Most people don't smile from the witness stand in South Central District Judge Gail Hagerty's courtroom. But most people are not in the courtroom for the reason Kellie Weisenburger was Friday afternoon.

It was a special day for Leon and Kellie Weisenburger, of Underwood, as they became the legal parents of 8-month-old Rylee, the child they came to love as a daughter long before it was made legal.

"I know you're already a family, so today we're just taking care of technicalities," Hagerty told the Weisenburgers as she granted them custody of their first child.

Rylee giggled and babbled through the proceeding.

Today is National Adoption Day, so West Central Human Service Center, which helps carry out the adoptions, hosted a reception Friday at the courthouse. Refreshments were served, and each adopted child received a teddy bear to commemorate the day.

The Weisenburgers have had custody of Rylee since March 21, the day she was born.

"It's just been wonderful having our family be completed," Leon Weisenburger said. "It's so nice to finally have her last name be the same as ours."

The Weisenburgers said they plan to adopt more children.

"I'll always welcome another grandbaby," said Vicki Benzmiller, Kellie Weisenburger's mother. "Rylee's already been a part of our family for a long time."

Gordon and Mary Jo Jangula, of Bismarck, also adopted a daughter Friday.

The Jangulas brought 2-year-old Katelynn into their home as a foster child when she was 4 months old.

Friday afternoon she became their legal daughter, joining the Jangulas' biological sons, 6-year-old Trajan and 5-month-old Tyson.

Before the proceeding, Trajan held the little girl who soon would legally be his sister, on his lap.

"He's been very protective of her," Mary Jo Jangula said. "The whole family has adapted so well."

The Jangulas are relieved to finally have Katelynn be a legal member of their family.

"It's been a long process," Gordon Jangula said. "We're glad it's over and finalized."

Rita Weisz is the regional supervisor of child welfare for the Bismarck area through the West Central Human Service Center. She said children are usually adopted at birth, like Rylee, or come into a home as a foster child and are eventually adopted when the biological parents' rights are terminated, like Katelynn.

"Foster parents adopting their foster children is more common in North Dakota than in other states," she said.

Ninety-five foster children have been adopted by their foster parents in North Dakota this year. At any given time, there are 10 to 15 children waiting to be adopted in North Dakota.

"Most of the foster parents don't expect to end up adopting the children," Weisz said. "But it's such a good thing because they don't have to move around so much. Many of these kids have been in foster care a long time."

This is the first year the West Central Human Service Center has celebrated National Adoption Day. Weisz said the center plans to make the event annual.

"It's important to recognize these families that are adopting and let people know there are kids out there that need homes," Weisz said. "It's so neat to follow these cases and see them be finalized."

(Reach reporter Katie Brown at 250-8225 or katie.brown@;bismarcktribune.com.)