COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Tuesday marked the 25th anniversary of National Adoption Day and the love for families was fully displayed at the Franklin County Courthouse where eight children were adopted.
Six families got the opportunity to finalize the adoptions of their children, marking a moment of joy, love, and gratitude. There was also something special about two families in attendance.
Tuesday marked the first-ever multigenerational adoption that has taken place in Franklin County at the same time. James and Laura Mason adopted three children who had been in their care for about three years.
"When we first became foster parents, it wasn't our intention to adopt, but they have been with us for a while and we just fell in love with them,” James Mason said. “I just couldn't imagine them not having part of our lives permanently."
James and Laura’s daughter, Jessica Erichson, also extended her family on Tuesday, adopting their son Jace who is siblings with their two other children.
"Family to me would be commitment and a bond,” Erichsen said. “So Jace, that's being adopted is the sibling to Jaxon and Olivia who are already adopted. And so, this was this was a long time coming, four years in the making."
Troy Erichson was elated to begin this new chapter of their lives, bringing a foundation and stability to these children.
“Continue bringing unity among each other and growing together as a family and individually and as a unit,” Erichsen said. “Just watching them thrive and seeing all of us thrive together.”
For their son Jaxon Polsdorfer, it especially means a lot to see other kids find their forever families and for his brother to become a part of theirs.
“I'm feeling good because I remember getting adopted, some of the people that get adopted, their parents can't take care of them. And other people, other parents volunteer to take care of them,” Polsdorfer said. “When other people get adopted, it makes me feel good, too.”
Franklin County Children’s Services notes there are about 80 children who are available for adoption. In celebration of National Adoption Day, they encourage people to help these kids find their families.
