It's a Boy!!

We have a new son!! A new, official male member of the family! It is official; he is ours... for keeps. We aren't just playing dress-up with him anymore.

The day started off VERY early... up at 5:00 a.m. and out the door at 6:00 a.m. Wee ones went straight from bed & jammies to car. Big kids and extra big kids got dressed up and began the 2 hour trek to Fort Worth, the town that gave birth to our Prince Caspian! Oh, first we dropped off Little Boy Blue at my friend, Theresa's house. Lucky lady... wee bairn all to herself for hours after he had a very difficult night.

We arrived at a beautiful, brand-new courthouse ready to go.


An interesting aside ... the court schedules all uncontested matters during a 30 minute time frame first thing in the morning. Uncontested included about 15 divorces and our adoption. A divorce takes literally 60 seconds. Sad, isn't it?

The Judge was just incredible. She immediately took hold of our Prince Caspian and made him feel like a true Prince Caspian. Special toys she kept tucked away for moments like these ...


She made us feel very special and very fortunate. Sweet boy had been waiting almost an hour and a half before our case came up. We were all feeling a bit weary, but the Judge gave us a huge energy boost!

Grandmom, Papa Jim & Granny Sally were there for the event, followed by a huge brunch at IHOP.


Back at home, we had a party ... complete with an Elmo cake! Bubbles and noise makers were provided by Covenant Kids.



My precious son, I cannot wait for you to look back on this day. I pray that you feel every ounce of love that our family poured out just for you today. You so deserve this special celebration!! Just 8 months ago today we found out we were chosen to be your family.

I go to bed tonight so tired, but oh so thankful! Sometimes I kiss those little chubby cheeks and I wonder at how I can ever thank God for such a gift; the gift of another son; the gift of you! Happy Adoption Day, Little Man!! Your Mommy & Daddy love you.

Photo Opportunity ...

Isn't he the cat's meow? I've been working this week to get a few special pictures of Prince Caspian to use for an adoption announcement. In addition, I'm working on his baby/adoption book. It is such a pleasure to revisit these memories and realize just how far we've come in a short 6 months. Enjoy these photos of my tiny boys... growing like little weeds!

Had to include this one of Gabey-baby, too!

A rare picture of Mommy with Prince Caspian ... why is it that I'm always on the other side of the camera??

10 short days ...

and Prince Caspian will be OURS!!! Just got the call from our attorney. St. Patrick's Day will have a whole new meaning for our family.... adoption. WOW.

Alex has decided to plant a magnolia tree in honor of Prince Caspian. That excites me ... to think that we will have fragrant, cream blossoms as a reminder of his precious life.

Funny aside. I was impatient this morning with my kiddos. During school, I had to take a Mommy break so that I didn't lose it on everyone. Also, our home phone was almost cut off because I forgot :) to send the bill in. As I sat in the kitchen swallowing spoonful after spoonful of Nutella, (ever try that yummy stuff?) the phone rang. It was the attorney. Quick way to make a Mommy feel remorseful, I'll tell ya that! Plus, I'm glad my phone wasn't disconnected.

We are so happy, we could burst! I cannot wait to show you pictures of the blanket my Mom is making for the newest member. Oh, and I want to do adoption announcements ... amidst the millions of other details

Filled with joy,
Laura

As I Was Just Saying...

... in my last post how cute Prince Caspian's language development has become. Really, I had no idea that he may be truly delayed. Ouch.

Today, ECI (Early Childhood Intervention) was here to do therapy with Little Boy Blue. Due to Prince Caspian's 'neediness' he often participates in the therapy, too. Lucky Little Boy Blue. The therapist/LPC has subtly asked me questions for a few weeks about Prince Caspian's speech and lack of pronunciation. I did not pick up on any of the subleties. In my mind, he is perfect and Einstein, too, in case you were wondering.

Yesterday, my Mom asked me about his speech and I poo-pooed it and got out my 'What to Expect the Toddler Years' book and read about how individualized speech development is, etc.

