Finalization-Final-Finally

Yes, that's right, Ben is finally, fully, legally ours-as of 10:15 am last Wednesday, November 3rd.  Fitting that November is National Adoption Month-will always give extra meaning to our celebrations.  His actual finalization in front of the judge was quite anti-climatic, but that was ok with us!!
The whole process was quite bittersweet really and stressful in ways I can't begin to describe.  Like child birth and taxes, I think it's something you have to experience to understand.
In this process I was blessed to meet another adoptive Mom who shared a mantra of hers with me. "we go through what we go through to help others go through what we've gone through."  This rang true throughout the process but never more than at the end.  We learned a lot, and more importantly, learned what not to do if there is a next time.  I can promise that I will try like there's no tomorrow to educate other child seeking couples about our experience and what they should do differently.  In the end, if I can just successfully help one person have an easier time than we did, our experience will have been worth it.
Not to say that in the end we would change anything!!  We are SOOO aware of the blessing our Ben is and the thousands of people in the world waiting to experience that love.  We will never take that for granted.  Well... remind us when he's 16 and crashes the car the first time!
The hard part is behind us now and the good stuff is just beginning.........

Shhh! No crying babies!

Happy Family

Judge Ballinger was warm and charismatic

Lunch after at La Gallette-Ryan's first time in person

My cute shirt from Aunt Rikki-good thing I'm big and it fit early

This one sums up how we all felt