Tuesday, May 18, 2010

My Rainbow in the Rain
So; these past few weeks have been all over the place. Wait, wait, wait on one case is all I seem to be doing. I think it's gonna happen, I know it's gonna happen; maybe today, maybe tomorrow, maybe next week, month...well maybe never. That has been the way it's going. I am not very good at this waiting game. I believe I know everything will turn out the way it should but it's this part that gets to me. I know I am becoming closer and closer to these rugrats but I find myself fighting it to protect my heart (and in a way their's too.) I keep getting teased with possible dates of when it could be over. I continue to be tormented with talks of it being done voluantarily. And then a complete turn around. It will happen I told Bart, either by her will or Judge taking care of it. It's just the unknown in between that has my all flustered. But that's just me...can you imagine how the kids feel? I mean they hear the same things I do! So they are just as confused and flustered as I am.
But in all this turmoil over the past weeks; I almost overlooked something VERY VERY special to us. On the way to school this morning we took our usual lap around the court house and I thought of the date...It's been a year since Tomas Santiago Gonzalez became Tomas Sameul Alan Gilmore; son of Bart and Jennifer Gilmore!
I look at him now; laying on the couch in nothing more than a pair of shorts and my heart is happy. He has filled such a big, hurting hole in my heart. He is sweet, funny, smart and totally lovable. I love him more than anything.
With that being said; it was also this time last year that we were not sure if we got to keep Alecia forever. I remember the call I got fom Greg (our attorney) I was in a meeting and stepped outside to take his call. There was another couple that also wanted to adopt Alecia and were even present during the interview process. But they were not chosen to be her family and they were none too happy! So they actually filed a motion to appeal our petition to adopt her. Greg was great and got both adoption days set on the same date; I thought it would be super cool to do that! But this threw a wernch in our plans. So we went to court that day; both children in tow. Tomas dressed in a pair of Chaps khaki pants; a white Ralph Laurn linnen dress shirt, a tie and his blue Chuck Taylor's. Alecia in her fancy white dress with pink polka-dots and what she described as (a diamond) on her waist band, white sweater, white tights and her little silver flats. She was all dressed up and had nothing to do.
That moment was bitter sweet. We made our testimony in Tomas' case and the deal was sealed. He sat on Bart's lap the entire time. After the "formal" case was over Judge turned to Alecia, who was not adopted that day as it was planned; and said, "You're beautiful in you little dress; what's your name?" Well we had been working on it with her for months and as far as she knew she was just adopted too (I didn't see the point in having her worry, I would tell her only if I had to.) so she smiles real big at Judge and says, "I am Alecia Lee-Ann Gilmore and he is Tomas Samuel Alan Gilmore!" Judge got a chuckle out of that. And in that moment I got a little taste of peace. He says to my little girl, "Well Alecia Lee-Ann Gilmore (even though she was still Alecia Michelle Gunn) come up her and have a picture with 'your family'" as he turned and gave me a wink.
It was then I realized I need not worry. Judge is just covering us in case of an appeal in the higher courts. We had three more days in front of the judge. The last one was strange. We showed on time and waited for the other family to arrive to battle it out. I had my game face on; they were not taking her. If the judge ruled in favor of them I may have very well ran off to some far country with my little girl and never be heard from again. But they never showed. Even their lawyer was calling them from the court room. I had peace but had come to realize that things aren't always what you expect. So the judge went ahead and heard both sides. I expected a ruling right then. I was in tears when the judge said, "I will take this into consideration and rule on it later." WHAT?!?!?! We have waited this long and now you want us to go home and wait for a phone call?!?!?! Well I couldn't wait. I loaded up the kids and we went to my aunt's house to go swimming. The kids were having loads of fun trying to push eachother in, then they turned on us and tried to push us in. About two hours after leaving the courthouse my cell rings......it's the office! Talk about suspense...
Terri: Jennifer, it's Terri
Me: Yeeeesssss
Terri: Linda was just up turning some reports into Weikert's office...
Me: Yeeeesssss
Terri: He ruled on the case
Me: Yeeeeesssss
Terri: He ruled in YOUR favor!!!!
Me: well, i'm not really sure what I said after that!
But, this was the very end of July and I knew I wanted Alecia's name changed before school started in two weeks. I called Greg, he hadn't even heard the news yet, and told him. He got a court date for the following week annnnddddd....it was done!
So knowing that things will happen if you hand it over; ALL of it; over to God and wait on him has given me the only peace i know these days. For that peace I will always thank him; it is my rainbow, or promise from Him, that things will happen in His time.

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