Friday, September 19, 2014

finalized

On Monday, September 15, 2014, Camilla's adoption was finalized. Done. Finished. Forever.

I'm not usually big on play-by-play blogging, but it's not every day that your daughter's adoption is finalized, either. I don't want to forget anything. So...a play-by-play it will be!

We loaded up in my dad's truck bright and early. We had to be at the courthouse by 8:45 a.m. My parents spent the night with us, so we all headed over together.
Because I embrace my generation...we take a selfie. It's the only way to prove anything happened, right?
We made it to the courthouse with time to spare...enough time for a family photo in the parking lot, even! It was cool (well, for Georgia in September) and drizzly. Millie was wearing the only remotely 'fall'-ish dress she owns that fits her. I hadn't planned on it being not-blazing-hot...



We met up with Matt's parents in the parking lot and all seven of us traipsed in together. Matt, Millie, and I made it through security. The rest of our party had...issues, shall we say? Ha. Luckily, the metal detector issues were the only hiccups in our whole court experience, so they weren't a bad sign or anything. Then we headed up to the third floor to wait.

We sat.


 We admired Millie.



We took pictures in front of a giant window.

My bangs look stupid, but my legs look great, soooo...there was some mental turmoil about whether I should share this pic or not. I decided to go for it. Vanity wins.
 We sat around some more. 



Our lawyer came and went over some papers with us. We nodded and signed our names a few times.



 And then it was our turn to go back!!! Because adoption hearings aren't...I forget the terminology...open or public or something...as in, not open to the public to sit in and watch/listen. Not 'closed' in the sense of the adoption being a 'closed adoption' (it's not), just...you don't do them in the regular courtroom with the other civil matters and court clerks, etc., present. So we went back to the judge's chambers. Our parents and lawyer came with us, and they were allowed to continue snapping pictures (and taking video!).


The judge had already reviewed all of the motions, paperwork, home studies, etc. This was an incredibly fast process that just made everything signed and official. First we were introduced.

Then we raised our right hands and swore to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help us God.

Our lawyer asked us a few questions. We answered. The judge asked some questions. He thumbed through our paperwork. 

And then he pronounced us to be her mom and dad. Forever. And we cried. And shook his hand.



He agreed to take some pictures with us. He even entertained me and put on his robe. I mean, hello...I needed him to look a little more judgy. That suit wasn't cutting it. 




Seriously, the entire thing took maybe five minutes. I couldn't believe how fast it was. Months and years of waiting and preparing and gathering data and writing checks and waiting and praying and hoping...and it all culminates in five extremely easy minutes in a judge's office. It would almost have been anticlimactic if it weren't so incredibly awesome.

Then we had to wait in several different places while various paperwork and certificates were signed, sealed, and delivered. (Really, I don't know about delivered, but after I typed 'signed' and 'sealed'...I just had to go for it.) We passed the time by taking some incredibly happy family pictures. 


Then our lawyer came out with the official Final Decree of Adoption, so we had to get a picture with her (and it)!



Then we had to go somewhere else and wait for awhile for the Certificate of Adoption to get sealed and notarized and whatever else. I posted our happy news on Instagram.

If you're not repeatedly dying at how cute Millie's moccasins are, I don't know if we can be friends.
 And then we got the certificate and took a picture with it!!!



 All in all, the whole courthouse experience took maybe two hours. Again- an incredibly quick and easy finale to a process that started approximately twelve billion years ago (or so it feels like). I'm thankful for that. I expected this part to be the easy part, and it was. There were plenty of happy tears- and just this incredible sense of holy cow, it's OVER now. There's nothing else. We're just regular parents with our regular kid. No one can separate us. No phone call can come that will ruin my life.* She can't be taken away from us. We can breathe, we can move forward, we can just enjoy life. She's ours forever. 

I'm still pretty buzzed from it. The finality of it all, you know? I mean, we still have to wait on a few things- her new birth certificate and social security card, I think. But really...we're done. All of that waiting, and now...done.

We kicked off the beginning of our 'official' new life by eating breakfast at Cracker Barrel. 


