Mac's Adoption Day

Three years ago today we went to the courthouse in downtown Helena and the Judge signed the paperwork to finalize Mac's adoption.

It was a crazy time for us. But full of small miracles and answered prayers, of which there is no short of in adoption.

 We were moving from Montana to Oregon and we really needed to finalize Mac's adoption before we left. If we didn't we would have to drive back to Helena after our move. We already didn't have any money to move and for the first time ever we were having to use our credit card out of necessity to make the move happen. And to have to drive back was going to make us even more financially strained.

The problem with making sure we could finalize before we moved was that we couldn't even request a court date until exactly 6 months from the time the relinquishment paperwork was signed by Mac's Birth Mother, which would have been June 17th. We were planning on moving on June 26th. Our Lawyer had told us that the court date would most likely be a couple of weeks away, because he had never been able to get anything sooner than that before. Even though he knew our situation, there was nothing he could do to get it sooner. So we prayed alot.

So when our Lawyer went in (who was awesome by the way and did our case probono except for the court fees, which was another miracle) to schedule our court date, there was a new person working there and told him that she could schedule us for the 24th. He was shocked, we were shocked...well only slightly, since we knew that our prayers would be answered one way or another.

Here is what I wrote about his actually finalization 3 years ago:

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June 24, 2008

"This afternoon we went down to the courthouse and finalized Mac's adoption, YEAH!!!

I am totally kicking myself right now because we didn't get any pictures. That is because it was so casual and quick I didn't even think about it until we were almost home.

We first met with our Lawyer who just went over what was going to happen. Then we headed over to the courthouse and waited for the Judge to get back from lunch. As we were waiting the secretary came over and asked if she could hold Mac and then just a minute later an older lady walked up and was just saying how cute Mac was and then the secretary gave back Mac. Then she asked us to come into the Judges Chambers. So we walk in there and the Judge was the older lady that was talking to Mac when the secretary was holding him. We sat down around the desk in her chambers, it was just us, the Judge, our Lawyer and the secretary (our caseworker couldn't come). We were sworn in, our Lawyer asked us a couple of questions and then the Judge signed the paperwork. And it was all over before I really had time to think about what just happened (it was seriously maybe 5 minutes). Then we went down to the court clerk's office and got some paperwork certified and we filled out the paperwork for Mac birth certificate. And then we left. It was all a whirlwind!

I cant even tell you how excited we are that Mac is OURS! Being his parents has been more than we could have hoped or asked for! The entire experience of him becoming part of our family is so amazing and special to us.

WE LOVE YOU Mac!!!

Thank You C!"

***

I talked to Mac this morning about what today meant to us and why it is so special.

And tomorrow we are surprising him with "Day out with Thomas".

Mac is such a special part of our family! And we are so grateful for the answered prayers and miracle that brought him to our family.
We wouldn't have him without our beautiful C!