SCRANTON — As their troupe waited to enter the courtroom, Andraus Marcus Jr. leaned over and whispered to his case manager.
“I’m going to try to keep it together,” he said. “I’m going to try.”
Marcus, 43, of Albrightsville, was about to triple the size of his family during Lackawanna County’s annual Adoption Day.
The federal government recognizes November as National Adoption Month, and every year the county holds a special day to celebrate.
Eleven children were adopted on Friday in the Government Center at The Globe.
Marcus and his children were first in line to go before Judge Patricia Corbett.
He adopted four sisters, ages 4, 5, 10 and 11. They wore velvet dresses and skittered around their dad as they entered the courtroom, which was decorated to look like a Christmas wonderland — or as much like a wonderland as you can make in a courtroom.
For a few hours, family court pulled out all the stops to make a memorable experience.
County workers with the county Office of Youth and Family Services wore elf costumes and sat in the jury box. One tossed glitter. Another did cartwheels. Costume characters including a Christmas tree, the Grinch and a snowman wandered in and out of the courtroom.
Marcus, who never married, spent his working years as an English teacher. He longed for a big family.
“I always wanted to help children who are less fortunate than others,” he said. “I’m grateful that I have the strength to do it, and the patience to do it.”
His case worker, Cara Kobeski, and Adriane Heine, adoption coordinator at Friendship House, the agency that managed the adoption and evaluated Marcus’ fitness for fatherhood, said he defends them fiercely. He gives them stability, direction and encouragement, they said.
Seven years ago, Marcus adopted an 11-year-old boy through Lackawanna County.The girls lived with him for two years as foster children.
He’ll receive a stipend through Friendship House until the youngest turns 18.
It’s common for adoptive families to choose new names. The girls now will be called Mia, Sophia, Arianna and Annalise.
“He’s an excellent parent and they all have a very strong bond,” Heine testified before Corbett. “I highly recommend the adoption.”
After she took testimony from Marcus and Heine, the judge posed a question to the girls, and asked them to identify the man who sat next to them.
“Mr. Marcus,” a little voice piped up, sounding a little unsure, but formal.
The judge asked if he should be their dad. They all let out a resounding, “Yes.”
Corbett invited the four girls behind the bench to crack the gavel, and tears ran down Marcus’ cheeks. He visibly struggled to keep it together.
Outside the courtroom, Annalise zipped up to Marcus to ask him a question.
“Dad …,” she started, like she had been calling him that name for years.
Contact the writer: joconnell@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9131; @jon_oc on Twitter