January 5, 2015

I am so blessed to have the family I do.

Our final adoption hearing was today.  Mom, Abigail (and Jules), Jessica and Jeremy met me at the courthouse in Dad’s office.  We went next door to Judge Nobles’ chambers to join our attorney for the hearing.  Mom asked to record it, and Judge Nobles’ allowed her to do so.

The attorney presented us to the judge and asked us each to state our full name and address for the record.  Then he asked the judge to approve our adoption petition.  She asked us why we wanted to adopt Selah June and what qualified us to adopt her. — Oh My Goodness —

I was not expecting her to ask me anything.  I thought my only job was to pay attention to Selah June, keeping her entertained while sitting in my lap at the judge’s conference table.  And then I had to talk. Ummmmm…….

So I just started talking.  “We were married in 2002…wait… 2003?  Uh…. something like that.  And we wanted kids.  And we couldn’t have them.”  At that point, I knew I was rambling and didn’t have a good landing in mind and wasn’t making any kind of case at all that I should go home with a kid.

Turn to Jeremy.

He started telling the judge some kind of poem about the circle of life and this not being an ending but really a beginning.  I don’t know.  Abigail was crying.

And then the judge just nodded and said that it was her pleasure to introduce for the first time Miss Selah June Evans.  (I’m so embarrassed.  She must think I’m some kind of big time idiot.

As you can see, it’s already turning into something of a blur.  So I guess it’s good Mom recorded it for all posterity.  I do know one thing, and that one thing will stick with me.

Selah June is now officially Selah June Evans.