Ending National Adoption Awareness Month With 2020 Finalization Stories

And just like that, another National Adoption Awareness Month happened and ends today. No closing to National Adoption Awareness Month would be complete without highlighting recent adoption finalizations. Adoption finalizations may look different this year, however not even a pandemic can take away from this monumental occasion.

Instead of the traditional courtroom pictures with the judge, we are celebrating our recent adoption finalizations by sharing pictures and summaries on becoming family.

Kelly & Chris

Baby Phoebe Joins the Family

Chris, Kelly, Trent, and Phoebe

When we decided to adopt we always knew we wanted two children. After adopting Trent we waited a few years and began the process again. After waiting for a while, we were picked to be Phoebe’s family. We could not wait for her arrival and for Trent to be a big brother. We did not tell Trent until we were going to the hospital to be there for her birth and he was over the moon. He knew we were waiting for a baby and constantly asked “when is my baby coming,” so he was beyond excited. The moment she was born we knew our family was complete and the day Trent got to meet her was the best day ever. You could just see it on his face as he held his baby sister and then as he read books to her (he is 6) how much he loved her. Phoebe was in the hospital for over a month but when we brought her home we knew she just belonged there with us. She loved Trent from that moment on and sometimes he was the only one that could get her to calm down. She loves to do things with her big brother and she smiles and laughs for him all the time. Trent loves being a big brother and loves to play with Phoebe and help take care of her. He is very protective of her and always watches out for her. She also has Daddy wrapped around her little finger and she’s Mommy’s little princess. Trent is a ball of energy and Phoebe is so easygoing and loves to come along on our family adventures. We could not imagine our life without Phoebe and Trent.

Laura & Gary

Colton’s Baby Brother Brody

Top Left: Baby Brody Top Right: Laura and Brody Bottom Right: Brody Bottom Middle: Colton and Brody Bottom Left: Gary and Brody

January 19, 2019 will forever be the day that changed our lives! That day brought to this world Brody Scott. Our son Colton was in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). I was home, getting ready to head to the CHOP to relieve my husband, when my phone rang. It was my best friend calling to catch up, or so I thought. Instead, she was calling to tell me that unbeknownst to anyone, her daughter had given birth to a baby boy. Her daughter had made the decision to put the baby up for adoption. Without having to even think or talk to Gary, I said, “I wish we knew sooner. Gary and I would have loved to have adopted him!” I thought to myself if only there was a way. Later that day, Gary and I were sitting by Colton’s bedside when my phone rang. It was my friend calling again. She was so happy to tell us that she spoke with her daughter and the birth father about a potential adoption. They both decided that they would like us to adopt Brody! It was completely amazing that they chose us! We could not believe it; this was really happening! We had been trying for over a year to have a child of our own, in fact, we were in the middle of what would be our last round of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). We had decided, after multiple unsuccessful IVF treatments, that our next step would be adoption. One way or another, we knew there was a child out there that was meant to be a part of our family. A child that would become Colton’s brother, a child who would call Gary his Daddy, and I his Mommy. From the first minute we saw Brody, we knew he was the one! Every day, we see the bond that is forming between Colton and Brody. Brody has this ability to brighten Colton’s face by the mere sound of his little laugh, or a playful tug on Colton’s hand. It is impossible to put into words the joy and love that Brody has brought to our family. Our adoption story may not be typical, we may have done things a little bit differently, but we would not have done it any other way.