Back to today... after Little Boy Blue's therapy, I asked the therapist outright what he thought about Prince Caspian's speech. He laughed and said he thought he needed a referral for ECI. He said he had wanted to say something more direct to us for several weeks, but did not want to overstep his boundaries and make us upset.

We are in no way upset. To the contrary. We understand (on some level) that this child has been exposed to toxic substances, has been moved 3 times in the foster care system and may have some issues as he grows. We are his champions and will 'go to the mat' to get him the services and resources that he needs to thrive and develop properly. All we need is information and we are off.

The Year of Prince Caspian

How unbelievably coincidental is it that our Prince Caspian, will be adopted in the year that the Chronicles of Narnia movie, Prince Caspian, is released! In fact, the movie will be released in May, just 2 short months from his A-Date.

The first Narnia movie, Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe, was, in my estimation, a movie masterpiece. As I sit reminiscing, I can this moment feel the adrenaline rush of the battle scene. The forces of good versus the forces of evil... yet, I know who wins. The music, stirring every nerve within me. The goodness and strength of Aslan who arrives at the perfect moment. How can it be topped from a cinematography standpoint?

While the Christian allegorical application of the Chronicles of Narnia is not exact, precise or even meant to be so, the stories were nonetheless written by one Christian thinker to whom I owe a large 'thank you.' C.S. Lewis got me seeking; a huge feat in-and-of itself. Seeking leads to things, you know. And, if you seek, you will find.

Prince Caspian, our Prince Caspian, is a delightful fellow. His words are multiplying rapidly, yet still garbled. I love this age ... where the intimacy of family allows for communication which to outsiders appears as just mumbling. It is a secret language, understood only by those standing in the inner circle. How I rejoice to be in his inner circle! My favorite current word of his is 'nose' ... it comes out as a country boy 'nooooooouuuuuusssssss.'

I do grow weary of his whining these days. A reminder about 19 month olds is always welcome my way. While his words multiply, they cannot quite keep up with his brain as it seeks to communicate; hence, the whining... for the most part. Some whining just stems from wanting to be and do what big brother and sister do with Mommy during school hours. So, we make adjustments.

And in a mere 16.25 years, I'll be dreaming of my own Prince Caspian and how the years flew by. May my tired Mommy eyes stay open for the entire ride.

Will You Be My Friend?

Yesterday I caught a glimpse of the littlest boys doing what little ones do...

Little Boy Blue was playing quietly in his exersaucer... Prince Caspian was digging through my plastic cups while I emptied the dishwasher. A few minutes later, I realize all is quiet. I peek around the corner of the kitchen and spy Prince Caspian giving Little Boy Blue a plastic blue cup. Little Boy Blue giggles with glee as he holds it up to his mouth trying to drink. Then Prince Caspian toddles off and gets his sippy cup... sweetly he holds it up to Little Boy Blue's mouth offering him a taste.

These two may not be brothers forever; but they are brothers and friends for now.

Joined at the Heart, Prince Caspian and I

We received a package this week with 3 special books in it for Prince Caspian! It was a wonderful surprise from a dear law school buddy of mine and his sweet, growing family. There was one book called 'My Mommy and I' which has captured Prince Caspian's and my attention.

Specifically, it is a colorful board book telling of great things that 'Mommy and I' do together. The very last page is what gets me every time. It says... "We're joined at the heart, my Mommy and I."

Isn't this a beautiful, simple way to describe adoption? We may not have the umbilical cord connection, or the nursing moments that bond a Mommy to her baby; however, there is no question that we are joined at the heart. He has fit into my heart just perfectly, like the missing piece to a puzzle.

**Not that every day has gone smoothly... yesterday was particularly challenging. At one point I found myself working with Budding Author on schoolwork, trying to help Little Mommy with her 'reading', feeding Little Boy Blue a bottle (which he spit up on everything) all while Prince Caspian whined inconsolably. (If Prince Caspian is tired, our world is painful! If he has gotten great sleep, our world is great fun!)

