The Laugh – An Epic Adoption Story
Yep…she laughed and then said, “Well, it’s not coming out of this body.”
Kristi’s appointment for a hysterectomy was in just a few weeks, and I knew it wasn’t going to come out of her body, but I just couldn’t shake the dream.
So, while we had talked about adoption, and while I had been the biggest proponent of looking into that idea I was a little perplexed as to why I now had this desire to raise a son.
Out of nowhere…I wanted a boy. How in the world was that going to happen?
The Girls – An Epic Adoption Story
The Girls
[singlepic id=69 w=320 h=240 float=center]I never really remember having a preference.
I mean when I was asked what I wanted I may have said boy, but that’s what the guy is supposed to say, right?
But I really didn’t care.
Once Shelbi Lynn Smith entered the world, with two fingers in her mouth at all times, I really didn’t care. She took my breath away, and in so many ways melted my heart even during the colicy days when she never seemed to be comfortable unless asleep.
I was totally content with being the father of girls, and as Baili Rose and Mallori Shamblin joined her I became even more convinced that being the father of girls was a pretty good gig.
Until I had the dream…
February 9th Update – An Epic Adoption Story
Sorry for leaving everyone hanging over the last couple of days. After my website going down I had to rebuild much of it from scratch and it took a lot out of me. Now, I have some catching up to do.
I think the easiest thing to hit some highlights, and then follow up with some specifics in the following days.
Sunday Tim, Moses, Lucas, and I, via boda boda (aka motorcycle), went to Calvary Chapel Kampala for worship. It’s a mixed congregation of internationals, Ugandans, and ex-patriots. It was a packed house. All of the music was familiar and in English, and the pastor announced his resignation. No joke. He’s been here for nine years, has risen up several elders and pastors, and the church is in a period of rapid growth and the dude is leaving it in the hands of the guy who came and helped him start the church. We ran into the replacement at lunch on Monday at Good Africa. We had a great conversation.
Sunday night we and the Thompsons went out for pizza with another couple adopting from Austin, Texas; a lady adopting from Kansas, another Ugandan couple, and our friend Lawrence. We then piled into two vehicles , ran out of gas, and then walked to the International Hotel to watch some local dancers and to see the Chelsea and Liverpool match.
Monday was our “Gotcha Day,” the day we became the guardians of three more children. At first our judge asked where the mothers were, and there was an awkward silence. After Agnes, our lawyers assistant, explained how far away the family lived the judge explained that from now on when he presents a ruling the mothers are to be present in case they have a change of heart. Needless to say it was a little tense, but the judge was willing to give his ruling and we first became the guardians of Alex Wandera and Fiona Mirembe followed with the uneventful ruling on Phiona Mukimba, respectively known as Lucas, Lilli, and Kamri. After we left the judge’s chambers we celebrated with hugs all around. This was the moment we had been pursuing for 3 ½ years. We celebrated with lunch at Good Africa, similar to a Panera, and then went to finish medical testing at IOM. More on that later…