Adoption Day

Francesca’s finalization ceremony was the formal process to make official what we’ve know in our hearts all along.

She is ours and we are hers.

You already know how we came to find our sweet baby Francesca. The short version…through Instagram and Facebook and then it was a long and winding road through foster care in the midst of a global pandemic.

Considering it was a unique journey, the fact that her actual adoption finalization was not a normal one either seems fitting. Usually you go to the courthouse and meet with the judge in his chambers and talk about the child and what responsibilities adoption comes with and so forth. Because of Covid a formal court house finalization would not be possible.

So instead, from the comfort of our little poolhouse, we had a zoom finalization with the Judge. Together, as a family, this is the declaration we made.

“I do hearby promise that I will love and protect Francesca, that I will care for her, that I will share with her and that she will always have a home.”

The best part…we were able to have a small group join us in person to witness our special ceremony.

Among that group joining us was Frankie’s wonderful bio family…her birth dad, Jake, his sister Hannah and his parents Lila and Brad. I’m sure it’s not common to have a bio family at a finalization hearing, but we couldn’t picture it any other way.

The only reason Francesca is in our arms now is because of her generous bio fam. And we’re not the only ones who love her. They do too!

That’s what most people don’t understand about adoption. In most cases, families place a baby because they love them, not because they don’t.

We just cannot believe how lucky we are to have such a loving and caring bio family that is now a part of our family. All thanks to this sweet little girl, we are connected forever and ever.

Francesca is truly the answer to a prayer and we are so grateful her bio family and God, picked us to be her family.

The greatest blessing, the greatest gift.