Adoption Awareness Month Celebration Shows Family is Who You Love

Six families’ adoptions were officially recognized this weekend at the Arlington County Courthouse as part of Adoption Awareness Month. 

The ceremony included a reception, speeches by workers in the county's Child and Family Services Division and keynote remarks by Vicki Trapnell, an adoptive parent who initially had no intention to adopt the children she fostered.

“But by the time they became eligible for adoption, I was already their mom,” she said at the Saturday event.

Gita and Sanjay Altekar participated in the ceremony with their adopted daughter Ashley. They emphasized that in foster care the goal is always to reunite the child with his or her biological parents, while adoption is a permanent step. 

“It’s not an easy decision to do something like this, but there is a need and you’re doing something for a child,” Gita Altekar said. 

The Altekars were just one of the families at the courthouse that chose to remain in contact with their child’s biological family.

Janet Pence, who was celebrating the adoption of her 2-year-old son Michael, was joined by her son’s biological sister Rachel and her boyfriend.

“We reached out to his biological family. He’s the youngest of four and we’re meeting his brother in a few weeks. His sister is in New York,” said Janet Pence.

Nadia and Greg Manatan both came from a big family and wanted the same thing for their children, so they adopted Joshua and Kamir. Their adoption of the two special-needs boys was just finalized three days ago.

“People always think adoptive kids have issues, but I try to show them that your biological kids give you issues, too,” said Nadia Manatan. 

Most families were adopting young children. The Rhodes family, however, was welcoming three biological teen sisters who have been a part of the family for two and a half years. 

“It was really hard at first to transition. It’s complicated. But I am happy now,” said 15-year old Tala. “We just disagree sometimes.”

“But that’s what every family does is disagree,” countered oldest sister Aya. 

“For other teenage foster kids, you just have to believe that you’re going to be OK,” said Sara, who is the youngest sister. “We knew we were going to be OK and that we had someone watching over us.”

The Adoption Day ceremony was a wonderful celebration for the families, but the legal change in status was not necessary for the parents and children to be a family.

For Aya, “It’s just a piece of paper.”