An Ending of Sorts

It felt good to have a plan. After so much disappointment it was wonderful to finally know what we were going to do about our childless family.
So we took the plunge. We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into, but who really does when it comes to parenting? We dove head first into the foster care adoption world. I will spend some time later discussing each of the hoops that must be successfully jumped through, but we will skip it for now.
We were so excited. We were sure that everything was going to go swimmingly. Even as we sat in the mandatory classes and listened to them say that it could take 2-4 years to get a child and that our precious child might not be so precious after all (like they might do things like poop smear and not love you!), we listened with rose colored ears (you know what I mean). We were going to have a kid by Christmas because we were full of faith and sooooo ready to be parents. Besides we were going to love the socks off of our child and there is no way our love wouldn't get through.
Oh what blissful ignorance! :)
We were clueless. But that wouldn't last for long. We would learn and we would learn quick that nothing was going to go as planned and things would get worse before they got better. To make a long story bearable (I am happy to answer any specific questions people may have), it took us 6 months from our first required hoop to get to what is called the matching phase. The matching phase is when you can actually start looking for kids. And from matching until placement it took another 6 months. It felt like the longest year of my life. It may have been one of the most difficult years of my life. It definitely felt like that while we were living it.
On April 24, 2012 we met our beautiful boy. Our life has changed irrevocably. I have found that being a parent is one the most wonderful and difficult things that can happen to a person. Being a parent of a child who has experienced the foster care system is like nothing that you can imagine. It is tragic. But it is such a gift. I have had conversations I never imagined I would. I have learned so much. Everyday I look at my son and see God's love and faithfulness.
No, I didn't give birth to him. I didn't know him when he was born. He lived a little over 4 years of his life without me. He doesn't look like me and he never will. But the only thing that matters is that he is ours. Our own precious boy. 
Our quest for parenthood was complete.  I am a mom. :) I can't even begin to tell you how full my heart is as I type that. After 8 long years it finally happened for us.

Can't you just feel the happiness?

To read The Beginning and The Middle of our story follow the links. :)