LUFKIN, TX (KTRE) -
November is National
Adoption Month and Wednesday families across Angelina County are sharing the
love.
Three families welcomed new additions
Wednesday morning during the adoption day celebration in Angelina County.
"The families have opened up
their homes to children and children get the gift of a forever family,"
said Kristi Hachtel, CPS Supervisor Angelina County.
The Angelina County Courthouse was
filled with families, CPS workers and local non-profits celebrating the 7th
annual event. CPS Supervisor Kristi Hactel says the adoption process is a long
one and some of the cases they have can go from 12 to 18 months.
"It's a journey we've taken with
these families and most importantly, these children are not raised in the
system forever," said Hachtel.
Today there are almost 6,400 children
in Texas Foster Care and officials believe for children to grow up healthy they
need a connection with a family.
"Longer than just graduating from
High School but its getting married and having children of their own, they need
a family to come home to," said Hachtel.
Mitizi Smith and her husband adopted two
children this past may and she's thankful for the opportunity to give them a
better life.
"All the children deserve better than
what they have and if you can help them that's what you need to do," said
Smith.
Karen Lawrence adopted 15 year-old Kala today
and says more people should consider adoption because so many children need
someone to love them.
"Its a lot of fun and very
rewarding, its just something I feel God wanted us to do," said Lawrence.
Last year 5,003 children and teens were
adopted from state care but despite the many success stories there are still
children hoping and waiting for their forever family.
"They're a gift from God and we
treasure those gifts and we see those families grow and make changed and then
they spread that joy and that love out to other people," said Hachtel.
Last
year Angelina County CPS adopted 14 children into "forever families".
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