Three families celebrated during Michigan Adoption Day ceremony

A happy ending took place for three families Tuesday in Centreville.
As part of the 13th annual Michigan Adoption Day, St. Joseph County Probate Court Judge David Tomlinson invited the public to witness the confirmation of five children among a trio of families.
A packed courtroom watched as Tomlinson swore in the new parents and completed an oath that made the process official and final.
Tomlinson, in his third year taking part in the county’s Adoption Day ceremony, started the process with Sturgis resident Cheryl Ethell, who was adopting her maternal granddaughters: 8-year-old Marissa Carry and sister Haley, 9.
Three Rivers residents Brooke and Jessen Tompkins were next, with the adoptions of 1-year-olds Jolene and Jonathan.
Then, Centreville’s Jim Shears and his fiancée, Lynda Hart, completed the ceremony with the adoption of 3-year-old Jackson. Due to a glitch in paperwork, Jackson’s older brother will be adopted by the couple early next year.
Michigan Adoption Day is staged as part of National Adoption Day, observed by more than 30 counties in Michigan, making it the state with the greatest amount of participation in the country.