Adoption Anniversary Day!

Today is a special day at the J house. 2 years ago today, our little DisneyGirl's adoption became final!

This is her, in a pic from a few months before the special day. It's hard to believe how little she was then, and how much she's grown. In this picture her arms are stretched up so one of us can pick her up. Snuggling is always much more important than taking pictures...


Adoption days are kinda odd. They are such happy occasions, but they take place at the children's court building here in LA. That is one of the most depressing places I've ever been. The amount of human tragedy that goes on their every day is overwhelming. I'm not sure how the lawyers and judges that work there get through it.

Anyway, you have to get to court first thing in the morning, but you don't know when you will actually be called in to see the judge. (The court hearing is really just a formality. All the work that makes the adoption final is done beforehand.) When you're finally called in to the courtroom, the hearing is pretty quick. The judge looks over the paperwork, makes you affirm that you are willingly taking this child as your own family, and then it's over. It happens really quickly, then comes a round of pictures:

Here we are with a couple of family members who could get off work and join us. Also, there's the judge, holding DG, the world's greatest children's lawyer holding Little MacGyver, and our other lawyer, who's also terrific.









There's really only one place to go after you've adopted DisneyGirl. So we headed out to the Magic Kingdom to celebrate. DG got to meet some important people, er, dogs...















Then we had dinner with the princesses at one of the Disney restaurants. Since DG considers herself one of the princesses, she had a great time:




























And this is my wonderful girl, in a more recent picture. (She's graduating from preschool; Little MacGyver graduates from kindergarten.) She is a great blessing. She is so full of energy and life. She is passionate and fun. She's kind and she loves people (and animals). We are blessed to have her in our family...