After years of being foster parents, June 13 marked a major turning point: adoption day.
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Nate Rosas met Rita Marlow and Seth Lentchner, of Bensalem, a decade ago when he played soccer with their son, Zach. A few years later, the family took him in -- first as their foster child.
"After the first year and a half, Nate had decided that this is where he wanted to stay," Marlow said.
After years of paperwork and hearings, Nate's adoption finally became official on Tuesday. If their yard -- plastered in signs that say "Gotcha Day" and "Nate the Great" -- is any indication, it was a celebration years in the making.
Like any good big brother, Nate Rosas makes the little guys work hard to beat him.
Like any 16-year-old boy, he gets embarrassed when his mom, Rita, tries to hug him.
"I don't know, I can't put it into words," he said.
But he secretly loves it. He's been waiting for a day like this his entire life.
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"It's an overwhelming sense of relief knowing that we're just done. We can finally get to be where we want to be the entire time," said his father, Seth.
Fifty-two people walked into the courtroom wearing shirts that said "family." More than 100 lined the block later to celebrate his homecoming.
"I can't even, it's such a wonderful feeling," Rita said.
It was all to celebrate one boy and his personal heroes: his family.
"There are just no words to explain how grateful I am for my family," said Rita.