Bleep.
Bleep.
Bleep-Bleep.
The long faced cashier, dressed in blue, rings up our purchases as Emma leans far out of the cart to swipe at the bag turnstyle on a busy December morning in Wal-Mart.
Bleep.
Bleep.
"My name is Emma Gavin." Emma proudly announces to the cashier.
The cashier glances up at Emma, looks at me and wordlessly resumes scanning.
She's impressed, I can tell.
Bleep.
Bleep.
If the cashier only knew.....
We finally got word that our homestudy would begin in December 2011 and it would be conducted by an outside agency. CPS was outsouring our file because of an internal backlog. This was great news because an outside private agency wouldn't have access to any of our past CPS records. (i.e.: Mr. Spoon).
We began meeting with a new social worker who would come over and talk with us in 3 hour incriments, asking us every possible question about health, family, marriage, parenting, etc.... Over a period of 3 months, she came several times and interviewed each of us seperately.
When it came time to interview the children, we were nervous because it is no secret that they get spankings and so far we had skirted the topic of discipline. Dylan did well on his interview, as well as Jubilee.
When it came time to interview Alex, he glibly told the social worker that I "strangle him" and that Sean and I are mean to him, citing for an example the $100 train we refused to buy him. He continued to tell her that he works yet we pay him no allowance.
I almost dropped the pot of spagetti I was cooking as I listened in on his interview.
Alex continued his sorid tale for another 15 minutes and finished off by saying that he doesn't even like Emma.
I felt the blood drain from my face as I quickly debated my options for damage control.
Should I tell the lady that Alex has a mental dysfunction and the meds make him delusional?
Sould I laugh and blow off his answers without sounding desperate or guilty?
I decided to just hold my peace, while shooting Alex death daggers via my eyeballs. The social worker jotted down Alex's interview with a smirk on her face.
Every mistake and health issue anyone in our family had experienced was recorded, documented and analyzed until the last interview was completed and the worker left us alone in February 2012.
She would compile her findings and submit the entire "snapshot" to CPS for approval. In the meantime, Emma's CPS worker that she lovingly referred to as "grandpa" retired. Emma was assigned a new adoption agent who just happened to be the foster worker that represented Emma's dad back in the day. We were happy to see a familiar face and she was excited to see that Emma was now on the adoption side of the system.
At the end of summer 2102, we were pleasantly surprised to hear that we had successfully passed our home study! A homestudy typically takes 2-3 months, yet ours took 8 months.
We were presented with a finished 18 page document that painted a historical, psychological and financial narrative of our life, as seen through anothers eyes. A few excerpt from document stated:
"The Gavin family system is open to new experiences, organized, creative, and allows individuals to explore and develop skills and has a clear understanding of Biblical values that the family has established as their foundation...Summer could not have been placed in more capable or caring hands."
"According to Alex, he empties the trash bags, however, during this evaluators visit to the home, each child was helping with the trash duties."
"Jacquelyn is a vibrant thirty-xxx year old female who presents herself as "natural" with conservative casual attire."
"Jacquelyn had forewarned this evaluator that Sean is rather quiet, however, this evaluator found him to be an interesting, forthright communicator with a sense of humor."
After the hurdle of the homestudy, the rest of the process was smooth sailing...compared to what we were used to of course. Final documents were ordered and we signed official adoption papers in October 2012. It was very similar to a home loan. I even asked our worker what the interest rate would be.
The worker then took all the documents to court and called us back with our official court date.
November 13, 2012.
We were very excited to finally have a final court date. We were also excited to possibly see the same judge who's decisions had guided us through the process. We took a family photo, highlighting Emma, for everyone to sign as a keepsake.
We also planned Emma's Adoption Outfit, she would be wearing gold, like a princess.
Everyone took a day off work and we planned for the big day as if it were a live birth... minus the hospital gown and weight gain.
We had much joy and thankfulness in our hearts, and we were still completely awed and humbled by the awesomeness of God and His ways.
November 13th dawned and we all rose early to be dressed and assembled in court by 8am. We were sad to see that our favorite judge would not be handling the adoption procedure but it was still emotional and special. We swore in court that we would keep Emma and that she would be our legal child. Then the judge allowed us to come up front and take a picture in front of the great seal of California.
We were over the moon happy as family and friends smiled up at us from the courtroom.
We celebrated after court with a party at our home, complete with friends,
church members, family and neighbors coming in to share in our miracle. So
many people....from neighbors that we had newly met, to family and friends who remembered the very
first time "Summer" was ever mentioned. During the party, we watched a slideshow of pictures taken over the last three
years. We reminisced. We cried. Then we rejoiced together as we basked in the fruition of our journey. Yes, it was a long road filled with uncertainties, victories and
most of all.....paperwork, but God carried us through and brought us to a happy ending and a new beginning with Emma by our sides and in our hearts forever.
Bleep.
I smile back at Emma in the cart, mentally forgiving the cashier for not comprehending the significance of Emma's announcement.
....my name is Emma Gavin
So much history behind those little words.
I take my bags, and the cashier briefly glances our way before moving on to the next customer.
She doesn't know our story.
How could she possibly guess Emma is a miracle? Through her eyes, we are just an ordinary mother and daughter, sharing the same last name, shopping together.
But then my heart begins to sing... I suddenly realize that Emma's miracle is echoed back to me in the simple truth seen through the eyes of a stranger.
Just an ordinary mother and daughter but ordinary is beautiful! Ordinary took 4 years to complete! We are just an ordinary mother and daughter but finally together on an ordinary day sharing the same last name and a connection deeper than biology, a connection of the heart, orchestrated by God...the spirit of adoption.
I look down at my forever daughter, no longer a foster child, but a real life daughter and one who will proclaim proudly to the listening world...
...I am Emma Gavin!
