DUMAS – Bradley and Lori Lawson went from zero children to three little girls in about two years and two phone calls.

The Lawsons, who married six years ago after dating each other for years before that, wanted children, but learned they couldn’t have any. They didn’t let that stop them or their dreams of having a family.

The Lawsons are now the parents of Anna, 5; Allie, 3; and Piper, 14 months. After a lot of looking and praying to make the right decision, the Lawsons got a phone call about Anna and Allie, who are biological sisters. Things fell into place quickly, and the little girls became the Lawsons’ first two children. Anna was 3, and Allie was 1 when they came to live with the Lawsons.

About a year later, after another phone call, everything clicked again and along came Piper Lawson.

The girls are three completely different individuals.

Anna is a “girly-girl,” said Lori. “She likes to dress up, anything frilly, and she loves to enter beauty pageants. Anna likes school and learning.”

Allie is completely different, said Bradley. “She’s very hyper. She too is in pageants, but she couldn’t care less. She’s ready to go any time, anywhere. She loves sweets and chocolate is her favorite.”

Piper is going to be a ball player, the couple says. “She loves to play and watch baseball and basketball with me on TV. She enjoys being in pageants. She likes to read books and play with her baby dolls,” Bradley said.

Even though the girls are totally different – each with a mind of her own – the girls all love to dance, go swimming, go camping, go to parties, get pampered in the salon, go shopping, play with their cousins Ridge and Ryder Lawson, and go on trips out of town.

At least one parent is always around for the girls. Bradley, who is plant manager of nearby Dumas Furniture and also Mayor of the Town of Dumas, swaps time at home with the girls with Lori, who owns Heat 5422 Salon in Dumas and also works full time at Delta Technical College at Southaven as a cosmetology instructor.

What’s been the biggest changes since the children came into the Lawsons’ lives?

“Everything has changed for us so fast that sometimes it’s hard to remember what it was like before the girls. But, every day is a blessing and full of new challenges for us all. We have three sweet angels to share the rest of our lives with and we are looking forward to every day. God has truly blessed us all with a great, beautiful and loving family,” Lori said.

“It’s a challenge to have three little girls to raise, but it’s worth it. Bradley and I feel good that we’re giving these girls a chance to have a better life than they might have otherwise had. We love them and love to see them having fun – just being normal kids. That’s the way it ought to be,” she said.