SUNBURY -- Usually courtroom two at the Northumberland County Courthouse is reserved for hearings and guilty pleas, but on Friday there were children running around, face painting, balloon animals, even a photo booth.
It was all to celebrate National Adoption Awareness Month and Northumberland County's fifth annual Adoption Day.
"The children are in foster care for a reason and it's really nice when we can provide permanency for them by celebrating such a day as today," said Cathy Gemberling, director of social services.
There were 39 children adopted this year in Northumberland County and 28 of them celebrated at the courthouse with their new families. That includes the McKeague family of Lock Haven. In October, they adopted seven-year-old Sophia.
"Sophia really has just completed our lives. It was what we were looking for and didn't know what we were missing until we met her," said Rebecca McKeague.
"Watching her make strides and experience things that she's never experienced before is just incredible," said Alvin McKeague.
Out of the 28 children that attended, six of them will be adopted at the event. Their parents say they couldn't be happier.
"He's been with us for so long. He's part of the family. It's a good thing. That way there's no chance of him going where he doesn't need to be and he's safe," said Jeff Cook of Danville.
Jeff and Cindy Cook say their adopted son George came from an abusive household. They took him in as a foster child.
"That was last November and we've had him ever since," Cook said.
Northumberland County Children and Youth said it is in need of more foster families to take in the almost 150 foster children in the county.
