National Adoption Day

Today is National Adoption Day, a celebration to raise awareness and honor families created by adopting through the foster care system. The courthouse opens on Saturday and hundreds of families across the nation complete the final hearing in a lengthy process of adopting their children. I went to the courthouse this morning to volunteer for the big event. Over 300 children were adopted today. The place was packed with happy families. I served as an escort to walk them through the process of security screening, upstairs to their courtroom, collecting gifts for the children, having their photograph taken, and finally to the clerk's office where they would receive that precious document certifying the adoption is final!

I saw a lot of people I knew today- an adoption attorney that I met through Dave's business, other families from my agency, as well as agency representatives, and other faces from when I volunteered for this event last year. I feel like I am becoming part of a community. It was fun to see so many happy, happy faces- children, families, attorneys, CPS workers, everyone was happy today. And there was also sadness, as I wonder when our turn will come.

The volunteers wore these shirts:



If you can't read it, the words are:

ONE DAY
I will have a home
I will have a family
I will be loved
TODAY IS THE DAY!!!

Several people asked my permission to photograph the back of my shirt, so I thought I'd share it with you all too.

I would love it so much if we can go back next year not as volunteers, but as one of those happy families showing up to finalize! One of the CPS workers told me that around the holidays there is typically an influx of kids coming through the system, so we shall soon see. Monday will be 50 days since our last Red File phone call.

In some happy blogging news, I received a record number of comments on my last post and I am up to 14 followers now! I have got to get better about posting regularly...