From infertility to international adoption—Jenny Marrs shares her 602-day battle to bring daughter Sylvie home.

Jenny Marrs, co-host of HGTV’s Fixer to Fabulous, is known to viewers as a designer and home renovator—but her most significant story has nothing to do with television. Before HGTV, before their farm in Bentonville became familiar to millions, Jenny and her husband Dave were quietly building their family through a journey that would change their lives forever. In 2012, they began the process of adopting a little girl from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). What began as a standard international adoption soon turned into an unexpected battle involving a Congolese government suspension on exit permits, complex legal delays, and a wait that stretched to 602 days. Their journey led to late-night calls across time zones, support from U.S. officials, and a long season of uncertainty that tested their resolve. This was the beginning of a story not just about adoption, but about a family determined to stay united—no matter the distance or the obstacles ahead.

A Hopeful Beginning

To understand how their adoption journey began, it helps to go back a few years—to a time when the Marrs family was still being built. In the late 2000s, they faced a lengthy season of infertility, something Jenny has spoken about openly over the years. After several rounds of fertility treatments, she became pregnant with twins in 2009.

At 29 weeks pregnant, Jenny was airlifted to a hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas, due to signs of preterm labor. She remained hospitalized for four weeks before delivering twin sons Ben and Nathan in March 2010. Born prematurely, both boys spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) before coming home.

Jenny later reflected on that time as one that reshaped her understanding of parenthood and strengthened her desire to build a family rooted in purpose and compassion.

“My walk through the darkness of infertility was hard. Gut-wrenching and isolating. I often felt so alone in my pain and brokenness.”

Even before having biological children, Dave and Jenny had discussed adoption. By 2012, when their twins were toddlers, they began the formal process to adopt from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). At that time, international adoptions were still permitted under Congolese law, though delays and bureaucratic challenges were common.

During that year, they were matched with Sylvie, a young girl living in a children’s care facility in Katanga Province. Her adoption was finalized under Congolese law in 2013, making her legally their daughter. The Marrs family, who were living in Bentonville, Arkansas and operating their construction business Marrs Construction (founded in 2004), prepared for her arrival.

However, in September 2013, shortly before Sylvie was scheduled to travel to the United States, the Congolese government suspended exit permits for internationally adopted children. Although Sylvie’s adoption had been finalized, she was not allowed to leave the country under the new policy. The decision halted more than 1,000 pending adoptions worldwide and left the Marrs family in a prolonged wait, unsure when or if Sylvie would be permitted to come home. This policy triggered what became a 602-day wait for the Marrs family as they worked through legal channels and international advocacy efforts to bring her home.

Heartbreak: The Congo Adoption Shutdown

Just weeks before Sylvie was scheduled to join the Marrs family, the Congolese government unexpectedly suspended exit permits for all adopted children—halting international adoptions indefinitely. Thousands of children and adoptive families were thrown into painful limbo.

The Marrs were devastated. Their daughter was legally theirs, yet trapped halfway across the world. And there was no timeline for her to come home.

Jenny later described the wait as “a long, dark night of the soul.” In a 2021 reflection, she wrote:

“Hope had nearly been lost. Despair had slowly seeped in. We had no way of knowing if our daughter would ever be back in our arms.”

The Fight to Bring Sylvie Home

During the nearly two-year wait, Jenny and Dave traveled to the Congo to be near Sylvie whenever they could. They coordinated with U.S. officials, contacted senators, and joined advocacy efforts on behalf of other stranded adoptive families.

Friends and neighbors joined their mission. Prayer circles formed. Strangers sent handmade blankets, letters, and donations. The Marrs’ story spread far beyond Arkansas.

At the time, Jenny wrote:

“Make no mistake – a battle took place to bring our daughter home. The things He has in store for Sylvie must certainly leave the enemy shaking in fear.”

After nearly two years of waiting, Sylvie received travel clearance in July 2014. According to public accounts shared by the family in interviews, Dave Marrs made multiple trips to the Democratic Republic of Congo during the adoption delay to be with Sylvie. Once final approval was granted, she traveled to the United States and reunited with her family on July 9, 2014, a date the Marrs now observe annually as “Family Day.”

Life After Adoption: Healing Takes Time

When Sylvie arrived, she joined a family overflowing with love—but adoption, especially international adoption, is a complex emotional journey. Transitioning from institutional care to family life can be overwhelming for a child.

Jenny did not sugarcoat this reality. She spoke candidly about the emotional work of attachment and healing:

“There is so much I just don’t know. Gaping holes from her earliest, most formative years are painful reminders of all I have missed. Yet, what I DO know is on this day, I bore witness to a miracle.”

Love grew slowly but steadily. Sylvie adapted to her new home, siblings, and routines. She flourished.

A Big Sister at Last

In 2019, the Marrs welcomed another blessing—the birth of their son Luke. While Jenny was overjoyed, she admitted she quietly worried about how Sylvie would adjust to a new sibling.

“I wondered if his birth would stir up new trauma memories. I prayed for her heart to be prepared for this new life and for her identity as a beloved daughter to be firm and secure.”

Instead, something beautiful happened.

