If you missed part one of the Throckmorton’s adoption story, check it out Part 1
But if you are ready to move on…get ready for the exciting conclusion!
5 times? The consultant had called us 5 times… I still have no idea how that happened, but I guess we just weren’t meant to find out on Father’s Day. Bryan had gone to work and I fumbled to call the consultant back as quickly as I could.
“You’re matched!
My heart couldn’t believe it! the baby was ours? We were getting a baby. All I could think about was how quickly I could get to Japan. Japan. Wait. The questions came rolling back in. How will we get there? How does this work?
Our consultant quickly eased my mind. “Her birth parents will fly her to Arizona.” (Pheww, that’s a huge answer to prayer.) “her birth father is a US citizen, therefore so is she, so they will place her for Domestic US adoption. (amazing News!) we had previously been told that she ha a small hole in her heart – not abnormal for babies with Down Syndrome. “The hole in her heart has completely closed up.: (Miracle #3) So far this phone call is going great!
“So do we need to book our flights to AZ?”, I asked. Ye, but not quite yet, Her birth parents are getting her passport, SS card and US born abroad birth certificate in order and then you can go. Probably won’t be for a few more weeks. We thought waiting 4 days was hard. A few weeks?! All this time she just sits in a NICU bed alone? Yes, but she’s ours. A few weeks compared to forever is nothing, right? My heart wasn’t convinced.
So, I threw the kids in the car and drove to Bryan’s office. On the way there I planned 18 different fun ways to tell him the news, but the moment he walked up the only thing that came out of my mouth is, “You still want that baby?…because she’s ours!!!” Tears of joy and happiness followed. We were getting a baby. Our baby. In just a very few (very long) weeks.
After TONS of paperwork, phone calls, emails, and prayer. We finally got on that plane. July 13th. We flew to Arizona the day before we were set to meet our sweet baby and her birth parents.
We settled in and slept as much as we could the first night. No amount of praying, planning, or talking with consultants/other adoptive parents can prepare you for the moment that you will meet your baby and their first family. The heartache, fear, confusion, joy, and peace taht is all wrapped into one single memory will stay with me forever.
The story of her parents and the choices they made are not ours to share publically, but we will tell you that we trust and love their hearts. WE know it was the hardest thing they have ever had to do to walk out of hat room without their baby. We spent time and shared tears processing emotions with them and just sitting in the silence that can only be conprehended by 2 families taking aprt in something so strange and yet so beautifull7y rght.
Papers were signed. Her first family had left and her forever family was us. She was ours. Our Hazel Grey. Forever.
Shortly after taking placement of Hazel (4 hours to be exact) we found ourselves with our first ER visit. We would out of state waiting on adoption clearances to take her home and sleeping in a hospital for days watching her struggle to breathe. We got her over her first respiratory illness and home, but that was only the beginning of the next 5 month health journey. After stumping many doctors, Hazel was finally diagnosed with tracheobronchomalacia. A very long word for small, floppy airways. These small airways collapse when she coughs, creating the inability to clear her lungs and ultimately in return causing the reoccurring illnesses. Solving that mystery was only half of the battle. Hazel spent the next month in the hospital fighting with insurance to cover the breathing machine that she would need to be able to go home safely. But, at last, it finally was approved and we got to take our baby home! Over the last year, Hazel has been hospital FREE and we couldn’t be happy enough. We know how differently it could have all gone and so we will forever be thankful for her local doctors and her healing, but those things come at a cost. I selected the bows below because as we went through the medical journey all I kept thinking was how great it would be to have our family together at home for Christmas. The bows are visible reminders of sitting in the hospital and hoping for that outcome.
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Kathleen again: Kendahl told me that she was afraid anything she said next would be cheesy or begging, but that’s not what this is. Our little shop is about people helping families who have shown their big hearts through adoption. In this case, the Throckmortons not only adopted, but adopted knowing they would be taking on a special little girl who would be facing medical challenges from day one. As someone who has discussed that possibility I can tell you it is not an easy conversation. While we don’t judge anyone for saying “no” to the challenging situations, Kendahl and Bryan opened their arms and their hearts to Hazel with no preconditions…that’s love. So when you open your heart and purchase one of the special bows she chose, realize that 100% of the profits go to helping them with their continuing costs of both medical issues and the costs they incurred during a complicated adoption process.
For the bows the Throckmortons chose for their fundraiser and an explaination, plese click here: See the Bows!