Me, I'm just the conductor for this out-of-tune orchestra. And there are times when I'd rather be playing on the xylophone rather than keeping everyone on track, believe me!

Back to Prince Caspian. It has been 3 weeks since he joined us and I feel like he has been a part of 'us' forever! Thank you, God, for helping us get past our fears to be able to just love this little guy.

"We are joined at the heart, Prince Caspian and I!"

What a Difference a Week Makes...

Precious Prince Caspian has officially turned a corner in his adjustment process. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were quite difficult over here at our place. Wednesday night our home group from church was here and things really got better from then on!

He is waking up happy, going down for bedtime with mostly a smile and eating, eating and eating. We are just tickled!

On another note, my Mom's surgery went well. She is feeling better today than she has in many months! That is an answered prayer! And get this, her surgeon actually prayed with her before the surgery. He said his profession is more than a career, it is a mission!! What a ray of hope...

A Magical Weekend

It went by very quickly, our time with Prince Caspian. And, now, I'm sitting here trying to remember every detail of his little face. Hubby just left to take him back to his foster home. This really does not make sense; he spent the night at our house last night and now he goes back to his foster home for two days. It seems like this is counterproductive when the ultimate goal is a smooth transition. Again, I must remind myself that these are the rules, this is the way it is to be done and we are just participants.

Saturday we took Little Mommy and Budding Author to meet their new brother. It was love at first sight for them. We also found out why our family was chosen for Prince Caspian... because our family parallels his foster family in many ways. Both families have older siblings, both families are active, both families are Christian... great reasons. We will certainly emphasize the sibling reason for Little Mommy and Budding Author. What a very personal thing for both of them!

We took all of the kiddos (including Little Boy Blue) to a playground and carousel. Then we all went to Olive Garden. Prince Caspian is a wonderful, mild-mannered baby. His foster family has taught him wonderful manners. And, did I mention his beautiful smile? We love him.

We returned Prince Caspian to his foster home Saturday evening and picked him up Sunday morning for our overnight slumber party at our home. On the way home, we stopped by to see one set of grandparents. What fun! It couldn't have gone better!!

Prince Caspian seemed very comfortable at our home. He met the dogs, cat, goats and chickens. He slept in his new bed, he played with his new toys, he loved on all of us. We are blessed beyond measure. Our only challenge: our 12-year old schnauzer has issues with our toddling Prince Caspian. She has already been a loose cannon - snapping at our kids and once biting Little Mommy in the face. We must find a new home for her; a home where she can thrive in her last years. If anyone who reads this is interested or can help us find her a great place, please post or contact me.

Here is the Terrific Trio walking down our very own Long & Winding Driveway:

"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."
Ecclesiastes 4:12

Sometimes I have to pinch myself ... this is REALLY happening! Blessings to you on this celebratory day!

Oh, those blue eyes...

... they captured my heart for sure! We pulled up at Prince Caspian's foster home and he was waiting! His foster Mommy was holding him where we could see him through the glass storm door. Whew! Emotions just came like a flood...

It had been a very busy day around our place. Budding Author and I were deep in study of the Trojan War and insect body parts. The morning included many Spelling words and review for Budding Author's first math test of the year. Preparations to take Little Boy Blue to a sitter filled my head. I really did not even have the time to emotionally prepare for our meeting with Prince Caspian until we jumped in the car for our 2-hour trek to his foster home.

I did get dressed in my 'uniform' (faded jeans and a white t-shirt) and we proceeded to stop at Whataburger to pick up to-go burgers. Guess what? Within 10 minutes I had spilled mustard on my shirt in 2 places! To those of you who know me well, this comes as no surprise. Hubby was wearing a long-sleeved shirt (in late August, in Texas!) because his short-sleeved shirts were dirty! (How can that be? It sure feels like I'm constantly doing laundry!) So, we laughed heartily at ourselves. Gratefully, we arrived early and were able to pick up new shirts and toys for Prince Caspian.