“Fast forward to today: these two are inseparable. She fiercely loves her Lukey and he absolutely adores his big sister.”

A School Story That Melted Hearts

In March 2020, a simple school assignment from Sylvie went viral after Jenny posted it online. Titled “Once a pone a time,” the handwritten story introduced her family:

“Once a pone a time ther was a family that has five kids tow girls and three boys… They are Fixer to Fabulous’ Dave and Jenny Marrs.”

She wrote about farm life with sheep and cows, her baby brother Luke, and—like every child of 2020—the lack of toilet paper because of the coronavirus.

But one line stood out most to Jenny:

“Proof that she knows she is a beloved part of this crazy family of ours,” Jenny wrote. “So, so good.”

Many fans were moved to tears. The child who had once waited so long for a family now knew exactly where she belonged.

Faith Through Every Season

Faith is woven deeply into the Marrs family story. Jenny has openly credited God as her source of strength through the pain of waiting, uncertainty, and fear.

“Even when the night is harder and more painful than you think you can possibly fight through… even then, the sun will rise. Joy WILL come in the morning. Just hold on.”

She often uses her platform to encourage other families facing hardship—especially those walking through adoption delays, infertility, or grief.

Family Today: Where Is Sylvie Marrs Now?

Today, Sylvie is thriving on the Marrs family farm in Arkansas. Now a big sister to five siblings—twins Ben and Nathan, Charlotte, and Luke—she embraces life surrounded by family, animals, and creativity. She appears frequently in family moments shared by Jenny, who often celebrates her daughter’s strength, resilience, and joy.

In January 2025, Sylvie turned 13 years old, a milestone Jenny marked publicly on social media:

“A teenager! How can it be that my squishy toddler with the raspy voice and adorable accent is standing before me now as this lovely young lady who has grown up way too quickly for my momma heart? … Your persistent faith, unmatched strength, resilience, and bravery will carry you far in life. Never stop smiling and shining that beautiful, bright light of yours.”

The Marrs family continues to honor Sylvie’s roots while celebrating her growth. Although her early years included hardship and separation, Sylvie today is described by her parents as compassionate, curious, and joy-filled. She enjoys painting with Jenny, helping on the farm, traveling with her family, and participating in school and church activities.

Jenny frequently emphasizes how Sylvie’s presence changed their family for the better:

“God knew that our family would never have been complete without you.”

A Story of Redemption and Love

While Dave and Jenny Marrs are admired for restoring houses on national television, the greatest renovation in their lives has been of the heart. Their journey to Sylvie not only built their family—it transformed their purpose.

They now advocate for ethical adoption practices and support organizations working in vulnerable communities worldwide. Proceeds from their blueberry farm support children in Zimbabwe, and their nonprofit work continues to expand.

Jenny Marrs Shares More in Her New Book

Jenny Marrs documented the adoption timeline, emotional challenges, and long-term impact of her family’s experience in her book Trust God, Love People: Stories of My Openhanded Faith, released on October 7, 2025. The book includes a detailed chapter about the 602-day wait to bring Sylvie home from the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as the transitional period after her arrival in the United States.

In one passage, she writes:

“Torn from every familiar thing and placed into our family, my daughter experienced persistent grief and debilitating fear on the day she landed in America. That day, the one I had desperately waited for, for 602 seemingly endless days, was mistakenly seen by outsiders as exclusively celebratory.”

The chapter outlines the complexities of post-adoption adjustment and notes that international adoption involves significant emotional processing for both the child and family. Marrs explains that attachment and trust develop over time:

“While the battle to get her home was grueling, the real spiritual war had just begun. As a family, we willingly stepped into her brokenness and committed to remain steadfast as we faced the darkness together. We firmly believed that redemption was coming, and restoration was at hand.”

She also includes personal reflections from the first year after Sylvie’s arrival:

“Three hundred and sixty-five days after she landed on U.S. soil, as we lay side by side singing ‘Jesus Loves Me’ before bedtime, Sylvie turned to me and shared a profound truth in her soft, raspy little voice. She whispered in the dark, ‘God never left me, Momma. He carried me home.’”

Throughout the book, Marrs writes that adoption involves both legal and emotional processes and emphasizes the importance of long-term support for adopted children:

“Adoption is beautiful, but it’s rooted in brokenness, loss, and trauma. Our family has had a front-row seat to God’s redeeming and refining power for eleven years now.”

In addition to Sylvie’s story, the book includes chapters on family life, raising five children, faith, community work, and the couple’s nonprofit projects. It also documents the family’s humanitarian involvement in Zimbabwe and their advocacy for ethical adoption practices.

Since its release, Trust God, Love People has been discussed in faith-based media outlets and among adoption support communities for its detailed account of international adoption challenges and its focus on long-term healing and family bonding.

Final Thoughts

Jenny Marrs continues to share her family’s journey not for fame, but to shine a light on adoption and faith. Her words remind families in waiting—not all stories are easy, but many are worth fighting for.

As she wrote on Sylvie’s Family Day celebration:

“Your story isn’t over yet. Don’t despair. God has good things in store. Keep trusting.”

Their story spans two continents and more than two years of waiting, but it ends with a family brought together through commitment, persistence, and hope.