Birth Certificates

We received Eli's birth certificates today!!!! We had to wait until Eli's adoption finalization to apply for them and pay for them. The birth certificates have us as Eli's parents!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy First Father's Day, Daddy!

Happee furst fathurs daay, Daddy! i am tankphul 4 u. U haff chandged my lyfe so much all red-eee. U make mee feel spechul and luvd. God gave mee a spechul gifd whin He gave mee u as my daddy 4 evur. i luv u. ***Eli

Eli May Pictures

Below are Eli's May pictures that we sent to our adoption agency for Eli's birthmom. Enjoy!

Adoption Finalization Day!

June 4th was monumental for the Millers! June 4th was Eli's adoption finalization day!!!! What does that mean? All the adoption process pieces culminate up to the point when a judge grants adoptive parents their adoption petition. Eli was placed in our care in December, but appearing before a judge and having the judge's signature on our paperwork made Eli a legal and forever part of the Miller family. For some perspective from the adoption realm, adoption finalization is as big of a deal as actually giving birth to a baby. It's the moment when your child really becomes yours (even though he has been yours in your heart for months).

The morning started with Eli giving his Daddy a special gift. It was a card and a picture with an adoption saying on it. Then it was time to get ready. We had fun dressing Eli in his new suit (size 12 months).

We arrived at the courthouse around 8:30 a.m. Our appointment was at 9. Taking the walk to the courthouse seemed like a dream. We thought, "Is this really finally happening?!?!" Yes, it was!

This is us waiting to go into our courtroom!

Adoptions are closed-courtroom, so only our friends and family could stay in the room. The judge had our attorney come forward, and then our attorney asked the judge if we could stand there, too. The judge agreed and even said that everyone else could stand with us! 

Our attorney asked us some questions in front of the judge. Questions were about Eli's name, our residency, our agreement to having Eli being a Miller, and our agreement to love Eli forever. It felt like saying wedding vows ... lips quivering while responding because of happy tears wanting to come and everything seeming so fast and like a fog. 

After our attorney said her part, the judge told us that he was granting our adoption petition and that he had signed our document saying that Eli is ours forever! That was an indescribable moment!!!! The judge came down and took pictures with us once the hearing was over.

We were excited that some of our family came and witnessed the finalization of the newest family member.

Some very special friends also joined us for the special ocassion. 

The clerks office was our next stop. There we received a certificate of adoption and paperwork that would allow us to obtain birth certificate copies.

It was truly amazing to leave the court house knowing that Eli is ours and the adoption is finally over! The whole adoption finalization was a vivid picture of what God did when he adopted us into His family forever through the gift of salvation. We are so blessed and thankful that God chose us to be a part of something so special... a representation of us entering His family and of Eli entering our family... FOREVER!

The celebration continued at our house with lunch and Eli's first cake made by his mommy. The cake says, "Grown in our hearts." Eli might not have grown inside his mommy's tummy, but he has been growing in her heart for years! 

 

The day ended with Eli receiving a gift from his official mommy and daddy (even though we've always been mommy and daddy). We gave him a book about family. It's a book where we can record ourselves reading. The book talks about what we learn about and do in our family (forgive, help, pray, ...). We recorded it as we read it to Eli for the first time. 

June 4th was really a special ocassion and a day to celebrate! The celebration still continues because every day is a celebration of God gifting us with our forever son!

Wannabe Mommy Trials to Triple Mommy Blessings

So... the clock just struck midnight... the start of my very first Mother's Day. Tears appear in my eyes as I sit at the computer in complete awe of the fact that this day is really here. For almost the entire ten years of our marriage I've dreaded Mother's Day. Of course I love Mother's Day because I love to celebrate my love for my mom and Eric's mom, but I dreaded the reminder that I wasn't a mom. I often wondered when and if it would be me. I've been handed the Mother's Day flower at church wondering why it was placed in my palm. Awkward! My ears heard my heart's scream as I heard the "What is a Good Mother?" sermon. I've hated knowing that I had to watch baby dedication at church on Mother's Day and it wasn't my turn... again... until today!

By God's perfect plan and perfect timing, this Mother's Day is really for me! It's my turn! I will be on the stage for my SON'S baby dedication! I will have my husband tell me "Eli... Say, 'Happy Mother's Day' to your Mommy." Not only that, I have two Chinese "daughters" this Mother's Day, too! Triple mommy blessings this year! Although I am celebrating being a mom, there are three other moms missing their babies.

I can't overlook the fact that the Lord has entrusted me with mothering three children (my baby son and my two teenage Chinese "daughter" exchange students). I am honored that Rachel and Helena's moms have allowed me to take care of their daughters for the school year. I am also honored that Eli's birthmom allowed me to take care of Eli for the rest of his life!

Blessed and grateful! I am SO blessed and SO grateful that Eli's birthmom gave me the gift of being a mom for the very first time!!!!!!!! One of the reason's our birthmom picked us is because she wanted to bless a childless family with a child. That is love! She wanted her child to bless others. Eli sure has done that! Eli has blessed our lives in so many ways! Eli's birthmom has a HUGE place in my heart forever. I hope I can thank her in person one day for choosing me to be her son's mom through adoption. Her decision is so brave, courageous, admirable, sacrificial, and loving!

To those who are reading this and are wanting to barf because you are where I once was, you're not alone and God really does have a plan... a plan that is bigger and better than you could ever plan yourself. That sounds so blah blah blah, I know, but it's so true! I used to think what you are thinking. No matter what, God really does have a plan for you. Trust Him and give it completely to Him. Child or no child, you have to lean on Jesus. Allow Him to be in control of your life and life's situation no matter what. I know that this is not only an envious time, but it is a hurting time. Let God be the one to heal your heart by filling the mommy void with Himself. Leaning on God is what sustained and uplifted me throughout my journey to motherhood. That's where true joy on Mother's Day comes from. 

Dear Eli's Birthmom,

On this Birthmother Day we pause to pray and pause to praise as we often do. We are reminded today of your sacrificial love for Eli. We are thankful that you trusted us enough to entrust Eli into our care. We love you, admire you, and respect you. Eli hears about your love on a regular basis. Until we can give you one in person ... big Jesus bear hugs!!!!!!

Eric and Erin

April Pictures