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Adoption Day celebrated in Lincoln

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BY LISA MUNGER / Lincoln Journal Star

Saturday, Nov 17, 2007 - 04:36:02 pm CST

In a courtroom brimming with family members, 3-year-old Vivian addressed the court.

“Are we going to sing a song?” the ebullient, pigtailed blonde asked.

While Vivian sang, “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” in answer to her own question, the judge began proceedings to make Sara and Roger Andersson her adoptive parents.

Story Photo
Sarah Steele (center) hugs 10-year-old Rachael Steele (right) as her legal daughter for the first time as Ruby Steele, 2 (left), awaits her official adoption during National Adoption Day. (Gwyneth Roberts)

For the third consecutive year, the Lancaster County Separate Juvenile Court and Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services sponsored a celebration to commemorate National Adoption Day.  Judges finalized 19 adoptions, granting 21 children permanent homes.

The event here mirrored thousands like it across the country. More than 3,300 adoptions were expected to be finalized Saturday, according to the National Adoption Day Coalition. 

Clowns, streamers and renegade balloons whizzing through the hallway surrounded visitors to Lancaster County’s juvenile court. Most children — like their parents, dressed in their Sunday best — quickly discovered cake was involved.

Vivian’s family sported custom-made shirts proclaiming themselves her forever family. 

Lincoln Mayor Chris Beutler proclaimed Saturday a red-letter day for children, families and agencies involved in adoption, proving that the red tape many people think impedes adoption, can be overcome.

A lot of children still need permanent, stable homes, said event coordinator and DHHS staffer Julie Mayers. One-hundred and ninety children are listed on the DHHS Web site in need of foster care, she said.

Vivian went to the Anderssons about a year and a half ago on a 30-day placement. 

“Even though it was only 30 days at first, we made a commitment to take care of her,” said Sara Andersson, a kindergarten teacher at Norwood Park Elementary.

In her job, she said, she sees the pressing need for permanent homes for children. 

“It was a natural progression. She was already a part of our family, so now it’s official.”

The Anderssons have a son, Nathan, 10, and a younger foster daughter as well. 

“Children are in need of resolution, of permanency,”said Juvenile Court Judge Linda Porter, who presided over Vivian’s case, then invited the girl to join her at the bench to “adopt” a teddy bear out of a pile of colorful stuffed bears before her.

Vivian selected one and triumphantly returned to her parents, bear clutched in hand. 

An older man, seated in the back row of the courtroom, wearing a shirt that said, “Vivian’s Forever Grandpa,” wiped tears from the corner of his eyes.

Reach Lisa Munger at 473-2646 or lmunger@journalstar.com.


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Sweet wrote on November 17, 2007 4:58 pm:
" How sweet! More children out there need homes and more children out there need forever parents and grandparents! Please help these children find forever families. Wouldn't it be wonderful if all children by next year at this time had forever families? :) "

 C wrote on November 18, 2007 5:44 am:
" Getting "forever" famiies will become more and more difficult with open adoption laws. How do you become a forever mother if another keeps interrupting as the "original" mother? I've been there and done that. My adopted daughter can never have a family life like other children. I treat her like gold and her "real" mother tarnishes her every time she touches her. I fear for her future with the ongoing influence of a bad person. "

 Kristine C. wrote on November 18, 2007 9:38 am:
" So sorry, C, that your child's birthmother was not what you expected in an open adoption, but open adoption can and is a wonderful thing. Guaranteed not ALL birthmothers are the enemy. I am one of the lucky ones to have my daughter choose to have me in her life and I will be forever grateful for that! I let her make all the calls about how much contact we have had since she was old enough to make the decision and words cannot describe how happy I am that she made the choice to have me in her life. Please don't judge all open adoptions by your bad experience. Adoption is a wonderful thing, considering the alternatives. I am SO happy for these children and their new parents and families, and hope the rest of the children that are waiting to be adopted get a wonderful family, too! "

 connie wrote on November 18, 2007 10:19 am:
" I'd feel much more warm and fuzzy about this, if these children were orphans rather than children cruelly torn from their natural parents, often for frivolous, poverty-based reasons. This doesn't tell the whole sad story. For once, I'd like to see ljs report on the people on the other side of the clowns and the cake. "

