The first day in the rest of our lives together

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The Kid and her Great Grandma celebrating together
Today was the final court hearing in our adoption of The Kid. The hearing itself was anti-climatic, yet important because it was the legal confirmation of what Gladys and I have known for months, The Kid is our daughter.

A year ago, this was all still a dream of sorts. We had just filed our paperwork with Catholic Social Services of Wayne County to become foster parents, because we were advised by a few adoptive parents that if we wanted a child under 3, our best option was to become foster parents with the intent of adoption. Just a few weeks later, we received a phone call from a case worker asking if we were willing to skip the foster process and become adoptive parents instead.  Gladys nor I had any idea that eleven months later, we would be finalizing our adoption on my grandmother's birthday with my grandmother.

During the last twelve months, I have lost more sleep than I can keep track of, I have cried more than I thought possible and I have been kicked in the nards more than I'd like to admit. Watching The Kid grow has been more incredible than I thought possible. Every hug, pat on the back, kiss blown my way or wave bye-bye after I've walked out a door expands my heart just a little more.

And today couldn't have been more emblematic of the last year of my little family. It started with a mad rush to get our house clean and food ready for the small entourage we were able to invite to the courthouse. We arrived at the courthouse well-fed and only 15 minutes late. The Kid slept in my arms during the entire hearing, waking up just as we were saying our good-byes to our case worker. We enjoyed excellent deserts with close friends and family afterward.

That's my little family.  We eat well, we surround ourselves with good people, we run a little late to almost everything, we try our best to remember exactly who helped us become a little family and we love a good celebration.  My heart is lighter tonight, knowing that we are legally a family now and we can begin the next chapter of this incredible journey together.

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