SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - It's been smooth sailing for 6-year-old Gavin and 3-year-old Sophia, with few bumps along the way.
Gavin and Sophia have known no other life than the one with their two dads.
We got Gavin very young. He was 7 weeks old when he came into our home," Ed said.
Ed and Derek say they chose to adopt through San Diego County Adoptions because of the huge need to find adoptive homes for local foster kids.
"We knew that we wanted to raise children. We had friends who were looking at private adoption or even doing surrogacy and that type of thing, but we knew there were always 200 children on average that needed homes in San Diego County," Ed said.
Speaking through an interpreter, Derek, who is deaf, says the support they received from the county was excellent.
"And you know being gay, it's very different than the standard of having straight parents, but the social worker treated us as equals, and so there was no concern or anxiety with that," Derek said.
When it came time to adopt their second child, Derek and Ed were actually able to take their baby girl Sophia home from the hospital.
"We were chosen for Sophia because both of her parents are deaf," Ed said.
Being raised in a family with a dad who is deaf means Sophia can sign, something that was important to her biological mother and father.
"It's about learning the culture, so when she meets her real parents later on down the line, if she does, she can sign with them, so it's important for communication," Derek said.
Derek says he's so proud of both Gavin and Sophia, who are slowly becoming fluent in sign language.
"I feel like the kids, they're bilingual in English and ASL, so it's very good. They're very intelligent kids," Derek said.
And though Derek can't hear his kids, what he sees travels deep down to his soul.
"I feel that I can emotionally connect with the kids. I can see their emotion and feel I can relate," Derek said.
And preserving part of Sophia's roots is just a bonus.
"We're just really blessed we feel, and I think we have two perfect children," Ed said.
If you're interested in adopting, call 1-877-I-ADOPT-U (1-877-423-6788) during regular business hours.
