MARION, IL (WSIL) -- There were a lot of emotions at the Williamson county courthouse Friday morning as families from across southern Illinois celebrated National Adoption Day.
There were tears of joy, smiles and lots of hugs after each hearing.
One Jackson County family says it took more than a year to finalize the adoption of three siblings.
In May of last year, Dena and Allen Randall of Murphysbor, adopted a little girl whose brother was "left heart-broken," because he did not get adopted on the same day.
"And every day since then, every day he wakes up and says, is today my day, am I going to get adopted today?" explains a tearful mother after Friday's hearing. "And it was great, he woke up today and said, 'is today my day,' and I got to tell him 'yes, yes today is your day.'"
Friday, brothers Carson and Cameron joined their sister in becoming officially, part of the Randall family.
They were just two of 18 kids in foster care taking part in the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services' local Adoption Day program.
¾ÅÓÎÌåÓý Region Administrator Wendy Ingersoll says the number of children in need of adoption, are surprising to some.
"Statewide we have about 1,400 that are in need of a forever home right now," explains Ingersoll.
Fifteen of those adopted Friday are children within the DCFS system, Ingersoll says everything is explained and kids are excited, because it can take a bit of time to get to adoption-day.
"There's sometimes some obstacles," says Ingersoll. "Sometimes kids linger in foster care a little bit longer than they're suppose to just because of some barriers with the court system or it could be that parents make progress for some time then they relapse."
Friday's event also marks the return of celebrating those adoptions in person, after COVID-19 put a pause on the annual event.
For the Randalls, Allen says they would adopt more if they could.
"We've always been used to a busy home," says Allen Randall, now with six adopted kids in their care. They raised seven children of their own, before starting all over again.
"Knowing that we had the means to help somebody else and if I hadn't, I don't think I could have lived with it, the fact that we were able to," says Allen, pausing, "There's so many kids out there."
His wife finishes his thoughts, adding, "So many kids that still need a home, forever homes."
Several area agencies joined DCFS for Adoption Day. They made crafts, gifts and food for the kids, and they had lots of info for the parents. According to DCFS, there are more than 120,000 foster kids in the US.
