slightly impractical thing: they decided to take a photo with it every year. They kept that promise for nearly two decades. Through high school graduation, through moving 3,000 miles away, through marriage, through the year they forgot and had to make peace with the gap in the series — they kept coming back to that tree. The annual photo became a living timeline of their relationship, the tree growing taller and wider behind them as they changed too. Then came the pregnancy photo. Kelsey was expecting twins, and her mother-in-law was keeping an eye on the tree back in Pennsylvania. That’s when she noticed something she’d never seen before in 17 years. View this post on Instagram The cherry tree had sprouted new shoots from one of its roots. Basal sprouts, sometimes called suckers, a cluster of small new growth emerging from the base of the original tree. In nearly two decades it had never done this. It did it the year the Dixons were expecting their first children. “My mom sends me a picture,” Kelsey narrated in a video posted to her Instagram, “and there’s a little baby tree growing. She pointed out that it’s growing from one of the roots of the main cherry tree.” The video hit 48 million views. Kelsey and Wes appeared on ABC News and the TODAY show to tell the story. The comment that seemed to capture what people were feeling: “We’re so much more connected to these beautiful living beings on earth than we can even fathom.” There’s no scientific reason to think the tree knew. Basal sprouting is a normal form of vegetative reproduction for ornamental cherries, triggered by stress, root disturbance, or just the right conditions underground. The timing was coincidence. But it was a very good coincidence, and the Dixons are not inclined to overthink it. Kelsey has since written a children’s book called “Roots and Wings,” inspired by the tradition and the sprout, and partnered with plant retailer The Sill on a line of trees meant for marking meaningful moments — anniversaries, births, new beginnings. They also, for the record, skipped 2019. Kelsey said she’s made her peace with it. “I kind of love it now that we missed it,” she told Newsweek. “It’s a good demonstration of imperfection being part of life and relationships.” The tree is still in the backyard. The baby branches are still growing. The post Couple shares photo of cherry tree they planted as teens has now ‘mirrored’ their pregnancy appeared first on Upworthy.