The Adoption Day Dress Tears and Fears Turn to Happiness

[oneighty]

Been busy today cleaning up my living space. Replaced the faulty toilet valve, scrubbed the bathroom and did some laundry.

Also I put the Christmas stuff away in the storage space behind my bedroom wall. Got a lot of stuff stored in there. In one box there in the corner is our daughter's adoption day dress. It is burnt orange in color with white trim and it is oh so tiny.

I remember the day the baby girl's mother handed the three day old child over to my wife at the hospital exit.

Five years later we are completing the adoption.
The birth mother and our child enter the Judge's chambers alone. My wife and I are not allowed to be present. This is the first time the child's birth mother has seen her baby since the hospital exit. She has the option now of taking the child home with her or giving the child to us again. All she has to do is tell the Judge she wants her baby back.

Tricia and I wait outside the Judge's chambers in this imposing building, this place of final judgment. We are holding hands and sobbing.

The mother and child leave the chambers. Together they approach us. She passes the child again to Tricia. Crying she turns and walks away forever.

From Voyages of the Vicky Mary

180

[GoddessOfGuinness]

1. Ok, now I'm crying...

That must've been a nightmarish wait. And however right her decision, it had to be agonizing for the birth mother. :cry:

[Beausoir]

2. Beautiful. I've been there...five times.

There is nothing like the moment when the judge reads your child's legal name out loud for the first time.

I broke down in front of the judge each and every time.

We have been lucky to meet snd spend time with the birthmothers of our kids. Lovely, beautiful and kind women. My life would be nothing without them.

[oneighty]

4. You got it

Also very sad.

180

[eyepaddle]

3. Very poignant

I'm a little misty about it. (I know you'll do this anyway) but cherish your gift. :hug:

[oneighty]

6. We do

180

[MountainLaurel]

5. That's lovely

How old is your daughter now?

[oneighty]

7. Thirty seven

She is still 'Baby Pat'

Hee hee hee.

And always will be. The other one is Georgie Boy.

180

[Dangerously Amused]

8. Sweet, and touching.

How brave you are. How kind. How blessed, and how deserving of blessings.

[brook]

9. You touch...

so many hearts. I treasure you and what you share here with us.

Blessed Be - as you have blessed.

[RevCheesehead]

10. You have a rare and beautiful gift...

and you write beautifully, too. :hug:

[Maat]

11. I'm coming up on my anniversary in January.

Seven years ago; today she is beautiful and 9.

We are very happy.

Congrats on your family! Many years of happiness to you.

I'm a retired social worker. One thing I have noticed is today's kids do not have a problem with the concept of having two moms, or two dads (e.g. a biological mom or a stepmom or whatever). They are at ease with the concept.

I'm not saying my future will be totally smoothsailing; it isn't with any family. But it's pretty darm good!

I told my daughter that, when she's a teenager, don't bother trying to make me scream with the typical teenage things or comments about the adoption.

If you want to make Mom (moi) CRAZY, say that you're going to become a conservative Republican that goes to a hardright church, and that you're going to forego your education to have a zillion kids, and that you will vote for a Boosh every time. That'll give Mom a heart attack!

She just grins now, and says, "I'll think I'll register as a Republican."