Their adoption day was originally scheduled for June 11th, but as is often the case with the government and the legal system, things don't turn out the way you plan or want.
We had originally invited a lot of people to be there for their adoption day, but then all of the sudden, paperwork errors caused us to have to postpone the adoption. So when they told us that we could "try" for the 15th, but they weren't sure it would happen then either, it just seemed too uncertain to ask people to drive all the way downtown for ANOTHER false alarm.
So on Friday, June 15th, we got up at the crack of dawn (why do babies always come at the crack of dawn?) picked up Zack at his apartment (and wedged his 6 foot 2 inch frame in between the car seats in the back seat of our Trailblazer) and headed for the courthouse in downtown Houston.
Of course, in true Houston fashion there was a terrible wreck on the interstate which caused me to panic about being late, but Mike and Zack navigated those back roads like rock stars and got us there on time.
On the way there, we kept talking to the girls telling them we were on our way to adopt them. Shannay said, "Will I get a shot?" I laughed and said, "Not A DOCTOR baby, adopted!" Once reassured that she was not going to get a shot, she seemed pretty excited, though I am sure she was clueless as to enormity of the day.
I felt so nervous. My hands were sweaty. Mike paced the hallways. Zack and the girls chilled out on a bench watching a movie (I'm sure Zack was nervous too, he just didn't show it!)
Finally, our case was called. We handled all the yucky details and then the judge said, "Now let's do the fun part! Let's get those babies in here!"
The second I saw Zack appear at the courtroom door with them I started crying (and I still had testifying to do!) I answered all of the remaining questions with a squeaky tear-strained "yes."
Nikki kept kissing my eyes and saying, "Mommy, your eyes have water."
And finally, it was over. The judge said something, I don't remember what. I just remember feeling incredibly overwhelmed in a great way. It was done. They were ours.
All that to say, oddly enough, I felt exactly the way I felt after giving birth. Tired. Happy. Emotional. Speechless.
Love. love. love.
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