Emmy is officially a Yentas! - personal story - second parent adoption process
I know I have wanted to blog about this process since we started it. Today, June 17th was our final and official hearing for Alex legally adopting our daughter, Emmy. I am not going to lie, the process was not fun. And I will for sure get into that in more detail.
There is quite the story to tell if I got into the depths of it, but to be quite honest, that story feels like another life. Knocked up, graduating college to move back home and have a baby was not the story I thought I would be telling. But thats the story. I went after life as a single mom with the help of my family and friends and a strong grip on my faith in God.
The strong grip soon proved itself as I brought a healthy baby girl into the world, as I watched a little helpless baby look to me, because I was her world. As a guy wanted to ask me out on a date… knowing I had a 10 month old baby at home….and that “yes” opened up a whole new world.
It is bonkers to me how fast time can go, from the days that Emmy was getting to know Alex, or as she called him “Ageess” or “Ayixx” to the days that Emmys “Ayixx” smoothly became the title of “Daddy”. I look back and I don’t even know how it happened, she just did it herself.
My eyes, throat, and heart swell and feel SO much when I think of what an impact Alex has been to Emmy and I. I 100% would not be the parent I am today without him. It astonishes me how great Alex is at fatherhood. He mixes the perfect amount of love, with the perfect amount of push & discipline, for himself and for Emmy.
The paperwork and process was stressful and probably the first time I actually felt really, truly anxious at times. We not only had to post a summons notice 3 different times (and pay each time) but there were countless trips to downtown Seattle to file paperwork, re do paperwork, all of it confusing, frustrating and at times overwhelming because for me it was physically and emotionally all of those things at once sometimes. About a year ago is when I started the process and now here we are, our final hearing happened today, and Emmy Kirkwood is now Emmy Yentas!! I am really proud i got it all done myself. It was a necessary wall I needed to knock down and knowing I took the time and energy needed to get it done feels good.
There are hard emotions, and really confusing times you might have to face, but in the end turning toward and moving through fears and those untouched emotions is one of the best and most freeing things you can do. This lesson can be applied to a lot in life. Alex and I got married almost 4 years ago, that is when the plan was to get the adoption process going, and because I was deep down so fearful of what would come up for me through that, it took me 3 years. Don’t wait to face the hard stuff, the waiting is sucking even more life from you than you know.
With that said, we did do it! It’s done and it was worth everything!
Alex, I don’t think I can ever explain exactly how it makes me feel that Emmy has a dad like you, because really it just turns into tears and emotional overload :) The drastic difference from what I thought my life was to what it is now is, it’s astonishing. Thank you for being the man for both Emmy and I! We love you!
