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Monday, March 10, 2008

Adoption Day

This morning we woke bright and early and marched downtown with an entourage of loved ones to become a family.

Okay, not exactly, but not too far from truth either...

We did wake up early. We drove instead of marched. We were surrounded with almost all of our family, some of which arrived in a three car caravan and we drove in our van which is called an Entourage. And of course, we didn't just become a family- we've been one all along.

Today was our Adoption Day. Today was the day the Penobscot Probate Court and Judge Allen Woodcock and the State of Maine noticed that we are in fact a family- complete with two moms and two magical little girls. Judge Woodcock said lovely things - there is no greater title than "mom" and "mom", that there is no expectation of perfection in this job of parenthood (which he called a "transendent" experience) but it is expected that we will do our best and when we fall short we will try harder next time, that there will be unexpected joys, disappointments and some sleepless nights ahead (if any of you have read this blog before, this is a well documented fact) and that there is no harder, more rewarding job than being a parent. All these things are true, have been true and will continue to be so. Still, there was something so purely amazing about having someone so official recognize us.

Ella has been excited about her "doption hearing" for a while now after attending Emerson's in January. I think she was just happy to have her peeps with her- my mom (Gramma), Sandi's parents (Gram and Gramp), Auntie Krick, Uncle Mike and Brevan and Mindy, Charissa and Emerson. Our friend Bridgett came and took pictures. I cannot thank all these people enough for celebrating this momentous day with us. (And I thank Trish who choose not to come and share her germs- we missed you, though.) Thank you to our attorney Jane Clayton who pulled this all together. Thank you to Dwight (Sandi's dad) for treating us ALL to a celebratory breakfast after.


This day means very little to a family who is already a family. It also means everything.

We love you all, Suzanne and Sandi- the newly official parents of both our children.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I am so moved, to tears in fact! I am proud that there is now recogntion, officially, for something that your girls already knew to be theirs.

As authors of this Carver Family blog, you know that this life is somewhat new to me. In my past, before I realized some of the obstacles we face in the gay community (even though today wasn't completely about 2 gay moms), I had little realization of the same. I continue to discover new appreciations for things that are granted to us little by little.

I hope that there comes a day when children won't know that once, you had to "fight for your day in court" to make legal what was already yours to begin with. I hope that they can know a union between two people that are lovingly committed to eachother-that will be recognized and enjoyed as much as a "bride and groom" walking down the isle today.

These are baby steps that will hopefully someday become "the norm". Today is a sure sign that things are moving in the right direction!!

CONGRATULATIONS on such a wonderful joyous occasion!!!
Love, J (&M)

When Two Becomes Five said...

Congrats to you all! That's wonderful news!

Emilie said...

Well, Jeannine, how can I top that?

I hate that you had to go through all of those steps to be deemed "moms" to your own children, but you do write about it so beautifully, and you were instrumental in allowing other families that might look like yours to experience this same right. Well done carver FAMILY.

We love you.

Anonymous said...

When we adopted Killian, the judge told us that adoptions were his favorite moments behind the bench, hands down.

Well, duh.

What greater honor than to stand in the reverence of love. Your judge got to see and know, for one lucky moment, what the rest of us have known about you Carvers all along.

 
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