Joss Stone Discusses Challenging Adoption Journey After Welcoming Son Bear with Husband Cody DaLuz

Joss Stone reflects on her emotional adoption journey for her newborn son, Bear. Stone, 37, shared insights with PEOPLE following the announcement of Bear's adoption, marking a significant milestone for her and husband Cody DaLuz. The couple also has two other children, Shackleton, 2, and Violet, 3. They long cherished the idea of adopting.

"It's so amazing to actually finally be here, to have him here, because we have wanted to adopt for so long," Stone explains. A conversation during the early days of her relationship with DaLuz centered around their mutual desire for adoption.

Stone elaborates on the timeline: "We've had it in our dreams for such a long time and we've been trying to adopt for over a year and a half. And we've had some adoptions fall through." She recounts the moments when they were chosen for adoptions but could not finalize them in time, leading to feelings of hopelessness. However, the couple received the joyous news on their successful adoption and feel immense gratitude.

The singer describes meeting Bear's birth mother as a "beautiful thing," highlighting that their experience has been warm and positive. "We haven't had to deal with a difficult situation," she notes, emphasizing the overwhelming love surrounding their new family member.

Leveraging DaLuz's personal experience with adoption, they approached the process with insight. Stone explains, "He has firsthand experience of how it feels to not know your mom, to not know your dad." They aimed to cultivate a love-filled environment, encouraging connections with birth mothers during adoption placements.

Stone recounts several challenges prior to meeting Bear's birth mom, including a negative interaction with a different birth mother. "She thought, 'Oh, I'll just take this money and then I'll just keep the baby,'" recalls Stone, illustrating the emotional toll of such experiences.

Facing adversity, the couple remained resolute. Stone insists, "We have to be strong. And the second we are weak, take a minute, wipe your tears, take a deep breath, stand up tall and walk forward." She embraced the mantra, "she's not my baby until she's my baby" to navigate the waiting period leading to Bear's arrival.

With Bear home, old sibling dynamics emerged. Violet, the oldest, was thrilled about her new role as a big sister, eager to help with feeding. Stone reflects, "Every time he cries, she’s like, 'Oh, okay, his pacifier!'"

Conversely, Shackleton's attention was drawn to his mother rather than the new baby. "I think he really missed me," she explains, noting how deeply the family bonds affected each member's reaction.

Squarely rooted in their family life, Stone has upcoming performances in Costa Mesa, California, showcasing tracks from her album Merry Christmas, Love. Unfortunately, she can't bring Bear along, as he was born prematurely and "his tiny little lungs are quite vulnerable." Bear's health improving brings joy to her as he approaches 6 lbs.

Looking ahead, Bear will not be the family’s only adopted child. Stone's aspirations include expanding the family further, sharing, "We want to adopt a bunch of kids." She believes in the power of love, stating, "I always say, more kids, more love. They just deserve all the love that we can give them."

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