On Thursday I awoke early, with The Wifey calling for help. Kidlina had vomited all over her bed, and had apparently then fallen back asleep in the middle of it, leaving it caked in her hair and on her clothes and face.
After a lengthy cleaning session, we had breakfast and got everyone dressed. We then went down to Wal-Mart for our scheduled portrait session.
Said session did not go well. We arrived a little early, and had to wait over half an hour past our scheduled time before we could even get started. By then our kids had exhausted their patience. Every photo had one child crying, or making a face, or with a finger placed in a facial orifice, or looking the wrong direction. After another half an hour of attempts at getting a picture, we surrendered and returned home.
After lunch, we got everyone changed into new clothes. (It’s amazing how much damage they can do to an outfit in such a short time.) We then drove down to the courthouse a few minutes early to take care of paperwork. Then we waited and waited, along with everyone who had come to show their support. Alicia, our case worker, had purchased small gifts for each of our kids, which they enjoyed greatly. Several neighbors and friends had also come, and the kids enjoyed playing with them.
Finally we made it into the courtroom. After a few questions, we were done. After over a year of stress, worry, and uncertainty, the girls were legally and irrevocably ours. It seemed wonderful, but a little difficult to believe that it was so easy, and over so quickly.
I suppose it was similar to our wedding ceremony. Everything leading up to it and everything afterwards was so huge, but the ceremony itself was extremely short and simple. I remember that it hardly seemed possible that we could really be married after something as simple as that. Now it hardly seems possible that the simple procedure in court was enough to make these girls a part of our family.
After the judge signed the papers to make it official, we took some pictures with the judge, who had been joking throughout the proceedings. He insisted on having each of the kids bang his gavel, and had me put on his robe and sit in his chair. I felt rather silly sitting there, but gave a light hit with the gavel. We then went back out to the lobby, where we took care of more paperwork.
We then went out to the Olive Garden to celebrate. It’s difficult to take four young children out to eat at a nicer restaurant, and we had not tried it for a very long time. To keep the story somewhat short, we had fun, and spent a lot more than we ever have before at a restaurant. And it will be another long time before we try taking all four children out to eat at a nicer restaurant again.
After the restaurant, we drove past the Provo temple, and talked about how we would be sealed as a family in just nine more days. The court had made us a family during our time on Earth. The temple will make us a family for the rest of eternity.
Then we returned home and put the kids to bed. I had taken the entire day off of work, so I was able to watch a movie with The Wifey at home.
No last minute twists in the story. Somehow I expected some previously unheard of relative to show up with a court order delaying the adoption while they pursue custody, or the judge to point out that some obscure rule had not been fulfilled, nullifying our preparations so far. But none of that happened. And now, our legal status matches our emotional one. We are a family.
1 comment:
Congratulations! Odd how being declared "legally a family" is not nearly as meaningful as the family you (and God) declares you. What a wonderful moment to celebrate!
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