November Adoption Update: FINALIZATION!!!

This morning we all loaded up to drive to the courthouse for the finalization of Adelia's adoption [insert cheers and "woo-hoo's" here].


We were hoping Adelia would take her morning nap on the drive down, but she did not. [Maybe it was Ella hollering out from the back seat the letters she was finding for the alphabet game? Or maybe it was the fact that Isaac was singing at the top of his lungs the entire way there?]

Not sure, but nap or no nap, we arrived.


We met up with our lawyer and waited in the courthouse for our appointment, along with several other families.

November is National Adoption Month, and tomorrow (the 15th) is National Adoption Day. So today is a big day for the courthouse we were at; it's their celebration of National Adoption Day and they processed several adoptions today.

Here we are, waiting in the hallway.


Finally we were called into the courtroom, where we stood in front of the judge with our lawyer. We were asked some questions, which we answered in the affirmative, and then the judge pronounced the adoption final and her name change completed (note to you: for the past seven months, although she has been "Adelia" to us (and thus, to you), she has legally been her given name- and all social workers, doctors, and anyone within this adoption process calls her by her originally-given name.) No longer.

After the formal words were spoken, the judge invited us back to where he sits; our children were able to sit in his seat and shake his hand (note to self: work on the kids' hand-shaking skills!) and then we got a picture with the judge.



Because of all the adoptions being processed, the court had quite the festivities planned for the day, so we waited a bit more for those to begin.


[In the following set of pictures, I was trying to get a smile from our sleepy girl.]



She finally (barely) obliged.


And finally... the long-awaited nap!


The festivities included a few speakers-- our favorite: a father of fifteen (eleven of which are adopted through the foster-care system!), a formal introduction of each newly-adopted child, during which they handed out teddy bears for each child. Oh- and our kids' favorite part: the cookies and balloons also handed out! Our adoption agency also gave each of our children a stuffed lamb, so they were all quite tickled.

Then we walked for a bit to let the kids stretch their legs before the drive home, and had lunch together.

Here's Adelia, expressing her frequent, "Praise the Lord!"


And then- the drive home. Much quieter, that. Isaac, Isaias, and Adelia all slept. Ella was quiet in the back seat, though not sleeping.

Mark and I reminisced about the past several months-- that first phone call and our acceptance of this little girl we'd never laid eyes on, our first visit, my hesitations and fears (and really very clear to me after-the-fact: a serious spiritual attack) leading up to and even following that first visit, God's faithfulness in calming my heart and reassuring us of His plan, the come-and-get-her phone call, bringing her home with us for the first time, and all the joys since. We didn't have time to cover the entire adoption process- beginning at the paperwork stage!

What a wonderful journey God has led us on, and what a beautiful gift He has given us in Adelia. His plans are so very right.

When we pulled up to our house, this is what we were met with:


[What you don't see here (er, other than our last name!) are the flowers, the homemade goodies, the cards, and the gifts given to us by our amazing friends!] Here's one of those gifts (again, I've blurred out our last name on this one, but you get the point!)



And so, today it was made official what we've felt in our hearts all along: this precious girl is our daughter. Oh, how that makes my heart glad!

Thank you, so many of you- for your encouragement, friendship and prayers for us during this process. You've truly walked through it with us. We love you and appreciate you.

33 comments:

  1. Yay!! Yay for the families that God makes!!!

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  2. What a day of rejoicing! Thanks for sharing it with us. Adelia is blessed, as are all of you! Yippeee!!!
    Love,
    Rebeca

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  3. Stacy!!

    Praising God with you...what a wonderful answer to prayer-and on my birthday! God is so good and I am so happy for your beautiful God growing family!!

    Adelia is a beauty and you are definitely BLESSED!!

    (((hugs))))
    Kimmie
    mama to 6
    one homemade and 5 adopted

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  4. PRAISE GOD and CONGRATULATIONS to your family. I to have beautiful memories of the day my youngest officially joined our family! Thank you for sharing your story! So encouraging.

