Jessy's Adoption Story Part 12

Taken at the dedication. I scanned it from my scrapbook!

Part 12:

When we arrived at the hospital the next day (Dec. 7) we went straight to the room. I couldn’t wait to see Jessy. My hands had ached all night at home (it has happened to me on every baby!). They were just getting Jessy ready for her dedication. They had the most beautiful white rosebud little outfit with a matching blanket. She looked like a sweet little porcelain doll with rosebud lips. Their care for her was touching, humbling and overwhelming. It was so full of love and tenderness that it is hard to describe. I remember them handling her so gently and getting her ready as if she was the Queen of England going to meet her people for the first time – and it was all about her being dedicated to Jesus Christ for Robert and I to raise….it blows me away. It still blows me away – sometimes she will come down the stairs and I still can’t believe she is ours.

We took tons of pictures – not digital of course! Bonnie and Tim were at the dedication as well as her family and some good family friends. It was very small as at this point we didn't know how our relationship would evolve. Some of the nurses came and cried – they were so sweet. Her family spoke, she handed me Jessy when she spoke about us being her parents. I think Tim spoke too – and maybe Bonnie read something. Everyone thought Tim and Bonnie were married! My mom and I have been laughing - we think she and my dad were there - she remembers it - sometimes I wonder if she remembers it because of the pictures but I do think she was there - we were just quiet as this was their time to dedicate their sweet baby to Jesus. I know my parents were afraid of the openness at this point to.

It was all so touching and sweet. They had pink roses for everyone – I still have Jessy’s. L gave Jessy a sunflower box with letters to read later and a pretty Bible. She also made her a picture book of her life growing up – of course sunflowers were on the cover! We gave her a silver heart necklace with a diamond in the heart. We stayed around and talked for a while and then it came time to leave. Bonnie suggested we leave first but it didn’t exactly happen that way. I can honestly say that leaving that hospital was one of the hardest days of my life and yet one of the best to go home with a daughter – we walked to the parking lot and left with Jessy while saying goodbye to L. She was crying and with her parents and I will never forget her face – she was so sweet and calm but so sad. I don’t know how to explain it – it was the most bittersweet moment of my life. I wondered if I could leave. We really struggled. On the one hand, we were so happy to have our baby and to go home and start our life with her in it, and yet we knew that the next few days, weeks and months were going to be so hard for L.

God is so good though – because as hard as it was, we were able to go home that Wednesday, be happy and love on our baby …and God, in His amazing ways, was able to comfort our sweet birthmom…We were so thankful for all the support she had and we knew her parents and sisters would take care of her. We had told her she could call us sometime in the next two weeks and set up the time for her to come and visit Jessy in her new home.

Our first night with Jessy was really long. She was up ALL night – the formula made her sick and she threw most of it up. She laid on Robert’s chest most of the night. We had to call the hospital a few times! The next day (Thursday) we switched to soy formula…and later that day L called…I got afraid but knew that I needed to trust the Lord…she wanted to visit the next day which was Friday.

We just got home from vacation. I'll try and finish this in the next couple of days.