It was freezing, so I wore my mom's too-small track suit jacket. Classy!
I bet that the handful of other patrons in the restaurant were wondering what six dressed-up adults and a baby were all doing having a leisurely brunch on a Monday (work day!) morning. I bet they wondered why we all had stupid grins on our faces, why we had to brush tears from our eyes every now and then, why we all fawned over the sleeping baby. They couldn't have known that we had just finished having our lives changed forever.

But we know. Camilla's adoption is final now. She's ours forever- for as long as we all walk this earth. Thankful doesn't even begin to describe it.

*Obviously, plenty of life-ruining phone calls could still come. I don't presume that our lives from here on out will be trouble-free...we could get awful phone calls from doctors, from school principals, from the police (oh please no, Camilla!!). I just mean we can't get one that would keep us from being a family. For now, that feels like a huge accomplishment.

46 comments:

  1. This makes me SO happy!! Congrats mama! You deserve every beautiful blessing of being this sweet girl's mom and dad!! (And, your legs DO look great!)

    ReplyDelete
  2. So sweet! I loved reading this. And I am so happy we all get to celebrate with you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. The perfect day, even if it was a little more anticlimactic than it could have been after all this time :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Congrats! Love seeing all those happy family pictures. And I was thinking, "wow, her legs look great" before I even read the caption below the window picture....seriously!

    ReplyDelete
  5. more tears, congratulations!!! I'm so happy its official and she is yours forever. you are the cutest little family. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Congratulations! What a wonderful feeling!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Not going to lie, I'm all teary eyed reading the end of this. I remember reaching out to you when I first read y'alls story. You have kept my strong through the years and I so thrilled for you. Truly happy for you blogger buddy!
    Onto other thoughts:
    Your legs DO look amazing, hot stuff!
    I'm so jealous over your bangs, I want some but don't think I could pull it off.
    I laughed that you made the judge put on his robe, hilarious!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yay! I'm just so, so, so stinking happy for you! Redemption is beautiful and this story is just FULL of redemption!

    A- I can't believe you made the judge put on his robes... hilarious!
    B- Millies moccs are the CUTEST baby shoes ever! Y'all can be twins soon!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Eeeeee!!!! I'm so happy for you guys!! Happy Family Day!!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Congrats for it being official! What a weight lifted off your shoulders. And i LOVE the mocassins. Adorable!

    ReplyDelete
  11. OMG this is so beyond amazing! I am so incredibly happy for you all!! xo

    ReplyDelete
  12. Love the play by play! One of the first pictures with the grandparents staring at her while waiting is way too cute. Melt.my.heart. So thankful she is YOURS and that the whole process was quick :) CONGRATS again xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  13. (((Tears))) of joy! I'm reading this as I sit here rocking Lochlan...marvelling at the journey we have both been on. It's incredible that we've both welcomed new babies and I'm blessed that I get to walk this journey with you my dear friend! Xoxoxox

    ReplyDelete
  14. I teared up reading about when you teared when they said you were officially mom & dad! This is such a great day that you should have a play by play!!!! :) I am dying over Millie's moccasins so woohoo friends!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. I have been checking every day for this play by play! And now I'm crying. I'm soooo insanely happy for you guys! You must feel so amazing.
    And nice pick of Cracker Barrel. I was a nanny for twins who were being adopted, and after we went to court to get it finalized, we all went out to eat at Dick's Last Resort (if you've never heard of it, it's a restaurant where they are purposely jerks to you LOL) Needless to say, it was such a memorable day! :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Love this so, so much. I imagine your faces hurt in the best way when it was all said and done, but I think my favorite pictures are the unposed ones, especially the way Matt is looking at her while you Instagram, and the way you both are moving to cuddle her at Cracker Barrel. The way you and Matt and your family are loving on that little baby--your daughter(!!!) is absolutely precious.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Congratulations! Such happy news and a happy ending/new beginning!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Congrats!!! I am so happy for you. Now, please, no more posts for a while that force me to retouch my make-up.

