It's OFFICIAL!

Friday morning, we went to the courthouse on the square to finalize the adoption. Here's a shot of Mercer before we left the house. Isn't he cute?! He's wearing something old (a sweater and booties that my grandmother knitted for my dad when he was a baby), something new (the diaper?!), something borrowed (the white linen outfit), and something blue (the piping on the sweater). Ok - sounding like a wedding - but Mercer was being married into our family today!!









Todd & I had to take the witness stand individually and swear that certain statements that our attorney was making were true. "Is it true that this child was born on February 23rd 2008 in Pueblo, Colorado?" Yes. "Is it true that this child was put into your custody on or around February 24th and has been in your custody ever since?" Yes. We both answered a number of questions like this and the attorney finished with "Are you willinginly wanting to adopt this baby even though he will turn into a teenage boy?" Um... yes?! The folks in the audience (most of which were here with us) laughed... but our judge -- not a smile at all!! This guy was just a grumpy old man. (Todd described him as a hanging judge... he really would rather be trying a death sentence instead of presiding over an adoption case!!)

The judge read a few paragraphs and declared that this adoption was final and that the child's name will officially be known as "Mercer Garrison" (the birth mother had given him a name in the hospital -- which -- obviously we've never called him). You should be receiving a new birth certificate stating that Mercer was born in Pueblo, Colorado to Todd & Candice and a social security card will be applied for. (Our attorney would be doing all of that paperwork.) Folks acutally applauded when it was finalized.


We took some photographs with the judge and headed out. That was it!


**Pictured at left -- the judge... Todd's brother Jimmy, Todd, Me (what was I thinking with that shirt?!), Todd's mom, Todd's brother Bob (Mercer's guardian if something should happen to us), Todd's dad, and my step sis Michelle ("auntie M" -- who was brought to (happy) tears in the end).** Some of our friends and neighbors attended the event too.





When we got back home, the family all pitched in to turn our back yard into a party destination. A lot of work was already done on Thursday by Todd & his brothers in putting up a tent and by Rose Marie & Michelle cooking lots of sloppy joes. Friday was mainly set-up. Arranging tables. Making a drink area... a food area... an appetizer area. Everthing went pretty smoothly. We had a lot of people come by to celebrate with us. (And I think only 2 kids went in the pond -- but not all the way! (Lots of shots here -- but this should give you a good overview of the set-up. Kinda cool that the back yard is so easily transformed for a party! We'll have to do it again -- but not for a long long time. (ps - check out the screen wall at the deck that Todd just built last weekend! It's the shot that I'm in with someone we met at the beginning of our adoption journey - a girl named Ann and her recently adopted son, Henry.)

Mercer did a great job all day: Before the court case - he was getting fussy and tired, so Todd got him to sleep in his arms while we waited for our case. He woke up right before we were called into the courtroom. He was cheerful throughout the hearing. When everyone was preparing for the party, he slept. For hours. And - he woke up right before the party. Again, cheerful and happy. (He got his beauty sleep.) He did fall asleep once, but was awake and the star of the show for most of the night.
Some additional pictures are enclosed. A shot of a cake (we had two) and of some shots of the kids playing with chalk in the driveway. It was really a fun time. We were so happy to relax and celebrate after the finalization.

I did my best to take it easy through the night and did pretty well myself. (I had to take Aleeve a couple of times, but that was it.) So - that was a relief that I made it through without too much trouble.


I had to add a couple of additional shots -- these are a couple of the neighborhood girls who Mercer is fond of. Hmmm.... we'll have to keep a close eye on him now that he's officially our responsibility!! wish us luck on this journey....