My name is Pete Delkus.  I live in Grafton, Ohio, with my wife, Helene, and our nine sons, six of whom were adopted.  Our boys range in age from three to twelve years old.  We cannot imagine our family without them.  They're all our boys, and we love them very much.

Our boys are named, in order of appearance:  Pete Charles, Jr. (12); Mark Adam (11); Colin Frank (10); Anton Isaac (9); Belvedere (Derek) Antwon (8); Nicholas Hayes (7); Nathaniel Mason (6); Evander (Evan) Robert (5); and Cason Patrick (3). 

Three (Anton, Derek, and Evander) were adopted from Georgia (the state, not the country).  Nicholas is from China; the youngest (Cason) came from Ireland.  As for Nathaniel, he's our African son, from Kenya.

Even though four of our sons are of different races, this matters not at all.  We see them as the beautiful little boys they are:  they are our sons, first and foremost.

The same applies to their disabilities. 

So what if Cason uses a walker to walk or that Nathaniel and Derek use crutches.  So what if Anton and Nicholas are deaf and communicate via ASL (American Sign Language).  So what if Evander has Down syndrome.  The fact is this: they are kids first and last. 

No in between.  Case closed!

There were issues at the beginning, but as Derek, Nicholas, Anton, Evander, Nathaniel and Cason got used to us (and each other), they settled in fine.

We are a big, happy, strong family.  Still some problems with language, family rules, or boys being boys or copping attitudes.  More often than not, the boys are everything we could have ever dreamed of (or hoped for).  They are good sons, and I'm proud to be their Dad.

I hope that their Mom and I earn their pride and respect.  Somehow, I don't see that being a problem.

At least, we hope.  :)

We are indeed blessed, and the boys have since learned that our home is "just the right place" for them to be.