At age 92, Muriel Clayton is a mother again, having officially adopted the 76-year-old woman who's been her "daughter" for more than six decades. VPC 
 
 Mary Smith, 76, left, celebrates her adoption by 92-year-old Muriel Clayton on Tuesday, June 9, 2015, in Dallas. Biologically cousins, their lives have been intertwined since Smith was 11. (Photo: Marie Saavedra, WFAA-TV, Dallas-Fort Worth) 
 
 DALLAS — At age 92, Muriel Clayton is a mother again, having adopted the woman who's been her "daughter" for more than six decades. 
 
 Just not officially. 
 
 Mary Smith, who's now 76, knew Clayton as her fun older cousin as she was growing up. 
 
 "She was so much fun," said Smith. "We kind of got along real well. I loved her then." 
 
 Family tragedy changed the dynamic of their relationship, with their lives intertwined since Smith was 11. 
 
 "Her father passed away and her mother was ill, so she was not able to take care of Mary," said Clayton. 
 
 Without hesitation, Clayton took her in, adding to her own growing family. Smith has been one of the kids ever since. 
 
 "I wanted her to be mine," Clayton said. "And she is!" 
 
 For 60 years, Clayton held a secret dream to make Smith a legal part of her family. Out of respect, she wouldn't do so until Smith's biological mother, who had been ill for years, died. 
 
 This year, on the day before Mother's Day, Clayton asked Smith an important question. 
 
 "I said, 'I have been thinking about adopting you, how do you feel about that?' And her little face just lit up!" Clayton said. 
 
 " 'Little face' ... isn't that sweet?" Smith said. "That was exciting news!" 
 
 On Tuesday, they formally became mother and daughter. At 92 and 76, they have spent most of those years together. Now the record will show what Clayton has known all along. 
 
 "I have worked jigsaw puzzles, and my life had been a beautiful picture. But one piece was missing, and that was Mary," she said. "And now I've got that piece in place." 
 
 "Officially," Smith said. 
 
 "Officially," echoed Clayton. 
 
 Here at the USA TODAY network, not only do we want to provide you with the current events of the day, but also a little dose of inspiration while you're getting your news fix. Inspiration Nation is our way of providing you with that jolt of good news to bring a smile to your day. 
 
