Finalizing Our Adoption

Since the day we laid eyes on our boy's picture, we knew he was a Radtke. From the day I first held him, almost five months ago, I knew he would be ours forever. Some how, some way, he would. The only way I can come close to explaining those feelings is with a recent quote from Jen Hatmaker's blog; every time I read it I get chills because nothing will ever compare to the emotions but this quote comes pretty close:

"... you realize God can put a vicious fight in you for a kid without your blood coursing through his veins. Those early doubts about loving a child without the helpful instincts of biology are put to rest. Of course, you don’t know this kid yet, but you love him in your heart, in your bones. You’ll fight like hell to get to him. You can’t think of anything else. You are obsessed. You dream about him like you did when you were pregnant. You realize that when God said He sets the lonely in families, He meant it, and He doesn’t just transform the “lonely” but also the “families.” He changes us for one another. God can create a family across countries, beyond genetics, through impossible circumstances, and past reason."

However, to make it legal, we had to go to court this week. D has still had his full given Ugandan name until this Monday, August 27th...on that day, he 'legally' became a Radtke. 

To say the finalization court hearing was smooth and simple compared to what we went through in April is an understatement. It took about five minutes and then just like that we had papers with D's new name on them. His name by ours, a legal Radtke FAMILY. 

The cutest part of the court hearing was when we appeared before the judge and were sworn in. All morning we had been coaching D to say "I'm a Radtke!" As the judge had us raise our right hands, D without prompting waved both of his hands in the air and said "I'm a Radtke!" over and over...TOO PRECIOUS FOR WORDS.

I'm A Radtke!!

Our family with the judge

Afterwards we celebrated with some yummy Mexican food and cupcakes with D's new initials on them. It was a fun day and we are so blessed to have our adoption process complete. God is faithful and SO good.

What's next? Getting D's new birth certificate, passport, and COC (fancy acronym for a lot more paperwork, money, and another piece of paper).

To all of our family and friends who have walked this road with us, thank you thank you thank you for all of your love and support. You have embraced our journey and David so wonderfully, we are blessed.