Adoption Day - March 15, 2010

March 15th was a memorable day for our entire family! After nearly 2 years of caring for our sweet foster son, we legally adopted Jameson Michael Brown!

He has been in our home since birth, so we have been able to witness all of his milestones firsthand! We suffered with him through teething, rejoiced in his first smiles, roll overs, standing, crawling, walking, taste of solids, etc. We have been blessed to be with him through every monumental moment in his life thus far!

But on the 15th, he legally became what we have been calling him for months - our son! No more governmental oversight into his care. No more requesting written permission to take him to another state. No more turning in mounds of paperwork. No more restrictions on posting his pictures for our friends and family to see.

Now, he is viewed as any of our other children! We can make decisions on his behalf and not seek the approval of caseworkers and therapists first. We can truly do what we believe is in his "best interest" all of the time and not just when we have received permission!

He has truly been a gift to our family. He has taught us to appreciate the little things in life all over again. He has enabled Logan and Ethan to learn firsthand all about babies and toddlers. He has enabled Justin to have a "little buddy" who so looks up to him. He has allowed Lauren to put into practice all of her babysitting experience. He has slowed down our sometimes crazy days with a look or a giggle or other acts of childish wonder.

He has caused us to learn much about another ethnicity. Our eyes have been opened anew to the many injustices and difficulties that people of African American descent still experience today. He has caused us to truly search our hearts and have compassion on his biological parents and the many difficulties they have faced in life. We have learned many new medical terms and diagnoses. We have become familiar with cranial bands and aquatics therapy and Early Intervention.

We have had to once again re-adjust to sleepless nights and playing with toys on the floor. We have had to strategize nap schedules with the activities of older children. We have been become re-acquainted with the "terrible twos" and learned that in the "nature vs. nurture" debate, there is still much to be said about one's "nature"! We have once again learned to have sympathy (and empathy) when other parents care for high-maintenance children.

We have learned to buy larger clothes and "wide-width" shoes. We are learning how to feed a very picky eater. We are becoming familiar with the skin and hair-care needs of a bi-racial boy. We have fallen in love with a child once again!



We did not give birth to Jameson, but feel incredibly blessed that God would choose our family to raise him, love him and be his "forever family."

Another post with pictures of the adoption hearing to come soon...