What a joyous day today! The day two little girls were adopted into our son's family. The whole local family was invited to go along to witness and share in this momentous event. The children were excited, looking pretty in matching church dresses with their normally straight hair coaxed into soft, curly waves framing their smiling, yet tentative, faces.
"Let's get them something," I suggested to my husband. An adoption party is scheduled for the weekend, but I wanted a little memento for the actual day. We decided on Mylar balloons, and found two heart-shaped ones with the words,"You Are So Special," on them. I waited until after the brief, official proceedings to give them to my new granddaughters when we returned to the cars.
When it was time to begin, the judge cleared the court room of all but our family, nine in all, dressed for the occasion. First the parents, our son and daughter-in-law, were called forward for the formality of final agreement and intent, and then the children stood with them, wide-eyed and solemnly nodding, giving their consent to being adopted. The parents were firmly instructed that the new children would share equally in any inheritance with their biological son and daughter. That they were legally just as much their children, and their responsibility, now as their natural children.
All the preliminary work had been done over the previous many months, as attested to by the lawyer and case worker, so all that remained was for the judge to enter their new names into the record, and with a stroke of his pen, the adoption was complete. After months of placement status, the kids were officially Summers's now. A party atmosphere prevailed, a fun dinner out with their weighted balloons bobbing festively on the table, and a bowling outing planned for the afternoon.
Adoption was God's idea. Just as the children took on the name of the new parents, we take on the name of Christ when we are adopted into His family. Romans 8:15 says, "Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." Abba means "Daddy", which is what the children call our son, Greg. As sons and daughters of God, we will share with our Elder Brother, Jesus, in the inheritance of the saints.
I have heard that the rules governing adoption are stricter even than for natural born children. One is obligated by law for their support and sustenance, and getting out of such an agreement is difficult, if not impossible. Just think how firmly we are secure in the love and care of our Heavenly Father, in Whom there is no variableness nor shadow of turning, James 1:17.
In the strong breeze, the 6-year-old's balloon got away from her, dancing tantalizingly out of reach until it wafted skyward on a gust of wind. The message, "You Are So Special," was carried to the heavens, while down on earth I replaced her balloon with an exact replica. After all grandmothers have some responsibilities, too!
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