They say that the most amazing thing to be able to do in life is to give life. People often say that among humans, unconditional love can only occur from a parent to his or her child. They say that a child is a bundle of joy that will surely lighten up your life and make it a zillion times better. However, there are many loving couples who cannot procreate even though they want nothing more than to have a child of their own. Thankfully, for these people adoption has been made possible. So, what happened on this day of court hearing when a couple was on the verge of finalizing their adoption? This little toddler's words will surely leave you stunned...
So after a very long process of waiting and waiting, the day for this couple to adopt a baby boy in court had finally arrived. They were obviously excited beyond words and were expecting all positive responses from the court. They had spent about a year trying to prove to the court that they were truly worthy of being parents. So this day the Palmers would finally get to know if their family would grow in numbers...
Since they had been patiently waiting for a long time, this day was a truly an emotionally charged day for sure for the couple. Mandi and Tyler could not conceal their emotions and the tension was finally put to rest after the judge issued his final verdict. And as everyone was still grasping what just took place, there was an unexpected word voiced by a toddler, leaving the whole courtroom to pin drop silence.
Back in the year 2010, Tyler Palmer joined with the 101st airborne division of the United States Army. He was not given too much time to get used to the new life he had to live after enlisting. This was due to the fact it had just been twenty days since Tyler finished up with his basic training, then was sent away. He soon went abroad on his first tour to Afghanistan.
Tyler was someone who had always revered soldiers and the military. He had always dreamed of serving his country, to keep it safe and free from threat. After going on his first tour to Afghanistan, Tyler came back home safe and sound, however, like many, his emotional and mental well-being suffered due to the war. Tyler, however, would soon find love, quicker than he expected.
Tyler would eventually meet Mandi in 2013. The two met just before Tyler had to be sent on his second deployment to the Middle East. Mandi was also someone who had some health issues she was dealing with. So they made a very fitting couple on the note. Even they both individually had their demons to battle, they did not let it stop them from being happy in love.
"We knew it would be hard, but we also knew it would strengthen our relationship in ways most people could never understand," Mandi later revealed in an interview she gave, speaking about her initial feeling when they paired up. Since the two loved each other dearly, they did not wait that long to make it official and have their happily ever after. There were troubled waters ahead though.
"He was deployed for nine months, and one month after he got home, he proposed and we got married a few weeks later," Mandi explained, when asked about how their marriage happened. After realizing that army life was not for him, Tyler decided to quit so that he could spend time and actually be with his wife. The two could not wait to start a family of their own.
The pair was so eager to have kids and add numbers to their family. But this was not going to be as easy as they thought. "We both knew we wanted our own family so great but didn’t know what God had planned for us," Mandi later revealed. Since Mandi had quite a few health issues, her trying to get pregnant was something that would end in frustration and disappointment.
The couple was not having any luck in their endeavors and the future was not looking so bright too. "We tried for years to get pregnant but soon came to realize that it wasn’t going to happen, nor would it be safe for my body to sustain the miracle of pregnancy due to my illness," Mandi explained, talking about her personal obstacles. This left them both distraught but they did not want to fall hopelessly.
The couple did not get any positive news even after trying again and again. They decided to look for other options that they had and so eventually, they started checking adoption agencies. Now all they had to do was to prove that they were capable of taking care of a child and that they were worthy of being parents. Since the two both had medical issues of their own, it was going to be quite the challenge.
So after looking everywhere, trying their luck, Mandi and Tyler noticed that the local authority from where they resided was actually looking for foster parents. They were constantly seeing commercial after commercial that was asking for people to take the training and become licensed foster parents. They were looking for qualified families that could foster kids in need.
The two of them looked at all these signs coming there was as God’s plan. Since they were looking for kids to take care of, they found that this would actually be a very fitting challenge to take up themselves. The two soon signed up for the program and did not know what a tedious job this was going to be. They did not realize that being dubbed suitable parents was going to be this tough.
So a couple of months went as the extensive training and paperwork to become licensed as foster-to-adopt parents initiated. The couple had no expectation of what was to happen, but they did not expect it to be so complicated. "The same week that we were licensed, we also received our first phone call to pick up our baby boy, Hunter, "Mandi revealed, speaking about how they were finally deemed fit.
During all this time, Hunter was just about a week old. The little boy was in desperate need of a loving home. He needed a loving couple to take care of him as he his own parents could not. And obviously, Mandi and Tyler were more than happy to have the infant into their home. However, whether they were going to be able to keep him or not was another question.
"Talk about a whirlwind of emotions!" Mandi confessed when interviewers asked her about how she felt when they met him. "We quickly ran to Target and purchased the necessities (car seat, clothes, baby blankets, diapers, food, etc.) we needed to bring our baby home." The two were clearly so excited to finally put their training into action when the boy arrived.
"We arrived at children’s services and there was Hunter, all bundled up in a receiving blanket, and he was being held by our caseworker. He was eight days old and absolutely perfect. We fell in love with him instantly," Mandi continued saying, speaking about her initial impressions of the baby boy they would take care of. However, it was not going to be all fun and games.
The couple, however, had to be aware of the risks that involved in fostering a child in need inside their home. They could end up in another family's home too. So if this were ever to happen, it would definitely be a big blow to the family who gets attached to the children. But as life goes, Mandi and Tyler face this issue with baby boy Hunter. He went to another adoptive family.
