Baby Isaac came home (to the hotel) on May 19th and for goodness sakes, we’ve been falling in love with him more every day. Yes, even today as I write this sleep deprived and covered in spit up, Craig and I are so in love!
Even now that Isaac is home and almost 6 weeks old, the adoption journey is not over… officially, anyway. There are a few legal steps in the finalization of the adoption, including meeting the Florida adoption agency’s licensing and Florida law requirements. Adoption finalization looks a bit different depending on what states are involved. Isaac was born in Florida, so the finalization steps that follow are based on Florida’s state requirements.
Placement. When Isaac was discharged from the hospital on May 19th he was placed with Craig and me. This “placement” means we accept him into our care and do everything that moms and dads do, but legally, well, there’s more we need to before Florida sees us as Mom and Dad. Don’t let this stress you, especially those considering adoption. Yes, there is still some risk involved, but we are Mom and Dad… have been, are, and will be. This confidence goes back to God’s work throughout this adoption journey- He has shown Himself throughout it- and our relationship with Birthmom. Craig, Birthmom, and I are all certain of God’s work in our lives, and especially Isaac’s. God has taken a situation full of broken people and brought restoration. That’s the Gospel at work right there! Oh! There’s so much more I could say about this- I hope you experience that type of restoration yourself! There’s nothing like it! I digress and apologize for the abundance of exclamation points.
Post Placement Supervision. Next, we complete post placement visits with our Kentucky adoption agency. These were the guys who completed our home study at the very beginning of our adoption journey. They will also see us through to the end of the journey as they complete two post placement visits and reports. We completed one in June and have one more scheduled for July. These are painless visits in which a representative from the agency checks in to learn how everyone is doing and adjusting. The rep will then write monthly reports for the Florida adoption agency and include recommendations that the adoption continue to finalization.
Finalization. The post placement supervision period lasts for 90 days after placement (May 19) has occurred. After this period, which puts us in late August at the earliest, the legal steps get rolling with the adoption attorney. With the post placement reports recommending the finalization of the adoption, the attorney will work to schedule a finalization hearing. Since we’re in Kentucky the hearing will take place over the phone and then… that’s it! We can throw an official party, or maybe just take a nap. Yes, nap sounds great right about now
Beth