JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Sheeks already have two grown children of their own and never thought they would foster six children, much less adopt them.
But that's exactly what they did Monday.
"When they came to us, we just fell in love with them," Lisa Sheek said.
She and her husband officially adopted five girls and one boy, ranging in age from 2-12. The children are siblings from two different families and are now one big family.
"It's true they're not ordinary children. They are extraordinary and they are survivors and they are my heroes," Sheek said.
It's something that's been on their heart for a while, so they decided to foster the children about one year ago, then decided they just couldn't live without them.
"A lot of people think you won't love a child that's not a biological child as much as you do another child, but we love them just as much, just the same," Sheek said.
One man who knows just how amazing adoption is is Judge David Gooding.
"Adoption is a lot easier than people think it is," Gooding said.
He made the adoption official, just one of between 3,000 and 4,000 children he's adopted out over the years.
"Permanent loving families are a solution to a lot of society's problems," Gooding said. "Children who age out of foster care instead of being adopted are four times more likely to enter the adult criminal justice system and 17 times more likely to be homeless before the age of 21."
If you have questions about fostering or adopting, go to www.fssjax.org/portal.