VIDEO– Man Adopts Pair of Siblings from Foster Care: ‘I Love Being a Dad’

Saturday was National Adoption Day and several children found their permanent families the day prior in Independence, Missouri, Fox 4 KC reported.

Among the families was Steven Fishell and his own adopted children.

He was a foster dad who became a single dad after adopting 11-year-old Ian and his baby sister, nine-month-old Piper. Now, he wants his story to inspire people to foster.

“I saw a real need for children to have safe and secure homes. I felt like I had the ability and capacity to provide the love, support, and structure for kids,” Fishell recalled.

In March of last year, he took on the role of being Ian’s foster dad.

“It was terrifying. That first day was so, like – oh my gosh, they put a child in my home. What do I do with this kid?” Fishell explained.

Following one of Ian’s court dates, the pair came home, and Fishell got a phone call from the caseworker.

“The caseworker called me and said, ‘you’re going to want to sit down,'” he noted.

The little boy’s biological mother had given birth to Piper, his half-sister, and she was going to be brought into their family as well.

“She’s his baby, and to me, it’s not all about the blood. It’s about being a family, and that’s what they are. To see her from day one and to blossom and have this as a reality – it’s awesome,” Fishell’s mother, Pam Tull, commented.

When Friday came, the paperwork was signed then everything became official. The family later enjoyed a big celebration.

Now, Fishell said he will keep fostering children and might adopt others in the future.

“There’s 1,700 kids in the state of Missouri that need a place to be,” he explained. “I love being a dad. I live and breathe for my children.”

According to its website, National Adoption Day is an effort to raise awareness for the over 120,000 children waiting to be adopted in the United States.