The Adoption Ceremony

Anna's adoption took place on Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 8:30am. We entered the courthouse and walked through the metal detector. JR set the detector off at least four times and security practically made JR undress in front of the line we were holding up. JR and I are usually late to everything. We stepped into an elevator which took us to the third floor. When the door opened, we were greeted by our family and friends.

The adoption ceremony was not very long, but it was emotional and long awaited. Her ceremony took place in a regular court room and we were seated at a table where a plaintiff or defendant would normally sit. Our family and friends were seated on the benches behind us. Anna was the center of attention, of course, and I held her while she sat on the table looking around. She was totally oblivious to the fact that this would be one of the most important days of her life. She was more concerned with her sparkly pink shoes.

The ceremony was a little bit of a blur for me. As I held her, all I could think of was that this day was finally here. I remember JR and I saying "yes" to a long list of questions, but what I remember the most was when the judge said, "Anna is now considered your child just as if she were your natural born child." We would no longer be considered the parents that were trying to adopt or even the adoptive parents. We were now Anna's natural mother and father.