 INSPIRATION NATION This man's job is 10,000 feet above it all | 01:34 Jeff Newton has a pretty unusual job. He spends the summer months in a tower that sits over 9,500 feet in elevation, looking for wildfires in the dry Arizona forest. VPC 1 of 22 INSPIRATION NATION Publix bag boy sheds 300 pounds and is still going | 01:24 Stephen Pagano weighed 601 pounds at his heaviest. One day something clicked and he decided to make a change. By changing his diet, he changed his life. VPC 2 of 22 INSPIRATION NATION Meet teen whose icy fall left him without heartbeat | 03:19 A Missouri teen reflects on his new appreciation for life after plunging into a frozen lake. The teen was without air for close to an hour, but miraculously survived without any permanent damage. VPC 3 of 22 INSPIRATION NATION 92-year-old adopts 76-year-old daughter | 01:52 At age 92, Muriel Clayton is a mother again, having officially adopted the 76-year-old woman who's been her "daughter" for more than six decades. VPC 4 of 22 INSPIRATION NATION See stranger's amazing gesture to fallen officer's son | 02:28 A man who bought the former service car of a fallen Weld County, Colorado Sheriff's deputy turned this purchase into an amazing act of kindness. KUSA 5 of 22 INSPIRATION NATION See football player's promposal for special needs girl | 01:52 Luis Velasquez, a Texas high school student, created one of the sweetest promposals caught on camera, for his special needs friend. VPC 6 of 22 INSPIRATION NATION 300 strangers attend girl's party after mom's plea | 01:42 As a baby, Mackenzie Moretter was diagnosed with Sotos Syndrome, a rare disorder that makes her different from other kids. As she turned 10, every kid invited to her birthday party, turned her down, but hundreds of strangers turned up instead. VPC 7 of 22 INSPIRATION NATION Heartwarming generosity shown to cop paralyzed on duty | 01:40 Deputy Jaron Fountain of the Jefferson Parish, Louisiana Sheriff's department was left paralyzed while answering a call for help. The Marine veteran's brothers and sisters in blue helped raise more than $100K to improve his quality of life. VPC 8 of 22 INSPIRATION NATION Teen's reaction to getting a job will melt your heart | 01:51 A special needs teen in Texas set three goals to meet before turning 21: get stronger, get a girlfriend and get a job. Watch his priceless reaction when he found out he had reached one of his goals. 9 of 22 INSPIRATION NATION Meet baby girl of bride paralyzed at bachelorette party | 01:49 A woman paralyzed at a freak accident during her bachelorette party is now adjusting to life with a baby. VPC 10 of 22 INSPIRATION NATION Toilet paper wedding dress will leave you speechless | 02:23 Marine veteran Amber Mills made it to the final round in a national contest to create a wedding dress from toilet paper. Become marveled at her creation. 11 of 22 INSPIRATION NATION Traffic cop turns into police escort for special 8th grader | 03:54 A police officer and an eighth grader in Arvada, Colorado form an unusual, life-changing friendship over their bicycle ride to school. VPC 12 of 22 INSPIRATION NATION Dad fulfills 19-year-old pact at daughter's wedding | 01:21 Twenty years ago, Rick Haines needed a bone marrow transplant. He thought he wouldn't live to see his then 4-year-old daughter get married. Watch him fulfill the pact he made with his bone marrow donor. VPC 13 of 22 INSPIRATION NATION Parents make boy's dream of building schools come true | 02:06 A family who lost their child in a 2013 landslide is making sure his memory lives on. Ten-year-old Mohammed Fofana was one of two students who were buried while on a school field trip. Now, his family is building a school in his honor in Guinea. VPC 14 of 22 INSPIRATION NATION Cop helps homeless couple tie the knot | 01:53 It's tough living on the streets, just ask David Daughtery. But what was even tougher was not being able to marry the love of his life. See how a police officer changed that. VPC 15 of 22 INSPIRATION NATION He's almost 100, but still going down waterslides | 01:15 Elliott Royce is the first to slide down his community waterslide when it opens every summer. At 96 years young, he proves you're never too old to have fun. VPC 16 of 22 INSPIRATION NATION Random act of kindness by waitress will melt your heart | 01:59 A moving gesture by a Fort Worth waitress will never be forgotten by the Riddle family. See what happened to bring this couple to tears. VPC 17 of 22 INSPIRATION NATION 91-year-old runs cross country for love and memories | 02:19 A 91-year-old WWII veteran is travelling across America, on foot. Mile by mile, he is on a mission to raise money for a cause close to his heart. 18 of 22 INSPIRATION NATION 107-year-old's secret to a long life is... | 01:05 Lona Collins was born in 1907 and remembers riding to school in a horse and buggy. Now this great-great grandmother is sharing her surprising secret to having a long life. VPC 19 of 22 INSPIRATION NATION High school without a track produces track star | 01:48 Kortnei Johnson is the most decorated athlete ever at Italy High School, with 10 state medals to prove it. She has attracted college scouts with her track skills, even though her high school doesn't even have a track! VPC 20 of 22 INSPIRATION NATION 'Man Choir': It's more fun than football | 01:58 A choir made up of high school boys is making beautiful music while learning to appreciate the masculine side of singing. VPC 21 of 22 INSPIRATION NATION 93-year-old veteran finally gets his diploma | 03:12 At one high school graduation, they celebrated both the future and the past. In addition to the seniors in cap and gown, was a senior citizen. VPC 22 of 22 Last VideoNext Video This man's job is 10,000 feet above it all 
 
 Publix bag boy sheds 300 pounds and is still going 
 
 Meet teen whose icy fall left him without heartbeat 
 
 92-year-old adopts 76-year-old daughter 
 
 See stranger's amazing gesture to fallen officer's son 
 
 See football player's promposal for special needs girl 
 
 300 strangers attend girl's party after mom's plea 
 
 Heartwarming generosity shown to cop paralyzed on duty 
 
 Teen's reaction to getting a job will melt your heart 
 
 Meet baby girl of bride paralyzed at bachelorette party 
 
 Toilet paper wedding dress will leave you speechless 
 
 Traffic cop turns into police escort for special 8th grader 
 
 Dad fulfills 19-year-old pact at daughter's wedding 
 
 Parents make boy's dream of building schools come true 
 
 Cop helps homeless couple tie the knot 
 
 He's almost 100, but still going down waterslides 
 
 Random act of kindness by waitress will melt your heart 
 
 91-year-old runs cross country for love and memories 
 
 107-year-old's secret to a long life is... 
 
 High school without a track produces track star 
 
 'Man Choir': It's more fun than football 
 
 93-year-old veteran finally gets his diploma 
 
 Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1JETis0 

 Are you ever too old to adopt? At age 92, Muriel Clayton thinks not. 
 
 Are you ever too old to be adopted? At age 76, Mary Smith says absolutely not. 
 
