Forever Family

Us with Lara, our wonderful social worker who has been there for us in every sense throughout the process.

Us with Judge Duncan.

Picture of our family taken after meeting yesterday.

We are now a "forever family"! This morning at 8:00 a.m. (ugh) we went to the courthouse and finalized Jacobi's adoption. It was just us, our social worker, attorney, and the judge in the judge's private chambers. Very small, comfortable, quick, and effective! The attorney asked each of us some basic questions about us and some about our adoption journey, then if we wanted to adopt Jacobi, the judge signed the papers, we took some pictures, went downstairs and filed with the court clerk, and left! We were back in the car by 8:40 and that was after visiting for a little bit...so it really was quick! We celebrated with breakfast at Java on the Square, where Ryan used to work, which is right near the courthouse then Ryan headed to work since he's got a class every day this week.

Jacobi is doing great! He is still eating great and seems to have his days and nights figured out. His awake times are during the day (usually) and he sleeps 3-4 hours at a time at night between feedings. Ryan and I are still trying to adjust to the broken-up sleep of new parenthood, but other than that we're doing great also! When I think back, it's really been a very busy last 2 weeks. I enjoyed a nap on the couch with Jacobi laying on my chest this afternoon--he loves to be cuddled and I love doing it, so we were both happy and slept great with the rain coming down outside. It's true when they say you should "sleep when the baby sleeps." Things have been so busy with visitors, etc. that I haven't done that near as often as I should have. Some evenings I'm ready to just crash...so I'm going to get better at the nap thing during the day. :)

It's wierd to think that the adoption procer--we've lived and breathed it the last few months and now the formal part is finished. Of course, we continue to stay in touch with Aries, Jacobi's birthmom, but that doesn't seem like part of the process anymore. She's a friend and one who has made and amazing and unselfish sacrifice that allowed us to build our family and live our dream. We now know with clarity why things have happened the way they have the past few years for us; we were meant to meet Aries and have Jacobi as our son! Amazing and Wonderful! :)