    And, I still don't have JB's birth certificate or Social Security card, so hopefully that's not criteria for a child being official, haha. :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Congratulations!!! So Happy for you

    ReplyDelete
  20. This is the most awesome news I've heard in a while! Congratulations on your new little family Erika!! I can't wait to see the journey from here on out :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. Oh gosh. You got me all teary this morning. Congratulations! And again, I LOVE her little booties. I need them. Well, Gracie needs them.

    ReplyDelete
  22. This is amazing and wonderful! I'm so happy for you, Matt and Camilla.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I am so happy for y'all. I've been reading your blog for awhile and know all of the pain and suffering you endured made this moment even sweeter; more joyous. I remember the days my sisters were adopted and it was amazing I was getting sisters, finally...after 13 years of wondering if I was ever going to be a big sister....so worth the wait! Congrats!

    ReplyDelete
  24. THIS! This makes my heart swell! It's here, it's finished, it's accomplished! AMAZING, Congrats you guys! Happy happy day!!!!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. This is the epitome of "Happily Ever After"!

    ReplyDelete
  26. I'm humored by how thrilled Millie looks throughout the whole process... Granted, there's enough excitement in everyone else's faces to make up for her lack of enthusiasm, but still, you'd think she'd be just a little more emotional about the best day of her life. I mean, come on, Millie, this is better than winning a game show -- you just got yourself the most awesome people ever as parents!!! Not everyone can be so lucky, young lady!

    Sending lots of love and many congrats all around. May September 15th always be a day of celebration...your own special Mother's Day, Father's Day and best of all, Millie's "Gotcha" Day!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Congrats to you and your sweet sweet family!

    ReplyDelete
  28. I've been waiting for this post. Reading it was difficult as I had to repeatedly wipe tears away!
    The pomp and circumstance doesn't matter nearly as much as the fact that Camilla Ann (although I prefer Millsie) has your last name. The heartache, anxiety, tears, money, nail biting, and everything stupid vanishes when you look in to her beautiful eyes! Congratulations...enjoy your amazing life together!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Such amazing news! I couldn't be happier for you! Millie is one lucky and blessed little lady!!

    ReplyDelete
  30. CONGRATULATIONS!!! This makes me so happy!!!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Congrats, congrats, congrats!!! So happy for you guys!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Best thing to cross my newsfeed in forever! YAY MILLIE!!!!! We are so happy for you guys.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Congrats!! Such an amazing day. Attending and testifying at the adoption finalizations was easily the best part of my job!!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Congratulations, again! Your posts require tissues for happy tears here lately! So happy for you guys!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Congratulations, happy tears coming at you all the way from Colorado :)

    ReplyDelete
  36. Love. All of your posts lately have been so filled with joy, it's awesome.

    And yeah... I need those moccasins for Molly, asap.

    ReplyDelete
  37. So happy for you. I love the way you documented it play by play and how awesome to get the judge to do his robe. Awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Whooooooo hoooooo!!!!!!!!

    I have so many other things I could say but really, my first line just sums it up the best!

    ReplyDelete
  39. Hallelujah!! So thankful that forever can officially begin :)

    ReplyDelete
  40. That's so awesome!! Congrats!! I'm so happy for y'all!! I also love that you celebrated with Cracker Barrel- can't go wrong there!

    ReplyDelete
  41. I missed this exciting news in my post-surgery fog. I'm SO THRILLED for your family. This and the baby dedication posts have the tears flowing.....it's all so wonderful and GOD IS SO GOOD.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Oh my goodness, I just cried through this entire post. I am so happy for you both!!!

    ReplyDelete
  43. This is such a touching post. Congratulations to you and the entire family! Hoo-ray!

    ReplyDelete
  44. Congratuations!!! So excited for your family!

    ReplyDelete
  45. I feel like I am so behind on blogging-I started reading this during our 3am feeding and just finished during our 7am feeding...I know you can understand! :-) I have been keeping up with you guys in IG though, so I hope that counts for something. I am so excited and happy for you guys though! Congratulations over and over! Also, your outfit in these pictures is awesome and you look amazing. So happy!!!!! And the pictures...awesome. So glad you had family there to support you guys and help your document!!!!

    ReplyDelete

I love comments almost as much as I love Mexican food. Seriously.