LANSING — The courtroom for the Michigan Supreme Court is usually where some of the state’s more complicated legal questions get worked out, but this week it served a different purpose.
There were judges and a few questions, but also teddy bears as the Michigan Supreme Court celebrated the 23rd annual Adoption Day on Nov. 25, with the finalizations of two new families.
Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Megan Cavanagh told the gathered crowd that the event was “a powerful reminder” that the state’s highest serves everyone, including and “especially children.”
“For the families this morning, this is truly the first day of the rest of your lives,” she said. “And I am confident that it will only get better from here.”
Lyonel Woolley and his wife, Monalisa live in Eaton Rapids and saw the court finalize the adoptions of their two new daughters, Autumn, 2, and Milah, 7. They first got the call about the girls in December 2022, he said, when Autumn was still a baby and Milah was just 5.
The Woolleys, married since 1999 with one son, didn’t hesitate, but needed to quickly get a crib and other items. Woolley said that while the past three years haven’t been easy, they’ve also been great.
“I just wish a lot of families (pursued adoption),” he said after the ceremony. “Because you think about, the child has a first loss of their biological parents and then they come live with you. And you have to create this bond, this love and open up so they can open up and trust you.”
The official adoption would have been special if it fell in any week of the year, he said, but it added something different to the Woolley family’s Thanksgiving plans.
“It’s more special this year,” he said, “because we’re starting a new tradition with a new family.”
Lori Adams and her husband, Timothy Jackson, of Delta Township, finalized the adoption of Lori’s 5-year-old grandson Jackson during the event as well.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: 2 Eaton County families finalize adoptions at Michigan’s 23rd annual Adoption Day
Reporting by Matt Mencarini, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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