Final!

I found out last week that our adoption was finalized!  I wasn't expecting it to be final so soon!  I saw an email copy of our decree last Thursday.  Today I opened the original one that came in the mail, and I was crying so hard (tears of joy) that I couldn't read the words on the page.  Seriously.  It's a 2-page document, and I could barely read a quarter of it through my tears!  I love that baby girl so much.  The way that my family and friends have embraced her just warms my heart.  I know that she was totally meant to be my daughter.  God orchestrated this whole beautiful thing, and I am so thankful and overjoyed.  He made me jump through some hoops along the way and made me really stop and listen to what was right for everyone involved, and not just jump at the first opportunity that came along.  He made me learn to be patient (kind of! ha ha) and also to perservere and not give up if I want something bad enough.

When we were in North Carolina, we had to stay there for 10 days to wait for ICPC clearance- permission for adoptive parents to cross state lines with a baby.  Dave had to go home 3 days before me to get back to work.  Since we found out she was in labor that day, Dave didn't have time to plan ahead and request time off of work.  So he had to go back and I was alone in NC with Cambria.  I had to fly home- across the country- alone with a baby that I did not give birth to.  I was kind of nervous about this, and Dave looked at me and said, "If you want this bad enough, this is what you have to do.  Get on that plane with her by yourself and come home.  How bad do you want this?"

Well, anyone that knows me even a little bit, knows that I wanted my baby girl really badly.  So I put on my game face and somehow managed to get on the airplane by myself with a 10-day old baby, all supporting temporary custody documents, diaper bag, formula/bottles, stroller/ carrier (travel system), boppy pillow, my purse, sweatshirt, etc. etc.  Wow!  What an adventure that was!  But oh, so worth it.

I would go to the moon and back for that baby girl.  Forever!