    May God continue to pour out HIS richest blessings on your family!

    sb

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  5. Oh, how very wonderful!!!!! Praising the Lord for such a wonderful summary to THIS part of Adelia's story. Her sweet little face just makes me delighted! You are so very blessed, but then you already know that:)

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  6. What a sweet post. Thanks for sharing. I am rejoicing with you! (Love the picture of you all with the judge where your pregnant tummy shows. You guys are so blessed with a 'heritage from the Lord'!

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  7. Reading this brought tears to my eyes.

    Your family is beautiful.

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  8. Those courthouse halls have a wonderful memory for us also. The very came courthouse where we finalized our adoption to our sweet daughter 5 years ago! I am so happy for your family. Love to you, Tami

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  9. Oh, how absolutely wonderful! I am so happy for your family. What a beautiful journey, ordained by God since the beginning of time. Adelia is adorable, and those lips! Whew, how kissable! :) Blessings to the whole family!

    Amy Crawford

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  10. tears of joy for you and your family!
    so, so happy for you and for her. i have followed along the whole journey and reading this today made my heart so glad and i am praising God for his work in your life and family. so, so amazing!

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  11. Where have I been? How in the world did I miss the fact that this was happenning this week??? Congratulations!! I am so very happy for you all. I've been blessed watching the journey.

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  12. Praise the Lord! What a wonderful day. Thanks for the update and all the fun pictures!

    We are rejoicing with you, and so happy that God has blessed your family so richly!

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  13. Oh, Stacy, many congratulations to you all! Those final court visits are sure special aren't they?

    It has been such a blessing to me to watch your family grow.

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  14. Oh YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Congrats guys! I pray for blessings on your whole family!

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  15. I am sooooo happy for all of you! This day is such a wonderful testimony to God's goodness. He is so good, isn't He? So, YAY!!! Sending love to your beautiful family (you look great, btw)!

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  16. Yeah!!!!!!
    I got goose bumps reading this post and "re-living" some of those moments.
    We are so very, very, very happy for Adelia and for your family!!!

    Great is His faithfulness!!!
    :)

    love, michelle

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  17. Hi Stacy, Mark :) What a day! What a joy. Rejoicing with you. Love, Q&co

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  18. My bloglines never updated this! What is going on!

    I am so glad to have read it now.
    I love your story and the wonderful pictures. You look gorgeous in them!
    And that onesie is awesome, I love it.

    So thankful for you guys for this entire journey through which God brought you your daughter!

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  19. Praise the Lord! What an incredible journey it was to follow!

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  20. Thank you all for rejoicing with us!
    ~Stacy

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  21. Oh, Stacy, my heart is so full reading the (legal) conclusion to the adoption that God ordained from the time of creation. Hallelujah, the law has recognized what God has made: your family, at this moment. I look forward with joyful prayer to its growth! Blessings,
    Annie

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  22. I am so happy for you guys. This is indeed very wonderful news. Congratulations!

    -Helen

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  23. Crying with joy for you, my friend. Love you! She is simply beautiful.

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  24. Congratulations! I've just become a sobbing, blubbery mess here at work. What wonderful people you and your husband are! I can only imagine the adults your children will become.

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  25. Congrats to your family, Stacy!

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  26. First of all, congratulations on the finalization! I stumbled upon your blog tonight, and God's timing is perfect (as usual, and no surprise there!). We are in the process of adoption, and tonight is a mid-paperwork, when will we ever know anything, moment of discouragement. Thank you for sharing your moment of happiness. It reminded me that God is putting our family together in His timing - one step at a time. Blessings, Bethany

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  27. Stacy my heart is so glad and filled with joy...God is so good. Praise the Lord!

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  28. Congrats! Finalization day is always exciting! God bless your family!

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  29. Congratulations! I am so thrilled for you! :) May God bless Adelia abundantly and may she always love Jesus and walk in His ways. May you have wisdom and discernment in training her up according to her own bent.

    Grace and Peace,
    Angel

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