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Joy fills Midland courthouse as 10 children are adopted

Throughout the hallways in a Midland, Texas, courthouse, two little girls danced with their new siblings. Last month, Emerson and Regan were adopted into their forever home after being in foster care for over two years.

On the same day, Emerson and Regan’s biological brother, Andy, also was adopted into another Buckner family. Together the two families have formed a strong bond. Not only do they go to the same church, but they make sure to do many family activities together so the siblings can remain a part of each other’s lives.

After the adoption was final, all the siblings in the two families danced through the halls, a symbol of the joy, pride and hope that a stable and loving family can bring to a child in need.

“Seeing them all click so well together and be a happy family is such a good thing,” said Sarah Hataway, foster care and adoption supervisor in Midland. “Knowing they are going to have their forever bond with their siblings even though they don’t live together is great.”

These adoptions were three of 10 adoptions that have been finalized this year in Midland, a large number for so early in the year. Last year, Buckner finalized 14 adoptions in Midland. The increase, Hataway said, is due largely to the increase in children in care, but also to new foster families who have answered the call to care for vulnerable children.

“Most of these adoptions were older school-aged children, and so they remember their past, which isn’t always a good situation, and sometimes they have gone from one home to another,” Hataway said. “To see a child and know they are in a stable and caring home forever is such a good feeling. It’s so gratifying to see a child go by their new name and be proud in that name.”

Six-year-old Katy knows what it feels like to go from home to home. At such a young age, she needed a higher level of care and was already placed in a couple of foster homes before being placed with single foster mom, Kathy Hagler, who was licensed for therapeutic care.

Katy meshed perfectly with Kathy and Kathy’s two other daughters, Hataway said. Almost immediately, Katy was able to go off half of the medications she was on when she first entered their home. Now, she will never need to worry about moving. On Valentine’s Day, Kathy adopted Katy.

“I think there is an overall amazing rewarding feeling when you see children go from placement to placement find a home they are going to stay in for the rest of their lives,” Hataway said. “Going through that journey with them and being a part of their story is humbling and gratifying.”  

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