BILLINGS - Montana has nearly 2,000 children in foster care, waiting to meet their forever family. An event in Billings celebrated that union for seventeen children Saturday, as their adoptions became final.

Teddi Shorton says since the first day she met Riley, she felt like "mom", but it wasn't until this day, it became official. "When I first met him, he looked up at me and I put a bottle in his mouth and he just relaxed. It was like he knew he was home, so it was a good day for us," says Mother Teddi Shorton.

Four year old Riley became a part of the Shorton household as a foster baby at three months, and he's been there ever since. "I love my family and I play with them a lot like my adoption part and with all my friends," says Riley Shorton. "The minute we got him we knew he was ours, it was like oh yeah he fits right in,"says Teddi Shorton.

With their own children and grandchildren, the Shortons say they never planned to become foster parents. But when they heard how many children needed foster parents, they couldn't resist. "There's a lot of kids out there that need help, so we took a chance and we got lucky."

Before his adoption, Riley was one of the nearly 2,000 children in foster care in Montana. As part of national adoption month, Montana Family Services and the Dave Thomas Foundation celebrate as Riley and sixteen other children finalize their adoptions.

Teddi says the lengthy adoption process made her think this day would never come. "One-thousand, four-hundred and 87 days, that's how long it's been since we wanted him, it's been so long, I'm going to cry. It means a lot to us,"

And now it's a day she'll never forget. Officials with Montana Adoption Services say they need parents who are willing to adopt children over the age of twelve.