Families make it official on National Adoption Day

CANYON, TX (KFDA) - Today, eight children found their permanent home in a special ceremony at the Randall County Courthouse in honor of National Adoption Day.

"You have to go in with the mentality that this is about the children and all the love and attention and everything else they need," said adoptive mom, Lupe Johnson.

The Johnson family fostered 13-year-old Brian for five years before becoming his forever home.

"He's been waiting for this day for a very long time, as well as we all have. He's comfortable. He's ready. We're excited for him," said Brian's adoptive dad, Irvin Johnson.

The Graves added two new 'lifetime' members to their family - LaLa and Faith, siblings to the four children they adopted in 2013.

"They have all been with us since an early, early age," said adoptive mom Kerri Graves.

The family sported matching shirts in their favorite colors to commemorate the day.

"We get to have parents, we get to have fun with our parents," said Andre Graves, LaLa and Faith's brother.

For the Sherrill family, adopting Grayden - who they've had since he was 10-days-old, falls on the anniversary they adopted their eldest son two years ago.

"It brings closure to a family that has open-endedness. Adoption is a story of redemption and that what is broken is made whole. So celebrating a day like this, is celebrating what Christ did for us too," said Erin Sherrill, Grayden's adoptive mom.

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services say they transformed the courthouse into Despicable Me for good reason.

"The focus is on adoption of older kids that are coming from hard places, that aren't a typical adoption," said Micah Smith, the Adoption Supervisor at DFPS. "A lot of our kids can really identify with that story. And the adoptive parent, isn't your typical adoptive parent."

Still, DFPS says hundreds of foster children in the Panhandle are searching for a permanent home.

"A lot of our kids are having to go to Houston and San Antonio because we don't have homes here. The homes that we do have here stay full," said Smith.

Parents today say the reward of seeing a child's face light up far outweighs any risk.

"Just give them a call and open up your home and your hearts to these kids," said Graves.

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