Well, we are heading down the home stretch of a number of things this week, it seems. Christmas is now less than two weeks away, the year itself only three weeks. Schools will release the hounds this Friday as well. And, we hope that Friday will seal the deal – forever – of Kane becoming a part of our family.
From what we have deciphered, the birth mom and dad are out of the picture. The document(s) that she signed while we were in Arizona was/were really irrevocable and she has no claim to him. And the dad was given service and the proper amount of time and never responded to the opportunity to lay a claim either.
We met with Lisa, from our Tennessee agency, this past Thursday for what is our “final” home study. Basically, another chance to make sure we aren’t cannibals or something else that shouldn’t be adopting children. She drove 2.5 hours from East Nashville to spend 20 minutes with us and drive right back. They’ll send us a bill. No, really. . . they will.
And now, it comes down to Friday morning’s court appearance. The finalization hearing will take place in Maricopa County, Arizona, but we have had our petition approved to appear via telephone from our attorney’s office here in Tennessee. Since the birth parents are out of the picture, he has literally known no other life besides one with us for the past 62 days, now has lived in Tennessee three times as long as he did in Arizona, and his parents have passed yet another home study visit, we really expect this to be simply a formality. Because, regardless that his first name to the state of Arizona is still either “Baby Boy” or “Not Named” (depending on which document you see), he is Joshua Kane Scott, and we can’t imagine him ever being anything else.
Through this process, we have found out that a lot of people we already know were adopted. Doesn’t matter now to them or anyone, but I can imagine that they have had a couple of thoughts along the way. One of them told me that he wanted to meet his birth mom (not all do, but he does) and ask her why he gave her up and show her that he turned out to be a great, decent person and she gave that up. But, the flip side for him is the gratitude and devotion to his adoptive parents. With the wonder of how someone could love him like they do even though he wasn’t really their son. I didn’t know what to say to him then (a few years ago), but it’s easy for me to answer now. It’s simple: he really is their son. It isn’t hard at all. It’s not even a different type of love. I may love how Kara looks like her mother more each day, or that Gabe and JP both have features that resemble us as well, but I will still whip your tail just as quickly if you mess with Kane as if you did one of the other three. (There’s no biblical reference for this part of the blog, BTW.)
https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/Wt5X91ciE6Y&source=uds
So, I hope that one day Kane will not wonder how we could love him. We do so because he was designed to be our child by God Almighty. The same as we were designed to be His children.
Lately, I’ve gotten more of a worship experience in the car by my lonesome to the song I uploaded into the blog (getting really tech savvy here).
Just listen to the words. She sings what I think a lot. I don’t even deserve to lift my dirty hands to the spotless, holy one. But – HE doesn’t care. He rights my wrongs, he overcomes. How can it be? I don’t have to understand. I just have to accept it as part of my life in Christ – getting what I didn’t deserve.
Same thing for Kane and every other adopted child out there. I don’t want him to think what could have been. Only that his life was so valuable to God that he was removed from where he couldn’t thrive. And it isn’t a pat on the back for Jaclyn and me – we did nothing beyond answering the call and now being blessed beyond measure.
So, while he’s now all vaccinated and, as Jaclyn put it on Facebook the other day, “street legal,” we are out and about with him. We still appreciate your prayers constantly for our little family, that isn’t so little anymore (unless you’re the Duggars, then you aren’t that impressed). And, if you want specifics, the hearing is at 11:00 Friday, if you’re not busy doing something else.
“And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise.”
-Galatians 3:29
Scottish Invasion 