Thursday, September 11, 2014

We Adopted a Teenager



(Another guest entry by Kim)


CJ’s adoption was finalized in court on Tuesday, September 9, 2014. We could not have asked for a lovelier experience on the big day.

CJ had wanted to keep the event low-key, i.e. not a big party with all our friends. We wanted to respect his wishes and keep the day about him. But as we neared the official date, he decided he wanted to invite three of his school friends (Jacob and twins Maggie and Andy), along with their parents. These two families have been a big part of CJ’s life this past year and have warmly welcomed him to the community, and we were so happy to have them be part of this occasion. We were also impressed that CJ decided to share his Adoption Day with his friends.

Also in attendance were CJ’s grandparents, Cathy and Bobby; CJ’s brother Liam and Liam’s mom/my friend Karen; CJ’s social worker Katy and his lawyer Garry; our social worker Maria; my sister Kara and her boyfriend Brian; and our good friends Jim and Eileen. Robin’s daughter and son, Miranda and Will, both took the day off work to be there (Miranda flying up from DC just for the day) and we are grateful to both of them for making this a very special family event.

In the courtroom, the super nice judge came down from the bench and sat with us at a table and talked to us about our lives and the adoption. She was full of appreciation for what we were doing, and remarked how nice it was to have a happy occasion in court. In a remarkably thoughtful touch, she gave CJ the gavel and instructed him how and when to use it to finalize his own adoption. I loved that. CJ was indeed happy and enthusiastic about the whole occasion, and his good spirits were contagious to everyone.

Talking with the judge in court

Should we be worried that after CJ’s adoption was decreed as “final and irrevocable,” he muttered to us, “You ain’t seen nothing yet!” ??????  Haha love that kid.

Family! Robin, Kim, Liam, CJ, Miranda, William (with judge in back)

Friends!

After court, our group of 20 went to a nearby restaurant for drinks, snacks, and cake. We had a little speaking program in which nearly everyone, including the youths, got up to wish CJ well, and said nice things about him and about us. We really felt the love! One doesn't get to be the center of attention very often in life, but we did enjoy it on this special day.





In a way Tuesday was just a formality. We first met CJ seventeen months ago, and since then we've been working on becoming a family. We’re pretty much an ordinary family now, albeit one in which the three members of the household have three different last names and the 13-year-old calls his parents by their first names. But I still get a hug every morning and every night at bedtime, and Robin is helping CJ with his algebra and shepherding him through his fall soccer season, and we’re trying to get him to brush his teeth without us having to remind him Every. Single. Time. It is all I hoped it would be, and more.

THANK YOU SO MUCH to all our friends and family who have given us your unconditional support, and opened your hearts to CJ, during this incredible process. Life is Good.