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Zero to five kids
story by Tess McEnroe
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Mary-Margaret Dohn, above all her other roles, is a mother. In roughly three years, she and her ex-husband Roger Pollard adopted five children into their empty nest.
"I have always been a caregiver my whole life," says Mary-Margaret. "My mom worked a third shift growing up, and my father died of cancer when I was in fifth grade. I helped take care of my younger sister and now my own family."
After multiple miscarriages, several surgeries, ovarian cancer and a hysterectomy, Mary-Margaret adopted five children with Roger. Their kids are biological brothers, all from the same mother.
"I told the boys from a young age that they came from my heart, not my belly," says Mary-Margaret. “We had to go through some hoops from the state to adopt the boys. They were considered special needs because of the complications in prenatal care."
Mary-Margaret and Roger are now co-parenting Matthew, 14, David, 13, Jakob, 11, Elijah, 9, and Abram, 8. They have found that instead of having the kids move from house to house, it’s easiest on the boys if the two of them trade off time in one house instead.
"Roger is an incredible father," Mary-Margaret says. "He is a completely devoted dad and loves those kids more than anything."
Their weekly routine means that each parent stays at their house in Lexington a few days a week, and the boys come to Frankfort to stay with Mary-Margaret and Jonathan Turner, Mary-Margaret's fiancé, every other weekend.
“Some days they can’t stand each other, but other days they are best friends,” Mary-Margaret says. “They’re boys, you know, they hit and pinch each other when I’m not looking, but at the end of the day they really do love each other.”
Mary-Margaret is the heartstone of this family, Jonathan says.
"She loves all of her boys with her whole heart," he says.
Mary-Margaret intercepts a friendly grab by Elijah, left, for his younger brother Abram, right. The family was celebrating the second oldest son David's 13th birthday with dinner at Texas Roadhouse.
Abram, left, plays football with two of his brothers and parents at Masterson Station Park in Lexington after school. Elijah, middle, runs the football away from his oldest brother, Matthew, 14. Roger, back middle, and his ex-wife, Mary-Margaret, far right, adopted five biological brothers and went from having zero to five children in three years. They now co-parent and often still spend time together as a family.
Roger, left, and Mary-Margaret, center, watch their son Elijah's soccer game on a rainy day in Lexington.
Elijah laughs with his mother, Mary-Margaret, in a booth at a Texas Roadhouse restaurant in Lexington.
Abram climbs up a playground ladder at Masterson Station Park, where he often plays with his siblings and parents after school.
David Pollard (center) reads a birthday card from his family after school. Abram (far left), Elijah (second from left) and Jakob Pollard (right) watch as David opens gifts.
Elijah, center, shops for a Halloween costume with his mother, Mary-Margaret, left, and father, Roger, right.
"Our Taco Bell tab is usually about $50," says Mary-Margaret. "The boys each will eat about five tacos apiece." David (left) and his younger brother Abram joke as they enjoy their meal.
David, Jakob, Mary-Margaret and Abram walk home from school on David's birthday.