The phone call day

As a family touched by adoption you are able to celebrate all kinds of dates. The birthday is just the beginning. And with Tayden we have lots of dates. A year ago today was a very significant one. That is when we got the phone call. The one that told us Tayden had been born & Ashley had decided to place him with us. Kind of an important phone call & day in the Stout family. Here is a part of Tayden's adoption story where I journal that day

Then Thursday the 19th I received the call that would change our lives forever. It was about 4:30 pm and my sister had just gotten to my house as she does on Thursdays. Our case worker called me and asked if Jeremy and I were together. I said no that he was at work. She then asked if I could come into her office with him and 8 pm that night. Still not giving any details. I finally said yes but what is going on?! She said that Ashley had the baby, thought she was going to keep the baby and after a blessing from her uncle thinks that she is supposed to place the baby with you. She said I am so sorry but I don't have anymore info than that. The case worker is on the way to the hospital right now and I will hopefully have more information when you come in later. AUGGHHH!!!! This is when I was SO happy my sister was there! I would have gone crazy with this information by myself. Because she was there I was able to be calm, sort of. Call Jeremy. Start making a list of what to pack. All the while really wondering if this was happening. At about 6:30 just when I had gotten Eme into the bath, Ashley's mom called me. Kara took over bathing cause I am a good multi tasker but not that good. I wish so much I could remember every part of what Ashley's mom said to me but my head was swimming. She told me a little more about the blessing (thank goodness for the gospel) and that Ashley was certain in her decision to place the baby with us. What do you say after someone tells you that? I think I stammered out something about asking how Ashley was and how the baby was. A baby. Until this point I was so concerned for Ashley that I kind of forgot what this was all about. She told me he was healthy and perfect in every way. Then I was able to talk to the case worker who basically told me to get there as soon as I could. I said we will leave in the morning. And then I talked to Ashley. Even though this was our second time around I still was unable to find the words to express my feelings towards a woman that could give me what I couldn't give myself. What an act of complete selflessness. I asked how everything went and she didn't complain about a thing. I then asked if he looked like her with lots of dark hair. She said no that he just had a little hair and it was the color of mine! Weird! Not at all what I pictured! We said goodbye and said we will be in touch the next day. That night was spent running around like crazy. There were papers to sign, things to be packed (thanks Mom and Kara!), hotel room to book. Not much time to think how drastically our lives had changed with one phone call. We decided that we would drive cause we needed a car in Denver and that Eme would come with us. Her life had been completely turned upside down and we couldn't really explain what was happening. We thought leaving her would just make things more crazy for her.

All week I feel like I have been living in the past. Wanting to go back & enjoy that week of unbelievable blessings. But as I said a few posts back I am trying to "Enjoy the Journey" & look at all that we have now & how far we have come. Tayden has grown into such a fun, beautiful little toddler & our relationship with Ashley & her family has grown immensely also. What a difference a year can make.

So you remember my post about the adoption walk? Well unfortunately I wasn't able to attend but I did find this news clip on it. I love the story of the family they highlight. My favorite part is "He has two Moms. The one who gave him life & the one that will guide him through it." Well put Channel 13.