Our Adoption Story - Meet Penny

Share & Help Me Grow

**This post will be updated as new information comes available. Thank you for following along with our adoption story and for praying. Our Paypal donation page is located HERE.**

I am a firm believer that God ordains things to happen. That’s never been more true than watching how our adoption of Leu into our family developed.

(Since I choose to protect the privacy of my children on the blog by referring to them with the names of foreign currency, our soon-to-be son will be called Leu after the Moldavian Leu.)

Fall 2016

In the fall of 2016, a precious 12 year old boy – a classmate of my daughter’s – was visiting our home for a playdate along with other friends from school. It wasn’t his first time over as we hosted playdates once a month, and he felt very comfortable with me. Perhaps that’s why he asked such a bold question.

“Do you like having four children?”

I looked up from what I was doing into his round, little face. “Yes, very much,” I answered.

“Would you ever want more children?” he pressed.

“Maybe. My husband and I have actually thought about adopting one day.”

He leaned closer. “Would you adopt me? If something happens to my parents, I mean?”

At that time, I had worked closely with children in church and educational settings for almost 20 years. I considered this a typical childish fear and assured him that his parents would be just fine.

Later that summer, Leu’s mother passed away.

Fall 2017

Upon returning to school after summer break and I learned that Leu’s mother had passed, we dove deep into his family, giving to his father all of the support we could muster.

His father became a dear friend to me. We would speak on the phone for an hour at a time. He would always assure me that he loved his children (three adults and one child) very much and that he wanted Leu to come live with us after his passing, but he never seemed inclined to put any plans into writing.

Summer 2019

Less than two years later, his father passed away.

My husband and I called several attorneys but were told we could not be helped since we were not blood-related.

Leu was placed in the custody of an unemployed relative, and while my husband and I doubted the situation, we resolved to put just as much effort into the relationship with this relative, hoping it would make a difference, as we had Leu’s father.

We became whatever resource was needed: hosting this child in our home for school holidays and weekends, taking him with us on family vacations, buying him clothes and food, picking him up from school when his guardian didn’t, and growing to love him as our own.

November 2021

Another two years have passed and now Leu is 16… and he is again asking us to adopt him. (I am choosing to not explain the urgency to protect his and his guardian’s privacy.)

On Tuesday, November 30, the judge called for an emergency hearing and we hoped to be granted temporary legal custody of our soon-to-be son through the entire adoption process, rescuing him from an unhealthy living environment. We even have the consent of the guardians for the adoption. But, the judge thought the claims were exaggerated and that something nefarious was brewing. I can’t even begin to imagine what he thinks is happening.

Isaiah 54:17

“No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me,” declares the Lord.

The judge ordered a complete investigation, removed our son from our home, and imposed a $5,000 court deposit on us. The investigation is already supporting our claims, but in the mean time, our son is hurting. He feels like the judge didn’t believe him. And now he is in limbo between homes, unable to return to where he grew up because the house was deemed uninhabitable by the conservator but also unable to be here with us.

December 2021

After Christmas, a guardian ad litem was appointed to our case. She interviewed everyone involved, especially our son.

Unfortunately, she presented adoption in such a way that it scared all of us. Our son-to-be decided to withdraw his consent as he does not want to completely sever his legal relationship with his remaining siblings.

My husband and I wholeheartedly support his decision because our intent was never to create more divisions in his life but to bring unity to the extended family while giving him a permanent and safe place to develop into all God intends for him to be.

However, all parties still support our request to assume his guardianship and the guardian ad litem wrote her report emphasizing that she believes the best place for our son is in our home.

January 2022

After a long wait, we returned to court for a status hearing in early January. Since this was just a status hearing, we did not anticipate the judge issuing any new orders concerning our case.

All of the ordered participants attended the hearing but unfortunately one of the agencies failed to submit the court-ordered report and we have another delay.

The judge did accept our request to dismiss the adoption petition and transition to a petition for guardianship. He said that would be considered at our next hearing in February.

February 2022

The agency who was slow to follow the judge’s order finally came to inspect our home and also inspected the homes of the others involved. The representative told me that our home was the best place for this kiddo whom we love so much. I was delighted but also hesitant because we were reminded that the court favors blood relatives… and we are not.

Then the day before we were due back in court three things happened.

First, the guardian ad litem filed a report stating that the current guardians were willing to have their letters of guardianship revoked so Leu could be placed with us. In that same report, the local child protective services agency was quoted as saying that our home was the best placement and the guardian ad litem reiterated that she thought our home was in his best interest.

I literally had my own praise party, shouting and dancing and crying before the Lord.

Then, the phone rang again. The agency that had failed to answer the judge’s order in January filed a motion that the judge recuse himself from our case due to his conduct towards our adoption petition. After all the work we had done… after giving the judge everything he wanted… after trying to make the judge happy… someone was accusing the judge of being unfair. And I was a tiny bit afraid his anger would be turned against us.

And another blow when the phone rang again…

One of the current guardians would not be able to attend court. Everyone involved expected the judge to issue a continuance until this very important person could be there.

I had to force myself to remember that God can do what He wants to do. If we needed to wait another month, God would carry all of us through the waiting. But I prayed for a breakthrough, praying the words of Katy Nichole’s song, In Jesus’ Name, over Leu.

So, as we walked into court, no one had any idea what the judge would do or say.

Our final trip to court

The judge was already seated when we entered. There was no “all rise.” We just sat and waited for his attention to turn to us.

And then he said, “It’s come to my attention that you have reached an agreement and the minor should be placed in the co-guardianship of the petitioners.”

I grabbed my husband’s hand and looked across the courtroom at our son.

“I have no problem with this agreement.”

Wait… what? The same judge that had us come to court time and time again… The judge who forced us to make a large deposit into court… Was suddenly agreeing that we were the best place for our son?!

A few words were said between attorneys and the conservator. Then, the judge said, “Okay,” started relaying notes to the court staff.

We sat and looked at one another. He was done.

Our son looked at the guardian ad litem and she nudged him towards us with a “Go.”

I met him halfway across the courtroom, and we hugged, crying in relief and victory for quite some time until I felt my husband approach behind me.

Just as suddenly as everything had started, it was over.

On the way home as we were still in shock, our son said, “So this is what it feels like to be special. This is what it feels like to have parents again.”

Our son is home and VERY happy. He is totally moved into his bedroom and just this morning was the first to come downstairs.

He sat on the sofa next to me and leaned his head against my shoulder.

God is so good.

God is in control

I am a firm believer that God is in control. And while I don’t understand why God chose to do things this way, there is a reason.

I also believe that God equips us with what we need for every battle. God was so faithful to carry us through every moment. Every shock. All the trauma.

So, after praying for over four years that God would change this child’s life for good, he is in our home.

We are entrusted by God and the State of Alabama to provide him with the utmost care and guidance.

And I stand in awe as I see the hand of God working in our son’s life.

Thank you for every prayer you offered and the gifts you gave. May God bless you tremendously as you blessed me.

Comments

Janet Kelly says

March 27, 2022 at 1:08 pm

Cool and that would be nice.

Julie S says

May 13, 2022 at 11:34 am

Congratulations on your new son! I read your adoption story in full. God is so good!

2048 taylor swift says

November 17, 2023 at 3:31 am

Are these all your adopted children

- Tabitha says
  
  November 30, 2023 at 8:27 am
  
  We have only adopted one child. The other four are our birth children.