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So, how did the family end up adopting Ben and Matt?

DillonWe actually had not planned on adopting Ben and Matt. They were three and five when they came, and it was supposed to be for like six weeks, but now they've stayed for about 11 years! When they came to our house, and it was definitely an adjustment. But they complete our family.

You were five when they first came to your home. Do you remember it?

DillonI totally remember the first day they came. It was crazy. They were flicking the light switches on and off, and they wanted raisins. They were so cute. Of course they had their rough edges, but they were just sweet little kids.

What rough edges?

DillonMatt has some physical deformities and some mental handicaps. When they came, Ben was just three so he could hardly talk. And Matt, because of his challenges, couldn't really talk either. But Ben just kind of took on the role of taking care of Matt. Anything that Matt wanted, Ben would come and let my parents know. And you see that even as they grow older.

When they first came, it wasn't ideal at all, but God has really blessed us with them because they have changed our house. Today, Matt and Ben are both incredible young men of God.

Were things ever so stressful that you thought it was too hard?

DillonNo, I never thought it was too hard. They were always just great buddies. I played with them. Really it was just meant to be. They fit in our family so well. The first couple of months were rocky. But after that you could just see how God was taking hold of them and releasing them from some things and just how our love was just changing them. So it's not hard at all to have them in our house.

You said Matt had some physical deformities. What type?

DillonHe has a cleft palate. He's had a couple of surgeries, and it's way better. He's so handsome. And other little things—he has learning disabilities, and kind of a speech problem where it's hard to understand him if you don't know him very well. But socially he's fine. He's the funniest person in our house.

The Dillon clan (L-R): Tina, Matt, Bethany,Aaron, Kate, Ben, Jo Jo, and Bill. (Jo Jo is aboy Kate watches on weekends, but Bethanysays he's like family.)

What's been the best thing about having adopted kids in your family?

DillonI think it's made us have compassion, especially for people with special needs. Most of that comes from my dad. He's the one who started this whole fostering and adopting thing. He works at an agency that provides services for the mentally handicapped. I remember being five, six, seven, and going to work with my dad and seeing him with these mentally handicapped people in wheelchairs, people just drooling all over themselves, people that the world would feel either really uncomfortable around or just be grossed out by. But my dad—it's the closest thing I've ever seen to Jesus. My dad comes up to them, gives them hugs. My dad loves people, and I think that has rubbed off on all of us kids.

Having Matt and Ben in our home, I think, has just brought us to the place where we don't have to just be around normal people or beautiful people all the time. We can be around everyone, and we've learned how to love, how to really love. I think that has been most beneficial and the biggest blessing on all of our lives.

Have any of these experiences with fostering and adoption turned up in your songwriting?

DillonYes. Not any songs on this record. But I wrote a song for Matt a couple of years ago. And I'm actually thinking of writing a song right now about home and about my family, to just share with people what an awesome thing that God has just placed in my life.

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