It's official.

This has been a special week...and included a day we have been waiting for at our house for several months.  All the fear, doubt, and worry is over.  The adoptions are all final as of today!

It has been a long journey.  One that would never have been traveled if it weren't for one person.  She is the one who gets all the credit.  That person is "Miss Carrie", the caring social worker who for the last few years has watched over our precious boys.  In many ways, they were her boys too...and you can tell that by the way she looks after them.  She has celebrated their accomplishments and helped them with their struggles.

When she was looking through the list of possible matches for a forever family for these little boys, she is the one who came across our file...  She is the one who read about the two of us with an open mind and heart, and thought, maybe, just maybe, this would be a good fit.  She is the one who made the call, who went to her managers and explained why she felt we were the ones who could take on this daunting job.   She is the one who invited us over to meet these fragile little creatures, and collaborated with us how to meet their needs.   She is the one who put them in a van, with all their worldly belongings and brought them several hours away to us...and to their new life.   She is the one who stayed well into that evening to make sure they were okay with being here.  She is the one who once a month, has gotten into a van and drove hours to check on them, to make sure they knew she was still there and still cared.  SHE is the one who made us a family.

She is truly a special person.  Without her, this would have never happened.  There is nothing we can ever do to repay her.    Saying 'Thank you' seems so shallow and empty....  She will always be a welcome member of our family, and a very special part of our story.  For her,  we will be forever grateful.

We all have heard the stories about social workers.  They are overworked, and underpaid.  I am thankful to know a few, some of whom had to change careers, but still have the same passion.  It takes a lot of love, compassion and strength to do a job like this.   I couldn't do it.  I am thankful for those who can, and do it so amazingly well.

Although I am glad this chapter is over for our boys, there are several thousand more foster children out there, praying every night for a 'forever family'.   Take a look around you, and most importantly, inside yourself.
What can YOU do to make a difference in a little child's life?

For more information on foster care adoption, click here .  If you are a resident of the Raleigh/Durham area, and have questions about adopting or our experiences in North Carolina with an open same sex partnership during the adoption process...give me a call.  I will be happy to help in any way I can!