Tell us a bit about yourself and your family! Where you live, how old your children are, and anything else you would like to share!
My name is Melodie Starmer, and I live in Kihei, Maui. I come from a large, wonderfully diverse family. I’m one of eight siblings, with six sisters and one brother. Growing up, family was the center of everything for me. Although many of us have different dads, we’ve never called each other “half” siblings—it was always just brother or sister. We’re a close-knit group, even though we don’t always see eye to eye, which I think only adds to the richness of our relationships. We each bring a lot of strong opinions to the table, but underneath it all, there’s so much love.
I’m a registered nurse at Maui Memorial Medical Center, where I’ve worked for the past five years. Nursing wasn’t something I had planned on—I always thought I’d become a pediatrician one day. But life has a way of surprising us. One of my sisters encouraged me to apply to the nursing program with her, and even though I initially resisted, we both got in, and here we are, working at the same hospital. I’m grateful for the way nursing lets me care for people in a deeply personal way, which feels like a calling in itself. But I think that same nurturing instinct is also why being a mom fulfills me on an even deeper level.
My husband, Danford, and I just celebrated five years together, though we were officially married only earlier this year. Our family is our greatest adventure. We have four beautiful boys: Royal, who is 8 and Danford’s son from a previous relationship; Rebel-Reign, who’s our little firecracker at 2; Kamahoi, also 2, whom we recently adopted; and our youngest, Lennox, who is just 3 months old. Life with four boys (especially three under 3!) is wild, chaotic, and sometimes overwhelming. But our home is bursting with love and laughter, and I wouldn’t trade this beautiful, busy life for anything.
You recently had two new additions to your ʻohana! A newborn baby boy and a 2-year-old little boy you adopted. What has been your favorite part of expanding your family?
The best part of expanding our family has been seeing the way love multiplies and flows so freely between all of us. Watching the boys fall in love with their new baby brother and with each other has been a gift. They want to hold Lennox, kiss him, and make him laugh—all of them have become fiercely protective of him in their own little ways. Kamahoi has been with us most of his young life, so even though we only recently finalized his adoption, he’s been a part of our hearts from the very beginning. Rebel had a hard time sharing me at first, especially when Lennox arrived, but now that he’s fully weaned, he’s come to accept his baby brother with so much warmth and curiosity. Royal, our oldest, has grown so much, gracefully stepping into the role of big brother for all his little brothers. It’s incredible to see how each of them is finding their place within our family.
Can you share a little about your adoption journey?
Since I was young, I’d always dreamed of fostering. Growing up, I had firsthand experience with the challenges of addiction in the family, including with one of my sisters. My mom was a foster parent to my sister’s children, and I helped her care for them while I was still a child myself. Those early experiences taught me so much about love, resilience, and the importance of family.
In 2020, I became pregnant, but at my first scan, I found out it was a “blighted ovum”—a heartbreaking discovery that meant there was no embryo. That loss was difficult, but it opened a door, and my husband and I decided to pursue fostering, something that felt right for us at that point in our lives. We started the licensing process, and even though we became pregnant again in 2021 with our son Rebel, we continued moving forward with the foster journey. By July 2022, we were certified, and within a week, we got the call about a baby boy needing placement. It was an instant “yes.” Kamahoi came into our lives like a whirlwind, just as we were adjusting to life with Rebel, and he fit into our family seamlessly.
After a few months, he went to live with a family member, which was heartbreaking because he had already become a part of us. But when things didn’t work out and we got the call to bring him back home, we knew it was meant to be. His adoption was finalized in August 2024, and I can’t imagine our lives without him. It’s been a long and emotional journey, but seeing him blossom in a family that loves him completely has been worth every moment.
What are your favorite Coco Moon products?
Coco Moon makes such wonderful, quality products, and we’ve fallen in love with a few of them! For the boys, the quilts are a huge favorite—they love snuggling in them or using them for creative play, like building forts and making cozy little nests. As a mom, I absolutely adore the swaddles. They’re incredibly soft, almost buttery, and I use them constantly. They help Lennox settle down for naps and double as a convenient cover for nursing. Plus, the prints are so charming. I would highly recommend them to any parent looking for something both functional and beautiful.
