Adoption Day

Wow! Well, the drive to the courthouse and the climb to the third floor was surreal -Tamara was excited and nervous all at the same time and we had a really good talk about blessings from God, her birth mothers choices as nobody but her own choices and mistakes, and the disbelief of where things were just two years earlier. Then we get outside the courtroom and things didn't feel so great - it was just cold and felt very odd. But then inside court when the judge entered.. I was amazed. Both adoptive parents were sworn in and asked a series of questions and then Tamara as well. What most struck me were the questions asked of the parents. "Do you understand the priveledges that come with being her parent?" "Do you accept those priveledges?" "Do you understand the responsibilities that come with being her parent?" Do you accept those responsibilities?" It was awesome! I thought, "they need to ask these questions of every BIRTH parent! Seriously, it made me see parenthood in a whole new way and I was honored to see it so sacred.
It was also cool because it was the same judge that has dealt with Tamara's birth mother in court many other times - and the same judge who started the process of removing Tamara from her home and eventually from her birth mothers rights. I wanted to ask the judge if this was a great day for her? If it was rewarding to see all the bad suddenly turn good for good.
What a rewarding day. What a blessing to be a part of this young girls journey to a loving, guided life. Amen.