Families gathered at the Prince William Judicial Center in Manassas yesterday to celebrate the 12th annual National Adoption day.
During the celebration, several families spoke about their adoption experiences, and how it has changes their lives.
More from a Prince William County release:
Mae and Daniel Morey added to their growing family when they adopted their 13-year-old son, Rashad, in September. As the newest addition to the Morey family, Rashad brings the number of children the Moreys are raising to eight. Three of those children, including Rashad, are adopted.
Mae said they’re glad to have adopted and that they might not be finished. “Another child is out of foster care and in a permanent family,” she said. “As long as God keeps bringing them, we’ll just keep adopting them.”
The Moreys and others recently gathered at the Prince William Judicial Center in Manassas to celebrate the 12th-annual National Adoption Day for Prince William County and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park.
After the ceremony, Diane Gestrich, a family services worker with the Prince William Department of Social Services, said National Adoption Day was set aside to recognize adoptive children and their families. “We have brought to light the importance of adoption, the celebration that adoption brings, and that families are made in many, many different ways. We take such pride in the fact that we can be a part of the lives of these children and be able to put them together with families who love them unconditionally. And for them to allow us to be a part of that is really special.”
Circuit Court Judge Carroll A. Weimer Jr., 31st Judicial District, said he was pleased to oversee the ceremony. “It’s an honor to preside over this. It’s an honor to help be a part of the celebration of National Adoption Day and to … recognize the adoptive families and the foster families, as well as the social workers.”
Allen and Charity Shorey, who are close to finalizing their adoption of Jaiden, 7, and Zach, 6, said they’re happy for the additions to their family. “This long journey finally has an end. We’re complete now,” Charity said.
Prince William Supervisor Marty Nohe, who adopted two children with his wife, spoke at the ceremony and said he understood that the adoption process could be daunting, but that there is a payoff. “It can be pretty terrifying at that moment, but doesn’t take very long before each and every one of us finds ourselves saying that it’s one of the few decisions in our lives that we have no regrets about.”
Nohe went on to thank the families who have adopted children. “To all of you adoptive families … on behalf of the entire Board of Supervisors and really all the people of Prince William County, I want to thank you for letting us be a part of this very special occasion; and thank you for making the community a better place by making our families stronger by bringing families together.”
