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