The first day in the rest of our lives together

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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