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Ceremonies at courthouse create families
Published November 20, 2009
ANGLETON — As Dylan Seal waited for a judge to finalize his adoption by his stepfather Thursday, a few of his youth football teammates held up signs, “The Deal is Seal-ed!”
“I feel different inside now,” said Seal, 11, of Richwood, who wore a football jersey with his new name after the hearing. “I’ve been waiting awhile for this.”
His father, Rick Seal, of Richwood, said adopting his stepson was a way to secure Dylan’s future. Rick Seal has two sons, Caleb, 5, and Joshua, 17 months, with Dylan’s mother, Christiane.
“He came with Christiane and he taught me how a father should be,” Rick Seal said. “He feels complete now.”
Dylan Seal was one of six children adopted into families during the sixth National Adoption Day ceremonies at the Brazoria County Courthouse on Thursday morning.
The event has two purposes — to complete the adoption process for some families and call attention to children in protective care who need a permanent home.
Officials said Adoption Day is an joyful event at the courthouse as the adopted children and their families fill the courthouse during the hearings.
As court bailiff Linda Langley tried to call Judge Lori Rickert’s court to order to begin the adoption process, one baby refused to stop crying after the crowd hushed.
“That’s OK, we’re used to that,” Rickert said.
There are more than 1,700 children in the Houston area in the care of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, said Gwen Carter, spokeswoman for Child Protective Services. They’re in CPS custody because of abuse, neglect or abandonment by their own families, officials said.
Many who seek to adopt a child often look for a baby while most of those who need homes are older children, Carter said.
“You still need a parent,” she said. “All of us have that. You need that family unit.”
Richmond resident Sharon Horn sat at the courthouse waiting to finalize her adoption of Arianna, 9, of Angleton. The adoption process can be nerve-wracking, Horn said.
“At first it was scary, because you are committed,” the single mother said.
Horn has since adopted five daughters she originally received as foster children. Horn said she keeps adopting her foster children because they move in with her and become part of her family.
“When they live with me for three or four years, they’re mine,” Horn said. “We have a great family.”
Arianna said she loved Horn and connected with her adopted mother instantly when she moved in as a foster child several years ago.
“We like the same things,” Arianna said. “We’re the same way.”
They even try to find the correct spelling of a word when they’re writing, Arianna said.
“We write it down several times and see which one’s the best,” she said.
There are many children out there who need families and more people should consider adoption, Rick Seal said.
“Anyone who steps forward and will love a child, it means the world to that child,” he said.
John Tompkins covers Brazoria County courts for The Facts. Contact him at 979-849-8581.
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INTERESTED IN ADOPTING?
To be eligible to adopt a child, a prospective parent must be at least 21, agree to a home study that includes interviews with all household members,
be financially stable and pass a background check for all adults in the household.
For more information or to view children seeking a home, please visit www.adoptchildren.org or call 800-233-3405.
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