aDoPTiOn DaY

Time sure does fly....3 months ago on the 25th we gained our temporary custody of Cooper and today we stood before a judge with 18 friends and family standing behind us, to change our temporary custody to FINAL ADOPTION!  What a road it has been...I feel like I should have some profound words to say, but instead, I'm going to steal what a good friend, Cristy S., posted on a Facebook post about today for us....

"I remember the day Jessica told me that she and Brian were going to be parents. A dream that the two of them had carried and fought for. A dreamed that at times seemed as if it would go unfulfilled. I remember the giddy, bouncy way she chatted along sharing her excitement, it was contagious! It wasn't always that perfect, but there were moments when Gods hand reached down and held her and Brian and Cooper and protected them and led them and favored them. And in the moment where it seemed all was lost and everything was for nothing, God moved like a mighty river and changed their eternity. What joy we felt when He prevailed for them! What awe and joy and deep emotions that there are no words for. What tears we wept for this bright boy and these precious new parents! And today, the journey begins anew, for though in the eyes of God, Brian and Jess have always been Coopers mom and dad, today, man recognized what God had done. Brian and Jess . . . May your lifetime be full of Gods handiwork, his blessing and favor and opportunities to honor Him and bring Him glory!!!!"

Today as we drove to the court house I couldn't shut the water works off, and the message from our NICU nurse was the icing on the drive...we love you Jen!!  And then as we stood before the judge and our attorney (David Joyce...in Dallas...look him up if you need a PHENOMENAL adoption attorney!) emotion overcame both of us.  We are so blessed to have had our family "completed" by our sweet baby Cooper! 

Here are just a few pictures from our fabulous day! 

Our Cooper was CHOSEN!

 Signing our portion of the adoption paperwork prior to going before the judge.

PURE EMOTION!!!!

 Introducing Cooper Kenneth Cozens!

We are so blessed to have been surrounded by our family and friends today! 

Cooper's Gran and Pops and Oma and Opa!

 With our siblings!

 The Newman's

 The Burris'

 Cooper's Aunt Mai

 Aunt Lynnsey

 Our Attorney, David Joyce...not sure what's up with the face I'm making :)

 My dear friend Meagan, thanks to her we have all these fabulous photos!

 Cooper and his crazy Uncle Judd...his Godparents!

 Cooper's Godparents Brenna & Derek

 Knox was needing some Aunt Jess love...he didn't like that Ellie was so close and Cooper was being held, so he had to climb on my lap at breakfast after court.

 

BEYOND BLESSED! 

What a journey this has been and we are so excited to see the rest of our journey unfold!

 

Romans 8:28!

Mommy Days

Wow, it's been awhile since I've sat down to blog...I can't imagine why...not sure what's occupying my time.  ;)

I don't even know where to start....what an incredible experience it is being a mommy.  I have several kiddos in my life that I love like my own, but holy cow...it's CRAZY to see my heart outside of my body!  Lucky doesn't even begin to cover it, blessed just isn't enough, grateful of course!  As we don't sleep that great, I can't imagine what our world would be like if I was still teaching, I have a new respect for my friend's who have worked full time and had littles...not sure how you did or do it!  I know I'm beyond blessed to be able to work from home on my own time/hours and to take care of Cooper...relying on my parents and brother occasionally.  But with that being said, I'm a social girl...love being around people, active, and involved in everything....HALT....now I don't want to leave the house, I want to snuggle with my munchkin...we are learning together. 

This week I had to decided to not make it to Bible Study so I could not run crazy with Cooper two days in a row.  Sacrifices I normally never would have made, I would have pushed through, but he's worth it.  That leads me to my mommy melt downs....I know it's not possible to keep up with what I used to do...but I strive to...run our business, still teach craft classes, keep the house clean, dishes done, Cooper attended to, run almost daily, my Bible Study, preparing for my tutoring clients....and the list goes on...you know those pressures you put on yourself, but pretend like someone else expects them of you?  Yeah...well, thankfully I'm in this fabulous Bible study where I'm learning about how to Crash the Chatterbox, I know that it's me that puts those pressures on myself to keep the house clean and dinner on the table when Bryan comes home from work...because isn't that what happened on "Leave it to Beaver?"  Surely June Cleaver had all of her stuff together and accomplished her to do lists? Yeah right!  Not with a baby that only cat naps during the day and pigs out wanting to eat every two hours!  It's time to turn off the chatter in my head that's negative...telling me I must accomplish this, this has to get done or Bryan will be upset when he gets home...HELLO REALITY CHECK....He does NOT care if it doesn't get done!  He cares that Cooper is taken care of and I take care of myself! We decided together for me to be home with Cooper, because he's most important, not what I accomplish during the day!  It's in my head that as a stay at home mom that I accomplish XYZ...stupid chatter!  Our lives are so much richer now, we slow down and just enjoy! 

Today I really got to slow down and just enjoy, as my sweet nephew Knox came to play with us for a few hours...Oma and Opa are vacationing so Judd and I swapped babysitting with each other...yesterday he got Cooper while I had to advocate for a parent at school and today I got to spend time with Knox.  Knox is such a joy, he loves his baby Cooper...wants to spend time with him, do what he does, hold him (which was a first...usually he just wants him sitting next to him on the couch/chair), play in his bed with him...priceless memories with the two little loves of my life! 

 

In all of this, trials and joys, we are so thankful!  As we journey this thing called parenthood...growing together and closer to our family...becoming our own family, we continue to realize and see the miracle that this truly is!  We are blessed!   We are rich!  There are still days when we look at each other and remind ourselves that this IS REAL!  Cooper is really ours! 

 

Next week on Bryan's birthday, the 25th, we celebrate our 3rd month of having Cooper as ours, and then on the 30th we stand before a judge and lose our title as "temporary guardians" and become his parents!  

 

We still remind Cooper how loved he is, how wanted he is and was, telling him about his Tummy Mummy, praying for her.  She is doing well, we send her pictures and she has reached out to ask us about him.  Because of her gift, her sacrifice, her love we get to be a family...how exactly does one thank someone for that gift?  The only way we know how to do that is to show her love, unconditional love over the course of Cooper's life. 

 

God is good all the time, all the time God is good!