The adoption process officially began for us in March of 2010. Truth be told, the "process" began in our hearts many, many years before that. However, we walked into our adoption agency in March of last year with absolutely no idea what lay before us. We fought our way through mounds of paperwork and endured months of waiting but finally brought our munchkin home in March of 2011. The journey wasn't over yet due to the nature of the Korea program. A six month wait had to follow his arrival before we legally finalized everything.
I'm so excited to say - TODAY WAS THE DAY!!! It was a day of great change for my sweet family...
- Taehwan Kang became Samuel Lee Brown
- He went from "legal alien" to US Citizen
- We went from "guardians" to legal parents!!
Also - we are now able to go public with pictures, videos and the blog! Hence the reason you're able to read this without signing in! (And the adoption videos on here that had been blocked are not anymore!)
Just a glimpse of what today looked like...
*waiting outside the courtroom*
*inside the courtroom*
*it's final*
Words will never accurately portray this journey we've been on! Although I'm not even close to being a Grateful Dead fan, I think it can be summed up by saying, "What a long, strange trip it's been!!" God has been faithful as He always is and has taught us much about Himself and His goodness!!
**if you have not been able to access the blog until now, please take a look at what we've been up to the last seven months. we'd love to share our life with you**
My eyes are filling up with "happy" tears as I read the text and view the pictures of your experience today. What an awesome day...Praise God!!! Jason and I are SO VERY excited for you and your family. Those are great Christmas pictures by the way.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like yesterday when we were sitting in the hotel when our youth groups went to Winterplace together...January 2011...and you had just received the pictures and referral for sweet Samuel. I shared another moment of happy tears when your video from Korea was viewed in the worship center of College Heights Baptist Church this year. The first moment you saw him took my breath away and when you were feeding him strawberries for the first time.
I cannot express my joy that I feel for you all right now. As Jason, Cohen and I have recently started this adoption process ourselves, I UNDERSTAND, that this day has to bring you relief, joy, and comfort...being about to reach that light that was so distantly at the end of the tunnel. It is finally here!!! Prise God...He gets the glory for this miracle.
Jason, Cohen and I are looking forward to that day when we can experience this same joy when we get to bring our Melanie home.
We love you all!!! Jason, Karla and Cohen Taylor
Congratulations Mindy! I am just THRILLED for your sweet family!
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