 Kathy wrote on November 18, 2007 10:47 am:
" Not all birth parents are bad! Most simply wanted what was best for their children at the time and were for whatever reason unable to give it to them any other way. I am a birthmother who never tried to contact my child until after he was 18 and would never try to harm him or interfere with his present life situation. I loved him enough to give him up and I never stopped loving or thinking about him or wanting the best for him. Love and trust your adopted child enough to know that they will always love you as the parent who stepped into the breach and gave what their biological parents couldn't. "

 Todd wrote on November 18, 2007 1:11 pm:
" I'm an adopted child, and not a big fan of the "open" adoption. Personally, I would be very confused having two sets of parents. I see the point of wanting what is best for the child, but keep the child or don't keep the child. Don't have someone else raise them (and pay for them) so you can have this kid you can hangout with when you feel like it. People will ask me if I ever want to find my birth mother, and I always tell them that I kinda took the hint when she gave me up. "

 C wrote on November 19, 2007 6:09 am:
" As you can see by the differing opinions posted there is no clear answer so why on earth would we open records that are closed? In my earleir post I did not say there was an open adoption. The birth Mother hired an investigator to locate the child she gave up and them ignored the communication that her biological child did not want contact from her. I would not recommend adoption to any one who has experienced what my family has in the past five years. I have a teenager who is totally confused every time she is influenced by a very unhappy birth mother. "

 Close to Home wrote on November 19, 2007 8:41 am:
" Love these stories my nephew;s adoption was made final here in Lancaster county. He is the light of our lives and everyone he meets. I hear the bells in heaven ringing! "

 Foster Mom wrote on November 19, 2007 10:06 am:
" I am a foster parent and so is my sister-in-law and mother-in-law and my sister-in-law last national adoptiond day adopted a sibling string of 4 kids. This is such a cool event that the court does. It is really hard to see and know how many children don't have homes that love them. My husband and I are looking to adopt as well from the state. Congratulations to all the new adoptive families and may you have many wonderful years together. "

 Dear Todd wrote on November 19, 2007 10:34 am:
" Don't be so sure. My husband found his birth Mom in his mid 20's and birth father last year at 37. Birth Dad NEVER knew despite birth Mom's stories to the contrary! My husband has 3 sets of parent: adoptive, foster and birth. They all get along, they all are wonderful people. Two sets just had difficult circumstances. You may be missing some great people, it's not always bad news. "

 Jen wrote on November 19, 2007 11:52 am:
" Good going, Lincolnites. I have never in my life seen a community turn a positive story into a negative one by their hateful comments. Why can't we all just celebrate the fact that these are 21 more children that will not be eaten up by the foster care machine? Congratulations to all families who finalized their adoptions. And I would like to add that anyone can be a parent, but it takes special people to take on the role of parent to a stranger by choice. "

 Bless them wrote on November 19, 2007 1:08 pm:
" Bless the people that opened their homes and their hearts to children in need. Given the situation, it is known that the children needed something more in their lives, regardless of the circumstances. While the difference in situations will always exist, at least there are children that know where their "home" is. While we don't always know everything, it is refreshing to see a story of hope. "

 C wrote on November 19, 2007 2:41 pm:
" I gave my daughter up for adoption and I see her on a regular basis. I don't think that there is any right choice, it depends on the situtaion and the people involved. I know that it can be confusing but I don't think it hurts to have that many more people in your life that love you. My daughter has her adoptive family and my entire family and she's happier than any other 3 yr old I know. "

 Where/HOW?? wrote on November 19, 2007 4:23 pm:
" Where did this become an issue about OPEN adoption?? I reread the story three times. I gather one or two people here didn't read it ONCE. AND, Connie, your statement is one of sour grapes. You have to go through some serious stuff to lose your parental rights. These are NOT frivolous situations. It requires an extensive amount of opportunities to the parents to GET IT RIGHT, because the state always favors children living with immediate family, if not their biological parents. The parent REALLY has to drop the ball to actually lose custody, and a child's safety is ALWAYS considered most important. I'm just saying this now, to avoid any more potentially ignorant comments about that. "

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