Nine and Counting: The Magana Family Grows Through Adoption
There’s no end to the love in the John and Janet Magana family of Santee.
The Maganas began adopting children 33 years ago, starting with five children from Mexico. Last Friday, they added two more boys to the family and will soon be adding the boys’ younger half-sister. They also have a biological child of their own.
If you’ve lost count, that makes nine children. And they’re not sure they’re finished yet.
“We had our six children and we were basically done raising them,” said Janet. “I convinced my husband to start being foster parents.
“We had no intention of adopting, but we got involved in the Options program where you take care of drug- and alcohol-exposed children.”
That’s where the latest additions to the family come in. Twins Jonathan and Steven were placed with the Maganas temporarily. The twins were born premature and in need of special care.
“We were supposed to have Jonathan and Steven for just a month,” said Janet. “But that turned into a year and when they went up for adoption, we just knew we had to have them.”
The couple’s already big hearts opened even wider when the twins’ half-sister also came up for adoption. When they completed the twins’ adoption ceremony Friday, they told the judge they hoped to see him again in six months – to complete the girl’s adoption.
“That will make nine children,” said Janet. “And, we’re going to keep fostering.
“There is just such a huge need.”
Janet said her friends are sometimes surprised that the older couple keeps adding to their family.
“My friends were like, “you’re adopting another one?” she said with a laugh. “I’d say to them, ‘well, if you’d adopt a child, then I wouldn’t have to adopt another one.’
“We need more families to step up because the rewards far outweigh the sacrifices.”
Sometimes people mistake John, whose hair is salt-and-pepper, for the younger kids’ grandfather.
“That’s okay,” he says. “It’s a great conversation starter and lets me talk to them about adoption.
“(Jonathan and Steven) are special needs children and we have a heart for that.”
The boys have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. And special needs or not, they need the same thing every other child does, according to John.
“They will grow up to be fine young people,” he said. “They just need what everyone needs, and that’s a lot of love.”
It was no coincidence that the adoption was finalized Friday. That was the day San Diego County Health and Human Services (HHSA) Foster and Adoptive Resource Family Services celebrated National Adoptions Day.
“It’s a special day,” said Barbara Wojtach, HHSA senior protective services worker. “There is a lot of camaraderie amongst the families and then there’s a sense that ‘this is our day.’
“It’s a chance to bring everyone together and celebrate their adoptions and a lot of the social workers for both the children and families are able to be here and be a part of it.”
Twenty-nine children had their adoptions finalized. It’s the culmination of a sometimes long but rewarding process.
“The education the County offers to adoptive parents is fantastic, the support group is fantastic, you just really couldn’t do it without all that,” said Janet.
“All the services the County offers make adoption affordable for so many families.”
Wojtach said the need is always there for forever families, especially for those willing to take in larger sets of three or more siblings or older children.
“That’s what this is all about – finding the children families for a lifetime,” said Wojtach. “That’s something these children will have for the rest of their lives.”
For more information about adoption, please visit www.iadoptu.org.