Legally our Son!

Today was a day that we had waited a long time for. We began looking into adoption in January 2009.  We had no idea back then that it would be three and a half years before we finally legally became parents.What a ride. Today we went to family court for Samuel's finalization hearing.  James testified first, answering questions like "What date were you married?", "When is Samuel's birthdate?" and "What date was Samuel initially transferred to your custody?" I just had to say that I heard his testimony and agreed with it. He got all the dates right. We swore before the judge that we'd care for, provide for and educate Samuel just as if he were our flesh and blood.

The person holding Samuel is the judge. She is part of a large family - most of her siblings were adopted.

Us with the attorney above and in the picture below is our social worker, Kelly.

James and I had the day off, and our parents are coming to celebrate with us this weekend.  We had a great day. We drove out to Montelle Winery in Augusta, MO. They have a cafe that serves lunch, and the food is delicious. The scenery is beautiful, too. We love this place, but we rarely go because it is packed on the weekends.  I'm glad James was able to get off work today so we could do when it was not so crowded.  We had a free wine tasting before we ordered lunch.

 On our way home, we dropped by our financial adviser's office to see this lady.  Gaye is a sweet Christian woman and she has prayed for us for a long time. She kept up with all the disappointments and heartbreak that we faced trying to adopt from Ethiopia. One day in March, James had something that he needed to take to her office, so he took Samuel with him. Gaye was shocked and delighted to see him coming in with an infant carrier! She thought she'd been praying for a brown skinned little girl, but God had other plans. She always loves getting to see Samuel.

 Thank you to all of you who have prayed for us the past three years. There are so many of you who shared our pain and prayed for us faithfully. It is time to rejoice now!

You turned my wailing into dancing;
    you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
    Lord my God, I will praise you forever. Ps. 30:11-12