Blessings in surprise

Today was even more special and emotional than I had even imagined.  We had court this morning for the trial for Sweet Pea's biological parents' scheduled termination of rights.  I woke up early this morning with butterflies in my stomach, which I hadn't expected.  My mom went with us and I'm so glad she wanted to be a part of it all.  We got there really early since we weren't sure what traffic would be like.  Sweet Pea's biological mom got there pretty soon after us, but no one else from our group was there yet.  Bio mom came over and asked if the attorneys were there yet.  I said no, then she went to sit on another bench away from us.  We waited and played with Sweet Pea for a long time as our case manager, CPS caseworker and the attorneys all finally arrived.  We were supposed to be first on the docket, but kept getting skipped.  We could see bio mom talking with her attorney and starting to cry.  Then they take bio mom into another room and come to inform us that she has decided to relinquish her rights.  She comes back out in tears and they finally call us into the courtroom.  As we're walking in, bio mom's attorney comes over to us and says, "This has been a very difficult decision, but one she has made out of love.  She knows you're the only parents her daughter has ever known.  She's been watching you here in the hall and sees how much love you have for the baby and she has for you.  She's decided to relinquish her rights so she can stay with you."  Now we all have tears in our eyes as we're walking in to court.  The attorney gives a similar speech in the courtroom and the judge states he knows that this isn't a giving up on the child, but giving her a better life.  Tears again.  Then it's all over and termination has officially happened and they've waived the 90 days that relatives typically have to come forward.  We can officially start to move forward with the adoption now.

Bio mom requested to have time to say goodbye and hold Sweet Pea one more time.  I'm all for this.  I want them to have this time.  I feel so much for her and want to be able to give her this.  Sweet Pea's caseworker took her to another room to have supervised private time with bio mom while we were introduced to an adoption attorney who just happened to be there.  I had so much trouble paying attention to what he was saying because all I could hear was Sweet Pea screaming at the tops of her lungs.  Her bio mom is a stranger to her.  They bring her back over to us and Shannon takes her.  She calms a bit, then reaches for me and nuzzles her face in mine, calming completely back down.

We start to walk down the hall and bio mom is there.  She says, "She was crying for you.  I know she loves you and I want her to stay with you."  She tells us she has some clothes from when Sweet Pea was first born and teeny tiny and she wants us to have them.  I tell her thank you and I mean it, genuinely and for much more than the clothes.  I can hardly believe the gift she has given us.  I'm sure relinquishment was not what she had planned when she arrived there this morning.  I can't imagine what she is going through.  I am so thankful to her for giving Sweet Pea life, for giving us her baby to raise so willingly today.  I could not have imagined it would go so beautifully and I am so grateful for these little blessings.