Happy 2nd Adoption Day Joanna!!! 2 years ago we stood in our judge's office (first time we have ever done one of our adoptions in a judge's office) and signed the official documents saying we wanted to be Joanna's forever family!!!!!!
Then the judge started to answer the 100's of questions that my kids had about all the "stuff" in his office, including pictures, his fish tank, etc. ;) That is what you get with 8 kids in your office!
I love remembering our children, how they came to us, their birth families, those first moments we saw them, how we told others, and so much more. Those memories flood on birthdays and adoption days here in our home. We retell those wonderful memories and stories.
Ha! The one thing I always think of with Joanna is that she is our quick miracle. To sign up with a consultant and then within a week be holding your child with all paperwork signed is just CRAZY!
I remember getting up....ok let's be honest we never slept! Between getting the phone call about the possibility of Joanna, then scanning and emailing all our paperwork, running to ups it to the agency as well, wiring money, booking flights, figuring out logistics of traveling, oh and that last minute 4am shopping at Walmart to make my 6am flight!
Don't forget as I was on the plane and preparing for take off- there was a freak hale storm! In Louisiana- in March! Yea.....crazy!
Which made me late for my connection- where I sprinted across the Houston airport.......only to literally see the stewardess shutting the runway door. :( I was hysterical....not lying!
Where this desperate momma PLEADED with them to let me on that plane! But, it didn't happen. Then I frantically called my hubby who phoned Deb OKane with Mother Goose Adoptions who made arrangements with the lawyer and the birth mom and the hospital that they could stay a little later......
Whew!!! A ball of nerves as I had to rush to the hospital in a taxi- across town (me little ol' countryside girl). Then rushing up to the maternity ward to find the right room. WITH all my luggage. Yea, just a little crazy.
But you know God had it all under control! Even though I was beside myself. Mostly because of the craziness of the logistics meant Jason wasn't with me. Now if you know Jason and I- when stuff gets really crazy I NEED HIM! It's true!
Thank the Lord that HE was with me and calmed my nerves, gave me strength and courage to be able to share my heart with the birth mother. The lawyer was amazing and very easy to work with (for the signing of legal paperwork).
Oooppss- how do I turn pictures?? hmmm.....
Anywho- then it came time to get in a taxi and back to the hotel room......alone with this precious little baby girl. I mean that is a lot of responsibility all by myself.....and your remember all to well how fragile that sweet life is. I was never so happy, but wishing desperately to have Jason there!
This little girl came to prove that all we knew about parenting was about to be blown out of the water! For REAL! She didn't do the pacifier. She didn't do baby foods. She didn't do sleeping through the night...even after a year of age....oye! She out of all our children is the most worried if mommy and daddy leave the room. She was just so different from our other children. Which makes me smile!
Awww.......praying before their picnic lunch ;)
She has changed our life in such a crazy way! 2 years ago we would have never believed that we would now be working for Mother Goose Adoptions and Christian Adoption Consultants!!!!! OUR DREAM!!!!
Just think if we would have given up and thought we must be only meant to have 7 children.......???
Thinking now......how could that be possible???
This little dancing girl! This crazy nut!! This happy joyous full of life little girl!! She can make you smile so quickly!!
She loves life! She loves making us all laugh! She loves her siblings! She loves proving our parenting techniques wrong! She loves to steal your heart! She is amazing!!!!!!!
On Thanksgiving as everyone was saying what things they were Thankful for.....I was thinking- Praise God for YOU! Praise God we didn't stop at 7! Praise God we found out about Christian Adoption Consultants! Praise God we were able to adopt you 2 years ago! Thank the Lord for our Family!!
***Tons more Thanksgiving pictures to come :) Hope your Thanksgiving was BLESSED!!!!!!!
Awwwwww....What a precious post!! We are having our adoption hearing in the early part of December! Our little boy, Israel, is originally from the Congo but his first adoption didn't work out for him. He is just a WONDERFUL little boy and he is asking for a little sister!! (I am praying and hoping for the same thing!) He is 6, our youngest of 9 children...most of those kids are grown up with their own. My hubby and I are both 49 but I would love to adopt a 3 to 5 year old little girl! But it is all in God's hands. If He wants us to have a little girl, it's ok with me! If not, it's ok, too! Our little Israel is just what we needed! What a wonderful Christmas we will have this year with our little guy! We are trying to not go overboard!!! We don't want to raise him that way!
ReplyDeleteBlessings to you all!!
Beth
Love it Dawn, I just love it! Your precious Joanna is such a blessing and gift from God! I think she and my little Hanny girl (same age) would very much enjoy causing all kinds of trouble together. :) They sound quite similar.
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