jen lilley and husband jason adopt second son DAYS
Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI

One very long and emotional road leads to a lifetime of joy.

We are so very happy to report that Days of Our Lives alum Jen Lilley (Theresa) has made the adoption of her second son, Jeffery, official. The actress posted a photo on Instagram along with her husband Jason Wayne and their little boy in a family embrace. Lilley is holding a sign that reads: Adopted for life 10.30.20 — marking the official date, with the caption, “The most special day. We love you, Jeffrey! Thank you @togetherwerise for capturing these ❤️ my heart is full.”

The actress is a big advocate for children in foster care. Back on June 10, 2019, Lilley adopted Jeffrey’s biological older brother Kayden. In a photo much like the one of his little bro, Lilley and Wayne held their son holding a sign that read: I spent 984 days in foster care but today I am adopted. After opening up about a devastating miscarriage in October 2018, Lilley gave birth to her daughter Julie Evangeline on July 30, 2019.

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Happy #adoptionday anniversary Kayden!!!! You made me a mom and lit my fire for #fostercare. We love you so much and consider ourselves so blessed to be your mom and dad! You have our hearts forever. With the constraints of 2020, our adoption day anniversary looks a little different than planned. But we’re making the most of it. So far, Kayden’s had a frostie from Wendy’s in honor of @dtfa and the wonderful work they do for children in foster care, and he got a toy from his favorite store @target. The party continues tonight! Thank you all for continually praying for us as we navigate #fostercare and #adoption, and for supporting my music to build safe and loving homes for kids like Kayden and baby J, who just need a safe place to land and an escape from unimaginable abuse and neglect. ❤️

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She posted a family photo with all of their kids, dressed for the upcoming holidays and captioned, “Family is everything ❤️ blessed to have them. #ChristmasisNotCancelled.”

The former NBC soap opera actress held the Salem role from 2013 until 2018 and briefly filled in for Kirsten Storms as Maxie on General Hospital from 2011 until 2012. During her time on the ABC soap, she told Soaps.com about some unacceptable behavior she experienced behind-the-scenes and revealed, “It was a night and day different experience for me between General Hospital and Days of Our Lives… General Hospital — loved the cast, love the crew, but I don’t know if I could go back there. Ugh. Days of Our Lives? I loved it.”

We’d love to see Lilley bring her bad turned good girl, Theresa, back to Salem, but are happy to always see her turn up in Hallmark movies. In fact, Lilley also expressed to us how much she loves doing them and shared, “I want to be like Betty White. I don’t care about ever being an A-Lister. I just want to work until I’m like 105.” In her latest holiday movie, USS Christmas, which premieres on Saturday November 28 at 10:00 PM on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, she stars opposite Days of Our Lives alum Trevor Donovan (Jeremy). Lilley’s character is a reporter and Donovan’s is a Navy fighter pilot, and while he doesn’t have much of a Christmas spirit, she’s sure to open his eyes to the joys of the holiday.

Take a photo tour in our gallery below featuring some of the new Hallmark Christmas premieres, including Lilley’s, then get your free daily soap-opera fix for Days of Our Lives — and all of the other daytime dramas — delivered straight to your email inbox by signing up for Soaps.com’s newsletter.

Video: Hallmark Movies and Mysteries/YouTube