Cupid himself must have had a hand in planning Valentine's Day, ArtWalk and the opening of Heart Gallery all on the same day.

It was a perfect blend, with something to touch the heart of everyone who ventured downtown Thursday evening.

At the heart of the monthly Artwalk was a special exhibit at the Center for Contemporary Arts known as the Heart Gallery.

The exhibit, which will remain at the center through March 31, features 24 large framed photographs of children currently in foster care and waiting to be adopted.

The heart-warming photos show the children on swings, playing in the yard or even posing -- all the things kids normally do.

Heart Gallery is a project of Child Protective Services in collaboration with child welfare boards and community volunteers. Regions 2 and 9 of CPS are headquartered in Abilene and include 60 counties.

Bit Whitaker, director for the two regions, said the local Heart Gallery is modeled after one that started in Santa Fe, N.M., in 2001. It proved to be so successful at placing children with adoptive families that the project expanded.

"It was just a whole new way of thinking about recruiting families for these children," Whitaker said.

The photos, printing and framing for the Abilene display were all done free of charge by local photographers in the two CPS regions.

Grettel Cottner and her two daughters, Katherine, 4, and Gabriella, 2, provided all the proof anyone needed that adoption can be successful.

Cottner and her husband, Daniel, adopted the girls, who are not birth sisters, when each was 2 weeks old.

The Cottners already had three sons, who are now 18, 17 and 12. At first the boys were hesitant about taking in additional siblings. The middle son even said, "Why? Are we not good enough for you?" Cottner said.

The couple decided to take Katherine as a foster child to "test the water." That was all it took to bring the boys around.

"They have a great bond with the girls," Cottner said. "They found a new meaning to life."

With more than 4,400 children waiting to be adopted in Texas, plenty of opportunities exist for other families.

Adopting the girls was an act of faith for the Cottner family that turned out to be a match made in heaven. The girls got a loving home, and the rest of the family got something special, too.

"They turned it around and bless us every day," Cottner said.