We had to take a huge leap of faith and plunge into the next steps, like making plans to leave within a couple of days!  Four days after that life-altering phone call we arrived in the birthmother’s state to await our baby’s arrival.  We did a great job picking a residence hotel within two miles of everything we needed, including a post office that came in handy more than once!

Fortunately, Evan’s birth mom wanted to meet us in person before the big event, so we met her the very next evening for dinner and got to know her a little.  Since she hadn’t given birth yet, we made plans to have dinner together again two days later.  Turns out when we met again, she had been at the hospital earlier in the day and learned they would be inducing her the very next day and the little one would arrive the day after!  We suddenly had a “planned” date on when we would become parents!

She didn’t have anyone with her at the hospital, so we decided to be there for her, as well as our little one; Dawnette mom was even blessed enough to be in the delivery room.  Evan’s birthmom only wanted to see him, not be a part of anything that came next (he had to go to the NICU for observation) and we honored her request.  We both went back to see her as soon as she was moved to her regular room later that morning.  Then, after spending most of the day in the NICU with our new son, (and trying out names), we returned to his birth mom’s room for an evening visit.   After an excited, but surprisingly relaxing good night’s sleep at our hotel, we went back to spend a happy day at the hospital, visiting our little one who had been upgraded to the regular nursery, as well as visiting birth mom a few more times. 

Then, on his third day of life, it came time to discharge him.  We were excited and nervous with butterflies all over the place.  While dad was collecting everything for the little guy, mom visited birth mom one last time to say good-bye, and to share a hug before his birth mom was discharged.  We’ve honored her final request of “kiss him for me, okay?” over and over again.

We had two weeks of waiting to clear legal hurdles before we could return to our home.  It was nerve-wracking, but in the end all of that stress has become just a memory as we grow closer and learn each day how to make our little boy happy and content.  And, even though we haven’t heard from birth mom since that discharge day at the hospital, we still hope to one day so we can show her how we areindeedthe good parents she found for her child. 

Evan is six months now and he is such a sweet baby, very good-natured and aware of everything going on around him!  We talk nearly every day about how blessed and how lucky we are to have him.  We are now a “forever family” after recently being able to stand in court to take an oath on our commitment as parents to Evan, and obtain our adoption decree.   The judge even asked us if we promise to hug Evan even when he makes not-so-smart choices!

The whole experience reminds us to never lose hope, and to keep our minds and hearts open so that we can be ready to receive what comes our way.

-Tom & Dawnette