Thousands of foster children across the U.S. found their forever homes for National Adoption Day. Family and friends across the South Plains piled into the Lubbock County Courthouse for adoption hearings. 25 Lubbock children were adopted. Previously a CPS worker, Craig Depoyster has seen the need for adoption first hand– today he adopted four boys.
“There’s children that go to bed every night knowing that they don’t have a mom and a dad that they would love to have,” said Depoyster. “I would encourage anybody to do it… like CPS says, it’s the toughest job you’ll ever love.
Beverly Degrate adopted three young girls, and said although it was a long process, it was completely worth it in the end. She said she has always wanted to give the girls a stable life.
“It’s been two years since I’ve tried to adopt the girls and they felt like it’s not going to happen and I said ‘don’t give up hope’ because God knows what they need and who they need to be with.” said Degrate.
Unable to conceive more than one child, the Terrell family adopted a brother and a sister. Devonah Terell said it was important to keep the siblings together because far too often children can get split up through the adoption process.
“We got a chance to adopt two beautiful children and the reason I’m so excited today is because I always wanted to have children but I only had one,” said Terrell. “We decided to foster adopt so we got our Christmas presents, a boy and a girl.”