Some 23 infants found new families today when they were adopted by 22 families in an annual event hosted by Adoption Options Inc.
Andrew and Jennifer Prall, of Ft. Wayne, IN, adopted fraternal twins John Andrew Prall VII and Edward Chester Prall, now five months old.
The parents applied to adopt two and a half years ago, while John was earning his PhD. from Denver University. He since has taken at job at St. Francis University in Ft. Wayne, Ind. She’s a counselor for the Veteran’s Administration.
“I’m a cancer survivor who can’t have kids now, so we really wanted to adopt,” Jennifer said.
The couple was chosen by the twin’s birthmother but have not met her, at her request. The birthmother screened them through videos and letters they wrote.
The ceremony was a celebration for the 22 families, each of whom is required to care for their adopted children for six months before they can legally be awarded custody.
Carol Lawson, executive director for the agency, says there are about 700 children just in Colorado awaiting adoption, and some 144,000 nationally. The agency placed infants into a total of 43 families this year and is trying to expand to placing older children, above 4 years.
Javier Reyes, 37, and his wife, Christen Reyes, 38,couldn’t stop grinning and smiling after the ceremonial adoption today of 9-month-old Savannah, who’s black.
“In terms of race, we were open to any race,” said Christen, who’s Caucasian. Javier was a child therapist working with abandoned children in his native Mexico before he emigrated to the United States. He now works privately as a hypnotherapist.
“We met Savannah’s mother, who was very impressive and very clear she wanted to give her baby up to us,” said Christen, a high school teacher. “The father wasn’t in the picture and I think that was important for her baby to have a father. She also appreciated our interracial marriage and the fact that I was adopted.”
Mike McPhee: 303-954-1409 or mmcphee@denverpost.com
