Humble woman adopts her eight grandchildren

HUMBLE, TX

Brenda Coleman's house in Humble is full of holiday spirit, even without the decorations. As of an adoption ceremony on Tuesday, her daughter's children are all officially her children.

"I was like man, I was glad it was over," Coleman said.

She adopted her eight little grandchildren because she couldn't bear to see split up.

"If I didn't do it, they would be in foster care, and I couldn't live with that, so I just decided it's me who's got to do it," Coleman said.

The 52-year-old has been raising the children for her drug-addicted daughter for years.

"I thought I was done; I really did," she said.

The oldest is 17 and the youngest is a year and a half. They all live in a four-bedroom house, and somehow it all works.

"We get along mostly," one of her grandchildren said.

When we visited, the children couldn't wait for Christmas. With some help, Coleman, a custodian at a local high school, has filled the tree.

It's just one more reason the children are grateful she was their grandmother.

"She's just amazing, that's the type of person she is," said one of her grandchildren, Alvinecia McQuarter.

"Some days I'm tired but I just ask God to give me the strength to keep going," Coleman said.

It will be the children's third Christmas with Coleman. Not much will be different, except that with granny, they're now home for good.