We got Benson!

We've been waiting for this weekend for about 7 months. Adoption is an amazing journey!

We headed up to Houston Thursday night. Benson got to swim for the first time and loved it. The next morning we headed to the court house. There were two adoption cases before ours. (One was a little boy that was born a day after Bens, he was tiny! He looked about 3, maybe 4 months old. Bens looked like a one year old next to him.) Then it was our turn. As we stood in front of the judge our attorney asked me a few questions, like if I was satisfied with his growth and development, if we were prepared to take care of him for the next 18 years (she added it probably wouldn't end at 18), and if we wanted his name to be Benson William. Anthony was then asked to confirm. The judge then read through all the legal stuff and pronounced (is that the right word? Maybe "ruled") Benson ours!!! It was very exciting! The whole time this was all going on, Benson was flashing everyone super cheesey smiles. The judge and attorney kept commenting on what a flirt he was and how he was playing it up. It was pretty funny. (The judge also gave Benson a stuffed bear, he loved it.)

After court we were told we needed to get an adoption decree, which usually takes anywhere from 2-4 weeks to be sent. Of course we need it in two weeks, so we can go to the temple. So we went to the office and asked as nicely as possible if we could please get one that day. (The big deal is that the judge has to sign it and she was still in court, so they'd have to interrupt her and have her sign it, a big deal.) The lady in charge told us she'd see what she could do and came back with it about two minutes later!! (We're pretty sure Benson's smiles had a hand in getting it, he was really hamming it up to the office ladies :) So everything went really well! He is now ours officially!

(after swimming benson loved smiling to himself and licking the mirrors)

We then drove over to San Antonio b/c our friends were receiving their endowments and being sealed on Friday and Saturday. Anthony got to attend the endowment session while Bens and I went swimming again. On Saturday Anth went to help with our youth baptism trip and Benson and I slept in the car. He slept, I talked with some friends who came up for the sealing. After baptisms we both got to attend the sealing of our friends and then their sealing to their two little girls. It was such a neat experience! I'm so happy for them! The spirit was very strong and there was such a strong feeling that they were doing the right thing in the right place. It was a wonderful day! (And of course it gets me excited for the 28th!!! Our sealing date!!!)