Three New Families Created Via Adoptions Here Thursday

Last Thursday was an unusually happy day inside the Fayette County District Courtroom. No one got divorced. No one went to prison. No one lost a lawsuit.

Instead, laughter and joy filled the room as District Judge Jeff Steinhauser presided over three adoption proceedings.

“I’ve seen so many ugly things in this courtroom, things you don’t want to talk about,” Steinhauser told the three families assembled in the courtroom. “This is not one of those days.”

One by one, Steinhauser called the families to his bench. In each case, officials from Child Protective Services and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) testified about the love and care they have witnessed from the prospective parents.

Eldridge and Abbie Jackson of Fayetteville went first. Judge Steinhauser questioned their new son, Adam. The youngster testified how much he enjoys riding horses with his dad.

Next were Dustin and Lorretta Greenwood of La Grange. who doubled the size of their family. The Greenwoods have three biological children, and they’ve been fostering three other siblings for the past year – Oliver, Richard, and Mayleigh.

In the final case, Jason Ellis of Schulenburg formally adopted his teenage stepdaughter, Arianna.

Though their stories are different, it would be an understatement to say these children have had less-than-ideal upbringings. But now they have a new beginning.

Judge Steinhauser said he could not recall ever presiding over three adoptions in one day. He asked the families for a personal favor – a photograph of all of them together with him at the bench. All three families obliged his request.

“It’s a beautiful thing to see families come together regardless of what they’ve been through, Steinhauser said.