Even though Mandi and Tyler had to give baby Hunter to another family, since they had connected with him so much, they were willing to fight for him. The couple was willing to give all it takes to keep what they loved so much even though the situation was highly complicated. They decided that they wanted to officially adopt Hunter so the courtroom became quite the frequent place to visit.
"Over the next 16 months, we went through the crazy roller coaster ride of fostering," Mandi explained, "Our prayers were finally being answered! Our adoption worker worked so hard to get paperwork finalized so that Christmas of 2017 would be our best yet.” Indeed it was a whirlwind of emotions for the couple who had for so long wanted to have a child of their own, biological or not...
After many months passed, it was finally time to call on the verdict. The court date for the official adoption had been set up for December 18, 2017. This would be the day Mandi and Tyler would get to finalize Hunter’s adoption. Since they did not know how the court was going to rule their case, the two were both filled with anxiety. The could hardly contain or control their anticipation.
As for Mandi and Tyler, this was not just them merely trying to become parents in the traditional sense. They had a whole other reason as to why they wanted this adoption to be official. It was actually because of the little boy who was just 17 months old at the time. They had become so attached and loved him so much that they were willing to go through all of this trouble to get him.
"He was our ‘medicine’ and both of our reasons to fight the health battles that we have been given," Mandi explained, informing interviewers about how the boy was what they had prayed for so long. She continued with this sentence saying, "He truly became our ‘why’ in life." You can already guess that the courtroom that day was going to be emotionally fueled all around.
So on the big day, the family wore their best clothes and went straight to the courthouse to make the adoption official. Although the couple had already accepted Hunter as their own blood family, there was something about having the paperwork and legal documents signed that gave them a feeling of contentment. It was something they had been looking forward to all this while.
“It was very emotional, in a good way. We had all of our family and friends there,” Mandi informed, describing to interviewers about their experience that day in court. “At the end of the court process, the judge announced Hunter’s new legal name," she went on. And during all this hustle and bustle, Hunter took it upon himself to utter a few words of his own.
When everyone was dealing with the paperwork, Hunter suddenly stood up and uttered something that left everyone speechless. "And they read the adoption decree and that’s when Hunter looked at my husband and he said, ‘Dad!’ and clapped," Mandi explained, “He just started clapping and everybody just started crying. It was so emotional. It’s definitely rewarding."
Mandi was so glad to see that the boy they loved so much was finally theirs to keep. "It’s nice to look in his eyes now and not have to worry that he’s ever gonna have to leave us again,” she confessed. The word that the baby blurted out was truly evidence to that makes this couple worthy of being Hunter's parents. If the judge had any doubts, Hunter's words were enough to clarify all doubts.
The couple finally got what they had always longed for ever since they became husband and wife. They finally added to their family and were overjoyed that Hunter was there to stay. He is more than just a little boy to the pair, he was actually a miracle for them. "We’ve learned that there’s a rainbow at the end of every storm and we’re so thankful we kept the fight," Mandi admitted
The couple finally got the chance to raise a son of their own and this time, they no longer faced the threat of him being taken away from them. "He is our world and our reason to keep fighting these battles. My husband said that there is no medication to help his PTSD quite like having his son take our last name," Mandi reveals. The three have definitely become closer and make a great family,
Mandi also confessed that she felt as though her heavy chest had magically been taken care off, knowing in her heart that Hunter was there to stay. “He’ll always be safe and loved with us. So that in itself is rewarding," she added, "Our hearts are forever changed because we now know a true and genuine love." She could not wait to be the best mom for him.
Mandi continued her speech about being proud and loving parents of Hunter, "We know that he will forever be safe with us and most importantly will always know what love is. We have learned that family isn’t about DNA. It’s about love!” They have spoken up about their story of adoption so that they might be of help to other kids that are in need of a home or family.
Mandi and Tyler have since turned into hard working advocates for adoption and fostering. "Being a foster parent isn’t easy by any means, but it’s SOOOO worth it when you see the joy in the children’s eyes when they actually feel safety, validations, comfort, and love," Mandi updated on her Facebook account in commemoration of Foster Care Awareness Month.
The couple after successfully adopting Hunter their son, have realized just how much of a necessity there is for people to foster or adopt kids. "These children are worth not giving up on. They are innocent and deserve all of us to help put their broken pieces back together," Mandi wrote further on her social media post. The family is now living happy and threat free from ever being separate again.
In case you are interested in adopting, here are a few pointers that might be helped for parents to be...
You would have to attend a few "baby basics" class. Most women who are about to deliver get to learn about the basic knowledge during childbirth class or at a class for expectant parents. You would not need to attend these if you are adopting. However, you can attend adoption-support groups now offer infant care and parenting classes for potential adoptive parents.
Adoptive mother would probably need to supplement their baby's diet with formula, since they are not giving out the required amount of milk to meet their infant's nutritional needs. There are new techniques that help you breastfeed even if you did not conceive, so be sure to take classes. Contact a lactation consultant at a local hospital or get a book on the topic to give your baby a healthy nutrition.
Unlike biological birth, since you cannot be too sure that the baby would go to you, your baby shower would need a little tweaking. You would need to wait until the baby is officially yours to throw a baby shower. There are times that babies are already 15 to 17 months grown before going to a family. Hence the baby showers are quite out of the ordinary for adopted babies.