Adoption Day!

As this day got closer and closer, Kelly and I barely let ourselves think about it. We felt confident that Beverly's birth father would stay out of the picture, but you can never be sure. I called the lawyer the Monday before court just to make sure everything was all set for the big day. When I spoke to the paralegal she told me that the birth father had contacted her at the end of May to verify court dates and she felt like he would probably show up at court.
I was trying not to freak out, and just kept praying that everything would be okay. The guy had had every opportunity to follow court protocol to get his child back (but didn't), we had offered to let him see her back in December, but he wasn't interested and we had not heard from him since. His only plan was to let Bev stay with his mother and he was no where near financially stable. Plus, the woman who did our home study said that in 35 years she had never seen any birth parent show up at court and get their child back. All this sounds very reasonable and not worrisome now, but we were still worried.
We wanted the kids there, but in the off chance that the birth father showed up, we asked a good friend to come and sit with us that could take the kids home if it turned into a mess. She was wonderful and the kids love her. Kelly and I sat with the kids on the second floor of the court house and watched the atrium for anyone that might look like the few descriptions I have had of Bev's birth father.
We sat for 15 loooooooong minutes and then the court clerk called us all into a conference room. Our lawyer had me sign 2 copies of a birth certificate request. We sat down, got the kids all settled with toys and crayons and then the Judge came in. Kelly and I had to stand and swear that the answers we gave would be truthful. The lawyer then began talking. Fast. He basically reiterated the story of how we got Bev, how the birth father was not involved, and then asked if we understood how the responsibilities of taking care of another child. (I thought to myself "we better, we have been doing it for a while now") but we just said yes.
Then the judge piped up and looked like he was going to ask a hard question, but the all he asked was how many copies of the adoption decree we wanted. He told us the case would be closed and would need a court order to ever have it opened again. He said that we would be on the birth cretificate as the parents of this child. Then he stood up. Then everyone else stood up. And I just sat there and looked around. I looked at the clerk, and asked if we were done. She smiled and said yes. I got all weapy and told her that it had been a long 8 months. We got up and took pictures and the judge told me I could stop worrying now. Apparently I looked a little nervous.
After all of our ups and downs, worrying and gaurding our hearts she is finally ours! She belongs with our family and no where else. I truly felt that before I had even met this little spit fire. I am so thankful to my Father in Heaven that he placed this sweet angel in our lives.

The Judge wanted a picture with us. He said that this was the happy part of his job. It was a happy part of mine too!




This is a common occurance at the house. It usually ends in a wrestle match though.



I told them to show me what their faces looked like when they found out Bev was their sister for real.