Middlesex County celebrates adoption National Adoption Day observed with 16 families adopting 21 children BY CHRIS MURINO Staff Writer NEW BRUNSWICK - Yellow. Pink. Purple. Green. The fluorescent balloons are everywhere. Gift bags line the floor, filled with toys. Kids are holding Spider- Man coloring books. A young boy sits with his hair gelled, in a suit tailor-made for the happiest of occasions, ready for his big moment: He is about to be adopted. It was quite the rare sight - a festive atmosphere at the Middlesex County Courthouse in New Brunswick. The event was part of the county's celebration of National Adoption Day, which sets out to promote adoptions and highlight the process. On Nov. 27, 16 families adopted a total of 21 children. With tears welling in his eyes, Christopher Clark, of Piscataway, emerged from the courtroom after his adoption proceeding. He adopted 9-yearold Anthony, his wife's son, whom he has been caring for since the boy was 2. Clark said it was good to get the legal rights so that Anthony could have his last name and feel more comfortable in his own shoes. "Having a different last name was hard for him," he said. "He was having trouble at school." Another such family was Vincent Sagona, Laurie LeFever and their newly adopted 15-month-old daughter, Gabriela. "She's the star of the show today," LeFever said as her smiling daughter ran around the courtroom in her pink dress. "I didn't know I'd feel so overwhelmed by it all. It's been a wild, overwhelming ride." After eight years of miscarriage and infertility, the Metuchen couple decided to adopt. "You have to get over the grieving," Sagona said of the realization that they could not bear their own child. Before Sagona, LeFever and the other families went into the courtroom for their individual adoption proceedings, a ceremony was held with speakers from around the area extolling the virtues of adoption. Retired Assignment Judge Robert Longhi has presided over at least 780 adoptions, and he said he has a picture of every one of them. "It is indeed a joyous occasion," Longhi said. "The parents are anxious. There's a lot of red tape thrown in their way." Sagona and LeFever certainly went through their share of red tape. "You have to be picked," LeFever said. "You have to make a photo album of your life. You have to show who you are as a person. It was the most challenging part." Registered through Spence & Chapin, an adoption agency, they decided on an open adoption, in which they would meet the birth parents, who will maintain contact with their child. "We have a relationship with them," LeFever said of the birth parents. "They're 16 and 17 years old. They're two of the most courageous young people I've ever met. We'll see them for Christmas." Why choose an open adoption? Sagona said it's easier on the child for them to know their parents. "Identity issues may be what tears adoptees apart," Sagona said. "They feel they've been lied to their whole childhood." Superior Court Judge Robert P. Figarotta presided over the adoptions. "This is the only truly happy thing that happens in this building, for everybody," the judge said. "When Judge Francis made me the offer to do the adoptions, I said 'Absolutely.' This is the fun part of my job." Louis Kady, from the Middlesex County Bar Association, brought the idea of National Adoption Day to the surrogate's office after having heard of the event during his grandchildren's adoption ceremony in Colorado. "My son loves it," Kady said. "He couldn't be happier. He loves his two little kids." "This is the seventh year [for National Adoption Day]," said Middlesex County Surrogate Kevin J. Hoagland. "I was not aware of this. It was brought to our attention by Mr. Kady, and hats off to him. We want to bring to the public the whole idea of adoption. There are so many children out there ready to be adopted." As for Sagona and LeFever, they are just happy to finally get this official. "Now she'll have her name," LeFever said. "It's like a marriage," Sagona said. "Do you really need to be married? No. But, it's a nice thing to be bonded in that way." LeFever said having a family means truth, love and fun. Sagona just wants her daughter to be happy. "We want to provide an environment where she can be what she's meant to be," Sagona said.