Happy Court Day!

On Monday, November 24th, Jackson's adoption was finalized. 

How grateful we are! Truly Heavenly Father is a God of miracles! We were still waiting for my background checks to come through over the weekend. I was anxious. We weren’t sure if the Judge would mention them being expired, but I was still worried because our lawyer told us worse case scenario was that she just doesn’t sign off that day, but would wait until those clearances came through to sign the finalization. I was anxious because I really wanted to be able to celebrate it being finished: take pictures, go to lunch, be excited! I know those are little things, but I was excited for all those little things. So having those background checks not come through yet was nerve-racking for me. However, Sunday night I got a text from our lawyer saying they had come through! I was so happy and so grateful.

Court day morning we got up early. We had to be to our lawyer’s office at 8:20am. We got Savannah up and dressed. Jackie had had a hard time sleeping that morning...probably too excited! We decided to all wear red, white, and blue to match his decor. To Savannah’s finalization we all wore green, which if I recall correctly, was just a happy accident. It was snowing a little when we walked into the lawyer’s office. We met with our lawyer for a few minutes. Savannah was nervous, but he was very kind to us. He has been so supportive and helpful through this whole process. I have been so grateful. 

I had a thought the other day, in fact. I was thinking about how our lawyer is our advocate to the judge to bring our case before her and plead our cause and root for us to have this little guy join our family. And I thought about our Eternal Advocate, our Savior, Jesus Christ. He loves us! He pleads for us! He wants so much to be on our side and say before our Eternal, Loving, Heavenly Judge that He has done His best to pave the way for us, and that we have done all we can do, and He wants so much for us to have this Eternal Family. He is my Savior, my Redeemer, my Advocate, my Mentor. 

...We went into the courtroom. Our lawyer had told Savannah that he was going to ask her a few questions, too. She and I said a little prayer that she would be able to be brave. We were supposed to have a Judge Toomey, but she was recently appointed to the Court of Appeals, so we had Judge Sandra N. Peuler, who was great also. She actually just had us come back to her “chambers,” office. We all got sworn in, even Savannah. Derek had us answer a few questions. I was very weepy when Derek asked me to describe a little bit about how this little guy has blessed our family and how the bonding has been going. Then Derek asked Todd to describe a little about me as a mother. It was wonderful, and I felt the Spirit there with us.

Then the judge declared that she believed Jackson was going to a good home (that’s basically what she said), and that the adoption was finalized! We were so happy! We took a picture with the judge, then left. We got the adoption decrees from downstairs, and then walked back. It was so wonderful! 

It was still pretty early in the morning, about 10, so we walked around City Creek mall and did a little window shopping before going to Jackson’s court day lunch at Applebee’s. Our lawyer gave Savannah a little keychain to get a free Frosty from Wendy's, which we enjoyed after lunch. Then we took Todd to work. 

How grateful we are. How grateful! Now 11 days until his sealing. I can’t wait. I pray all the time, please protect our family, especially until we can get to the temple. I feel peace. I know He is here with us. I know He loves Jackson so much and wants desperately for him to be sealed in an eternal family. Heavenly Father has been so kind to us. He had provided for us financially, emotionally, and physically. Though we have had many downs and times of temptation to quit this whole process, He has been there, pushing us along. And now we are the parents of two of His sweet children. How grateful we are!