PHOENIX — National Adoption Day is always a day packed with excitement, anticipation, and emotion.
More than 100 kids in Maricopa County were adopted this year and got to celebrate the occasion at the Superior Court of Arizona on Saturday. It was an extra special day for the Finger family from north Phoenix.
Nicole’s husband Joshua adopted her oldest biological son, 13-year-old Landan.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” said Joshua, who has been in the picture since Landan was just a year and a half. “I wanted to adopt him when he was 2, but he actually came to us and said he’s ready to have me adopt him.”
Landan is thankful and proud to be a part of this family for so many reasons.
“How accepting they are,” he said with a smile.
His mom Nicole described how touched she is by the formality of the adoption, which is now official on paper.
“The two of them deserve it,” she said. “They’re very much father and son, so for it to finally happen, means a lot.”
Now a family of four officially and in Landan’s 6-year-old brother Rhett’s eyes, the way it’s always been.
“I love my family so much,” Rhett said.
“Someday he’ll grasp a little bit more than (the) importance of this day,” his mom said, “but for him it’s just any old day, it’s my dad and my brother.”
Landan’s new middle name is now Edward, after Joshua’s dad, who adopted Joshua.
“The feeling of taking someone and raising them and giving them a perfect life,” Joshua said. “I was raised that way… I wanted to make sure that he had it also.”
National Adoption Day is a day Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Robert Brooks always looks forward to each year.
“It is such a privilege and it’s such an honor to get to (be) a part of a day like this,” he said. “So often, when we come to court as judicial officers, everything is very serious, and it can be the hardest day of most people’s lives when they come to this courthouse… but today it’s the best day for a lot of people and getting to share in that and be a part of it is one of the biggest honors of my life.”
Since National Adoption Day was created, about 58,500 children have been adopted out of foster care on this day. Congratulations to all the families who made it official!
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