Thursday was a joyous day in Leon County Judge Barbara Hobbs’s courtroom as she finalized the adoptions of nine children.
Some of the kids were restless, but everyone else was riveted. Attorney Melanie Coats asked each family to introduce themselves and discuss their new relative.
When it was Kayden Johnson’s turn, his mother Lauren teared up describing him. She and her husband now have five children, two of them adopted.
“So, this day does mean a lot to me," she said. "I don’t know if you saw me crying, and I’m not a crier, but it definitely brought tears to my eyes. Because, like I said, with Kayden, he is our rose that grew from concrete.”
The Johnson family wore matching red-and-white outfits. Lauren Johnson says she's become an advocate.
“So, I am one to advocate for other families to look into fostering, adopting, being a volunteer -- even being a respite person to give them a break during the weekend -- and so, all the community can be involved and making sure our children are the next best generation,” she said.
The group adoptions were part of the run-up to National Adoption Day, which is meant to call attention to the more than 100,000 kids nationwide in foster care.