No amount of emotional thought would have prepared me for this beautiful little one. Nothing in my wildest dreams would allow me to believe that we could love him so deeply upon sight. Amazing.

We loved on him, played ball with him, held his hands while he toddled all over the house, kissed him, met most of his foster family and made plans for his transition to our home. His foster family has 5 biological children, ages 22 to 4. They normally foster 2 children at a time; their other foster child was recently adopted. This is their calling... and I love his foster Mommy. She ranks right up there on my list of personal heroes!

We took many pictures and, begrudgingly, left to head back home. We barely pulled in the driveway when Budding Author and Little Mommy came running out the front door yelling "show us the pictures, we want to see Prince Caspian." That just filled my heart with joy! They are SO excited. It is not everyday that you gain a little brother for keeps!

So, here is the plan... Saturday we will all go to spend a few hours with him. We can take him to the zoo, or just to play somewhere and then to dinner. We will spend the night close to his foster home. Then Sunday we will bring him home for an overnight visit. We will have to take him back to his foster home on Monday. On Wednesday, CPS will bring him to our home to stay!!

We are planning a big family party for Wednesday. Budding Author and Little Mommy are staying home from school, we are getting balloons and making 'Welcome Home' signs. Maybe some cupcakes are in order!! And then, that afternoon, Prince Caspian will meet his grandparents. Of course, our home bible study group starts up that night at our house! We look forward to introducing him to all of our friends!! It will be a beautifully special day!!

Praise God for small miracles!

How to Say Thank You?

As I impatiently wait for tomorrow to arrive, someone comes to mind that I have all but forgotten. How can I possibly forget the feelings of someone in whose shoes I've walked? Prince Caspian's foster Mommy.

What is she feeling as she helps him prepare for a new life with another family? Even though his foster family is not an adoptive family (they have many biological children and feel called to fostering only), there still has to be some feeling of sadness. This woman has raised our soon-to-be son for a year! She has comforted him while he cried, fed him his first bites of baby food and held his hand as he took his first steps. How can I begin to thank her?

We want to do something special for her... yet I'm perplexed at what might be appropriate and meaningful. Any ideas?

The Day After Tomorrow...

... he will no longer be a stranger. We will look in his eyes and, prayerfully, communicate the depth of love we already have for him. We will watch, with anticipation, as he walks on wobbly feet around his foster home. We will hold him, laugh and play with him for as long as we are able.

This first visit with Prince Caspian is just for hubby and me. Our kids will join us this weekend when we have an 'outing' with him at the zoo. Then we will have to return him to his foster home. A few days later, we will pick him up for an overnight, after which, the adoption paperwork will be signed and the 6-month clock will begin ticking.

We are almost ready here at our house... 2nd crib is up, 2nd high chair in place and a few appropriate toys scattered here and there. Really, the major things are taken care of. Everything else will fall into place.

He is ours! Words truly fail me now... at the core, the only thing I know for sure is gratitude. Thank you, Lord, for the way we love this child we have never even seen a picture of... This no-picture concept is so foreign to most people I talk to; it was foreign to me. Yet, now it seems the most natural, 'right' thing. It is as natural and right as giving birth to a child whose face you haven't seen, but you've loved with all of your heart for 9 months.

The crazy thing about all of this is that life continues around us... we have kids in school 3 days per week, school-at-home days 2 days per week, piano lessons, bible study, Little Boy Blue's visitation and all of the other commitments of our days. Also, I just found out today that my Mom will have gallbladder surgery in 2 weeks. I cannot participate in her recovery like I would want to do...

Bottom line, I don't have a maternity leave from life when Prince Caspian arrives. He will immediately join the hustle and bustle of our days... and I hope he is fascinated by it all and wants to stay!