I am Yours, and You are Mine.

It's official in the State of Mississippi! They are ours! It is our honor and pleasure to be chosen to be their parents! Andrew, Tatiana, and Diego are ours FOREVER! We are so blessed!

We started our day bright and early and got to the courthouse in downtown Pascagoula. Let me tell you I had some sharp looking boys! And Tatiana was a doll! We made it to the courthouse early. Met with our lawyer who told us how the court session may play out. Adoptions in Mississippi are closed or sealed. No one outside of the family is allowed in the courtroom unless special permission is allowed or granted by the Judge. Sometimes, the Judge will call those involved to the Chambers. That's where we went!

We were number two on the docket! Judge Jaye A. Bradley presided over our case. She was very nice! Our lawyer had prepped us for questions that she may ask according to how previous adoption cases she was involved in. Well, she didn't ask us anything! It was really quick. At first, the Judge said according to the State of Mississippi, a family that is adopting is required to have a home study done. Our lawyer argued that since technically we are already related and this is a re-adoption, that the law has already been required and that is unnecessary. The judge agreed and signed our adoption decree! The lawyer had told us this might come up before we went into the Judges' Chambers, and I had told her we had a home study done as well as post placement reports done to fulfill requirements of our Adoption Agency. The Judge asked for us to include that in the file.

Since the file is sealed and no one will have access to it unless they petition the court and stand before them and a Judge allows them to see it. Our lawyer held the file while we raced home to get a copy of the home study. We finally returned then made copies of the home study and got certified copies (10) of the adoption decree. Since it is closed, our lawyer requested 10- ya never know! Anyways, it costs like 25 cents per page and we had over a 100 pages copied --the clerk did not charge us anything! Ben said we had the cute factor going on! I brought my camera and the case in...the lawyer was surprised I got past the Security/Sheriff Deputies. She said they don't usually allow people outside of the media...guess it was that cute factor thing going on...or God's favor I'd like to think! Since we saved that money, we spurlged and got some extra birth certificates! The new birth certificate was $50 and each additional one was $5. We got two add'l ones for each child. The total cost of our re-adoption was $1,156.36. Paid!

Can you believe this pic was actually one done using a timer and a tripod?

Andrew Steven Wood

Darly Tatiana Wood

Benjamin Diego Wood

Whew! Now, we only have to wait for the birth certificates back and complete the final post placement report. Then we will have fulfilled all of Colombia's requirements as well as our Adoption Agency. It's really hard to believe it's almost been a year! It definitely has been an adventure! What a ride! Love it!

Papi, Tatiana, and Andrew

G-Mami was able to come and be part of the Re-adoption. Unfortunately, G-Papi was unable to get off work. Thanks to G-Mami and her purse packed with toys (a seasoned Mami! -I'm learning still!) the kids were able to distract themselves somewhat while we waited for the judge. Thanks for coming, G-Mami!

"I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you."