Johnson Family

Our story is pretty unique in that our boys were the first (and only, ultimately) foster children we took in and we were the first family that they came to upon leaving the home of their biological parents. They never left our care for nearly two full years. We had taken them several times to meet our very large out-of-state family for the big holidays. Because of this, we already felt like they were a part of our family by the time the big day arrived.

The timing of our approval was perfectly aligned so that we were offered to have our adoption performed at a National Adoption Day event. We filled the local government center with nearly 40 members of our extended family for the event. The boys already knew these folks to be their cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents.

The next day, we rented out an indoor miniature golf facility and invited everyone we knew to celebrate with us. The day after that, we celebrated with just our newly formed family by taking the boys to their very first in-person concert – Kidz Bop!

Each year since the adoption, we have made it a point to plan an “adoption anniversary” celebration and make it special. We want them to feel all of the love we have for them and remember what an important time it was and is in all of our lives.