How many biological children do Carolyn and Kiel have ?

CarolynTwietmeyerlayinanAddisAbabahospitalbedinJuly2008,holding11-yearoldSelah,whohadbeenherdaughterforonlyafewweeks.Swattingbitinginsectsthatswarmedthroughthewindow,shelistenedasdoctorssaidtherewaslittlehopeforherchild:SelahhadAIDS,weighedmere32pounds,andhadlongbeendeniedbloodtransfusionsduetolimitedsupply.WithCarolyn’sbloodnowpumingthroughthegirl’sbody,sheprayedSelahwouldbewellenoughtoboardaplanetotheTwietmeyers’homeintheChicagosuburbs. Luckmayhaveplayedapart,butTwietmeyer’sdeterminationmadeadifferenceinSelah’slife–she’snowanenergetic13yearoldgirl---asithasdoneforCarolynandherhusbandKiel’s12otherkids,aged4to21.Withsevenbiologicalchildrenandsixadopted(twoofwhomhaveHiV),Carolyn,40,andKiel,35,presideoverasomewhatunwieldybutobviouslylovingclan. In2006,TheTwietmeyersfoundedProjectHopeful,anonprofitthat,sofar,hashelpedplaceorphans,manywithHIV,with180familiesintheUS.ShaneandDianeLewis,ofCrownPoint,Illinois,workedwithProjectHopefultoadoptfourdaughers,aged6to8,whoareallHIVpositive.“Carolynisalwaysavailablewithanswersorencouragement,”saysShane“Adoptingachildwithseriousmedicalneedsisnoteasy,”headds“Yourcommitmentwillbetested,butit’sabsolutelyworthit” TheTwietmeyersalsofeelthechallenges.Kiel’s$64000salaryisstretchedthinandCarolynrisesat4:00am.topreparemealsandlessonplans.Butthehappiness,theysay,faroutweighsthecosts.Oneevening,12ofthekidsstageabreak-dancecontestinthefamilyroom.Watchingthemcollapseintoapileofgigglesandshrieks,CarolyncatchesKiel’seyesandsmiles.Wearenotwealthy.Shesays..“Butwefeelrich.”