 So Tuesday morning in a Dallas courtroom, a judge made legal the relationship that had long been in the women’s hearts. 
 
 The two stood shoulder to shoulder in front of family court Judge Kim Cooks, who said the magic words: “The court grants the adoption and pronounces Muriel Banks Clayton and Mary Banks Smith as mother and daughter.” 
 
 Both women gave girlish little squeals of delight and hugged. 
 
 And instead of the teddy bear that the judge usually gives newly adopted children, Cooks presented the somewhat older mother and daughter with white orchids. 
 
 “I feel great,” said Muriel, who had raised Mary since childhood. “This is what I have wanted to do for a long, long time, and now it has come to pass.” 
 
 “I feel very happy,” said Mary. “She has been Mom for a long time, and now it’s official.” 
 
 By blood, the two women are first cousins. That’s how they came to share a family name as their middle names. 
 
 Mary’s father and Muriel’s mother were brother and sister. In fact, the brother and sister were together in downtown Dallas one day in 1950 when Mary’s father suddenly died of a heart attack at age 45. 
 
 Mary was 11. Her mother had long been in and out of treatment for mental illness. So as a temporary move, Mary went to live with Muriel, a young married mom. 
 
 After about a year, Mary’s mother tried to care for her daughter. “She was a sweet lady, a really great lady,” Mary told me, “but she just couldn’t live in the real world.” 
 
 The stay didn’t last long. Then other family members took Mary in for spells of varying lengths. But Mary had been happiest with Muriel’s family and went to live there permanently at 14. 
 
 In the bargain, Mary also got four younger sisters. And though Muriel was always the fun-loving sort, she admits that a household of five girls got trying at times. 
 
 “We had to move pretty quickly. Five girls and one bathroom just didn’t work,” she said with a laugh. 
 
 At 92, twice-widowed Muriel remains the life of every family party. She’s a computer whiz, a dedicated bridge player and regular theatergoer. 
 
 She has been teasing Mary’s husband, Bob Smith, ever since the two ran off to get married as college kids. “I never had a minute’s trouble out of Mary — until she met him,” Muriel said, pointing an accusing finger and playing the aggrieved mother-in-law to the hilt. 
 
 Muriel said it was on her mind to make Mary her daughter almost from the start. But she said she just couldn’t go through with an adoption while Mary’s mother was still alive. 
 
 “I couldn’t have done that to her. She was a dear, dear person,” she said. 
 
 Mary’s biological mother lived in mental institutions the rest of her life and died at 73. By that time, Mary was grown and the hectic pace of life put off Muriel’s thoughts of adoption. 
 
 But it was the passing years that finally prompted her to act. “I got to thinking, you know, I need to make her legally mine before I go,” she said. 
 
 And so on Mother’s Day weekend, she asked Mary if she would become her daughter officially. 
 
 “It was a surprise, but a happy surprise,” Mary said. “ I thought it was really sweet.” 
 
 Muriel explains it this way: “I’m a jigsaw puzzle person. And it’s so wonderful when you snap that last piece in place and have a beautiful picture. This is the last piece of my puzzle.” 
 
 Follow Steve Blow on Facebook at facebook.com/DMNSteveBlow and on Twitter at @DMNSteveBlow.
– When Mary Smith was 11, her dad died at the age of 45 of a heart attack. Her mom was receiving help for mental illness, so her older first cousin, Muriel Clayton, who had four young girls of her own, welcomed Smith permanently into her own home after Smith was shuffled around for a while among other relatives. Now, more than 60 years later, the unofficial mother-daughter duo have made it official: The 76-year-old Smith was adopted yesterday in a Dallas courtroom by her 92-year-old surrogate mom, and the scene as described by the Dallas Morning News was an emotional one. "I feel very happy," Smith said. "She has been Mom for a long time, and now it's official," with Clayton adding, "This is what I have wanted to do for a long, long time, and now it has come to pass." There was a compelling and thoughtful reason it took so long to seal the deal: respect for Mary's biological mother, who lived to the age of 73 but spent much of her life in mental institutions. "I couldn't have done that to her [while she was still alive]," Clayton tells the Morning News. "She was a dear, dear person." Clayton popped the question to Smith on Mother's Day this year, she tells WFAA: "I said, 'I have been thinking about adopting you, how do you feel about that?' And her little face just lit up!" Her daughter's reply: "'Little face' … isn't that sweet?" Clayton sums up the adoption with a touching analogy. "I have worked jigsaw puzzles, and my life had been a beautiful picture," she tells WFAA. "But one piece was missing, and that was Mary. And now I've got that piece in place." (This adopted Ohio woman found her birth mother … at work.)