Dre

Postcards from August

August was full of family time and fun events, such a great way to end the summer! Here are some of the highlights...

Campfire supper menu:

Hot dogs

Summer watermelon

and garlic bread on a stick!

Exploring in the shade

Date night hiking

 The kids moved upstairs into their own "big kid" rooms after rooming together for almost two years. They didn't miss each other. : )

 Celebrating National Waffle Day... because we're patriots.

Making some noise for Dre's "Gotcha Day"

Getting away to Harper's Ferry, WV

Learning some sewing

 and catching the last lightening bugs of the summer.

Happy "Gotcha Day" to our Dre!

On August 23, one year ago, there were two earth-shaking events; a magnitude 5.8 earthquake shoot the east coast... and DeAndre Braddock became our son.

 

 

 

As expected, our little "quake baby" was a bit nervous with his new home and family...

...but it wasn't long before he warmed up to his new life.

 

And now we can't imagine life without him!

Love you forever, little man!

Adoption Update: The End of the Process, Final Order!

Lookie what came in the mail a few weeks back!

Like it says, it's our final order of adoption that states that Dre is officially a Campbell now as of...

Favorite tear-jerking line: "This order states that all requirements of the law have been met, and that the minor child known as DeAndre, born on the 17th day of July, 2011 in Virginia, is henceforth, to all intents and purposes, the child of Petitioners Adam C. Campbell and his wife Emily A. Campbell, and shall be entitled to all the rights and privileges, and subject to all the obligations, of a child of said Petitioners born in lawful wedlock, and that the name of the child shall be DeAndre Braddock Campbell." 

I love how the Order calls Adam and I "Petitioners" just like we've called ourselves as we've prayed for God to grow our family through adoption these past two years. How happy and settling these last 10 months with Dre have been! And how sweet this final step feels. 

It's truly awe-inspiring how God has designed our hearts with the capacity to love a child that is not of our own bodies, with the same fierce passion that we feel for the child that is "from us." When I look at Dre I don't see adoption, I see the son that God gave me a heart for many years ago as a little girl. (that story to come...)  Our hearts were made for Dre, and his for us. (Happy tears.) 

"For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition that I made to him."

1 Samuel 1:27 ESV

Adoption Update: Last of the Paperwork

Ain't he a miracle? And so handsome! Mmm, hmm.

Last month we saw the one year marker of when we first called our agency to start the process of adoption. Our adoption journey was unusally short and lavishly blessed. We have SO much to rejoice about! Wow.

Our state mandated 6 months "term of evaluation and supervision" has ended, and last month we met with our adoption attorney to file the last of the paperwork to make Dre's adoption final. In a few weeks he'll be officially a Campbell as recognized by the state of Virginia. Maybe we'll throw a party...maybe we'll just throw our little man around like he loves. : )

Oh Happy Dre!

The transition work is done, the meetings are over, the papers are signed, Dre is home at last!

Our fabulous social worker, Colby.

Our nervous little guy all packed up to go. It's okay, buddy, I'm not leavin' ya. Like ever.

Earthquake craziness traffic = lots of time to rest!

The Welcoming Committee

i heart martinos. Thank you, girls, for this!

 Does he ever wake up? She sat with him for 15min like this.

Dre brought a present! Okay, he can stay.

With Yum-Yum (Adam's mom)

Welcome to our hearts and home, little man.



Introducing the newest little Campbell: Welcome Dre!

DeAndre "Dre" Braddock Campbell

Born: July 17th, 2011

Height: 19.5 in

Weight: 6lbs. 12oz. (exactly like his sister!)

Our first moments meeting Dre and his foster mother.

Check that look on Daddy's face... yeah, that would be pride. "This is my boy." he told me.

"I've waited almost my whole life for you." (since I was maybe 8 years old. Yeah, I cried.)

During his physical, his foster mother comforted him. I spent the afternoon at her house learning from her about his likes and dislikes (of the last one there are very few, he's SUCH a content baby - yet alert! SO fun!)

There's that look again.

First of many. I just adore bottle feeding.

Play time!

He played this game with me all afternoon : Spit out tongue, wait for me to, smile, spit out again. Wish I could get the smile, but the camera was too scary.

Sleep well, my sweet baby. Mama and Daddy are coming to take you home forever tomorrow.



Adoption Update: IT'S A BOY! Welcome Baby Dre!

It's true, we're bouncing off the walls over here in the Hallelujah House! We got a call from the agency today saying that the other adoption plans for Baby Dre fell through and the birth mother would like us to be his parents!!

So Adam and I are going up to northern VA Monday to meet him and meet his foster mother and learn from her his routine. Then Tuesday he comes home forever! How crazy is all this??? Completely, we say. How fun is this? Heaps, we think. How AWESOME is our God to set all this in place? Quite awesome in every way.

Psalms 118:23

This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

Lam. 3:22-23

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.