When we adopted Cordie, the process was straightforward and simple, at least as simple as adoption ever is. It was the positive example an agency wants to trot out. "Look how fast they were chosen! Look how smoothly things went with the birth parents! Look how everyone is happy with the end result!" Theo's was not like that at all. It was fraught from the moment we got the initial message until finalization.
It was so unsure, in fact, that I had to have a conversation with Cordie to explain that we might not be able to keep Theo. This was world rocking news for her and us! I told her that Theo was our "maybe baby" and it was our job to love him as much as we could for as long as we had him. This meant for months Cordie would tell us and random people at the store, "Theo isn't ours." It's amazing that the police didn't show up at my door on a suspected kidnapping tip. Seriously though, that was one of the hardest conversations I've ever had. She was only 3.5 years old! It was hard enough for me as an adult to deal with the uncertainty! When the social worker came to visit, she was almost in tears and asking if she was there to take Theo away. It's been hard. Really, really hard.
Finally, finally, FINALLY though, Theo IS ours! Our court date was last week and he is now a part of our forever family. We are all relieved to have this season of instability behind us. As Cordie told me yesterday "he's my favorite"!
We all love you to bits, Theo! I'm so glad you are Cordie's "for sure sibling" now!
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