'It's the happiest day of our lives': King County celebrates Adoption Day with 20 adoptions



SEATTLE - About 1,800 children in Washington are ready to be adopted.

On Friday, Q13 News met some of the kids who do not have to wait any longer.

“I’ve been in four foster homes and I’ve been in two group homes,” Delontea Sallee said.

Sallee gave a speech at the King County Courthouse, and in the crowd Delontea's new mom Amanda was bursting with pride.

“I want him to be successful I want him to be happy,” Amanda Sallee said.

It's the kind of unconditional love the 17 year-old has never had.

He's already made so many memories.

There is prom, football games with his dad Cliff and countless family outings with his new siblings.

“They are very energetic,” Delontea said.

It took Delontea seven years to find a forever family, the same amount of time it took the Walling couple to finally have a child to call their own.

“It's the happiest day of our lives, and we are barely holding back the tears,” Sean Walling said.

Justus came into the couple's lives as a newborn.

“He was only 6 pounds he was very tiny,” Melissa Walling said.

As foster parents they've felt the pain of losing a child before.

“They are subject to reunification with the birth families and we’ve experienced that and all the emotions that's come with that, it’s devastating,” Sean said.

But on National Adoption Day in King County it was only good emotions for the 23 families including Bill and Becky White who adopted two siblings.

“I was adopted and I had wonderful parents, I know if my parents were still alive I know they would be jumping up and down for joy because of these two characters,” Bill said.

Levi and Austin are going to keep the Bill and Becky busy. As for Delontea's family you can tell there will be a lot of laughs.

“We have weird random sometimes awkward conversations, girl advice, Starbucks runs,” Amanda said.

In King County more than 480 kids have been adopted this year. Adoption advocates hope stories like this will bring more awareness and urge people to foster or adopt.

Click here to learn more about King County adoption services.