Placement Ceremony

Today we took part in a placement ceremony for Hannah. Because there is no longer any risk involved in our adoption, today she was officially placed with us for adoption and we signed the final placement paperwork. We celebrated with our pastor, a few friends, and some family members at the agency. We read Scripture together and spent some time in prayer, before sharing some cake and refreshments. Some brought cards and gifts for Hannah. Afterwards, most of us when out to dinner to celebrate our newest family member. (Of course, sleep deprived mama forgot the ice cream sheet cake she bought at home in the freezer and now has more cake than she knows what to do with.)It was a good time and I thank those who shared this special moment with us.

We also had our first post placement visit today, as our social worker was able to observe our whole family interacting with Hannah and interview us a little as to how things were going. We have to have a series of three post placement visits with our social worker. They have to spaced over a certain amount of time. After they are completed, she writes up a report that will go to the courts. After our three visits, we will hire a lawyer and begin the final steps to having our adoption finalized in court. After that is done, we can legally change her name and get a new birth certificate and apply for her SSN. So now with this first visit completed, we have begun the next phase of our adoption journey. Our adoption should be finalized by the end of the year.