The timing was awful. Valentines Day is TikiPrincess’s birthday, but she was having her party two days later, and there was still a lot to get ready. Plus, on the 17th, The Wifey’s nephew is getting married, so The Wifey’s parents were showing up at our house on the 15th, and would arrive while we were out. And finally, I work from 4 pm to 1 am.
But we went anyway. We were frantic in the morning, trying to get ready for the party and for our houseguests. Our babysitter arrived, and only after that were we able to get in touch with The Wifey’s parents to let them know that we would not be there when they arrived. It was snowing heavily, so we had a difficult time driving to the courthouse. Eventually, we made it.
There was some awkward small talk, while waiting to make sure everyone was there who needed to be there, and then we started entering a conference room. Our foster daughters, Munchkin and Kidling, have the same mother, but different fathers, so there were three parents present, plus two grandparents and assorted attorneys.
Some of the parents started fighting with each other, so the decision was made to meet with one parent at a time. In addition, we met with a couple of grandparents. Basically, everyone wanted some assurance that after they gave up their parental rights, they would get one last visit to say goodbye, and that we would allow them to know what was going on in the girls’ lives. All of the parents got a goodbye visit set up, and we stated our intention to send out letters and pictures.
Then we entered the courtoom. Due to the fighting that had happened earlier, one father came in at first, did his part, and then left. Then the other father and mother came in and did their parts.
The attorneys explained to the judge that the parents were choosing to voluntarily relinquish their parental rights. They then asked specific questions of the parents, and had them sign a paper to that effect, which was given to the judge. The judge then terminated their rights.
Then, suddenly, it was done. Munchkin and Kidling have been with us for over a year. We have loved them as if they were our own. Now they are.
Technically, the state still has custody, and there are several more hoops to jump through before we can officially adopt them, and add them to our family permanently. But all that is just a formality. Right now, no one has a claim on these girls but the state and us, and the state intends to give them to us.
I cannot describe how I feel. I half feel like laughing, and half like crying. I am so thrilled, so relieved, so overcome with gratitude. I said a prayer, and all I could say was, “Thank you,” over and over again.
Months ago, I received a priesthood blessing for an illness that I had, similar to the blessings that the apostles gave in the New Testament. During that blessing, I suddenly silently prayed that the person giving the blessing would be inspired to give me a blessing about our foster daughters, who we wanted to keep. The next words of that blessing were, “God will grant your righteous desires.” I felt that I had received my desired blessing.
That night, I was discussing it with The Wifey, and she said that it could just be a coincidence. The next morning, I played a recording of sermons given at the last General Conference of the LDS church. As it happened, the first sermon I heard that morning was about so-called coincidences and the "tender mercies of the Lord." To quote:
“Some may count this experience as simply a nice coincidence, but I testify that the tender mercies of the Lord are real and that they do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Often, the Lord’s timing of His tender mercies helps us to both discern and acknowledge them.” Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
After confirmation such as that, I could no longer dismiss it as coincidence. It took months, and at times I have doubted that I understood correctly, but now at last, the promises made in that blessing have been kept. God has granted my righteous desires.
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