Happiness is... Our Day in Court

Yesterday we had our court date for the finalization of Alexa's adoption.  We were a little nervous - not that we thought anything had even a remote chance of going wrong, but because it's always a little bit unnerving to be reminded that other people have a say in whether Alexa would legally become a member of our family.  To us we have been family for a long time and we've all known it since we first met on a fateful night in Pueblo.

The court date went very well.  The judge, Magistrate Stapp, was great and he even stopped the official proceedings to comment on Alexa playing with her head-band.  Everything went very smoothly and afterward he invited us up to stand to take a picture.  He gave Aly a little stuffed panda bear, which she promptly shoved into her mouth.

A whole posse of some of our favorite people came to support us.  Thanks to the whole crew - especially Ethan, Joseph, Wyatt, and Mason who made it so Nick wasn't the only boy there.  Our thoughts were with Ray and Melissa, who are always in our hearts.

And of course we are eternally grateful to Kelly (left), the caseworker who is the best when it counts, and Ray, an attorney and adoptive father who donates his time to help couple like us adopt. He knows exactly what it feels like to stand in our shoes.

Court was great and a wonderful end to a long legal process, but for us the most important thing was that we walked out with a piece of paper.

That paper means that in two weeks we can go into the Denver Temple as a legal family and come out a forever family.  We can hardly wait!