Baby Collin

As most of you know, Collin was adopted. After losing Lilly in 2006 and than losing Ryker in 2007, we decided that we would put in our adoption papers, and hope for a better 2008. We started the application process and were online in 5 weeks, which apparently is just about record time if not actually record time. We received many calls over the next few months asking if LDS family services could show our profile to moms that had taken drugs during pregnancy. 

 The first time we received a call like this I told the caseworker I would call her back. After discussing the pros and cons and doing our research, we agreed they could. I think this step truly prepared us to open our hearts and minds to having a child later that sadly was exposed to drugs. So after 6 short months (although long to us in the scheme of waiting for adoption, that is a short wait time!) we got the call that basically, we had been chosen, but we were going to have to fight to be able to bring our son home. 

 Someday I will go into the specifics, but basically after many long drives to Southern Utah and after killing lots of trees, we were able to bring Collin home. We sadly missed the first five weeks of Collin's life. But thanks to some pretty amazing first parents, Collin was not only loved and cared for, he was photographed and video-graphed really well. 

 

K and D were amazing parents to Collin. They loved him,

much as they would there very own child.

 

They became foster parents so that they could give back, so that they could make a positive difference in another child's life. They are such amazing people with big hearts.

I wish that it could have been Mike and I that took care of Collin during his first month of life, 

but since it could not be than,  I am glad that K and D were there to love him.

This picture was taken after they had brought Collin to meet us for the first time. We had bought a little sleeper in honor of St. Patrick's day, which was the first time we had ever met Collin.

They were the first to see his cute little smiles, they were the first to sing to him, give him loves, stay up with him at night. They were Collin's first parents. If we had not fought for Collin and if Collin had stayed with his first parents, he would have had another brother or sister just months younger than him. About 6 months to be exact.

They were such good parents. When we picked Collin up, it was hard, They were essentially saying goodbye the their baby, even if legally he was not their's, they were still the only parents he had known up till than. There were tears of sadness and heartache, and tears at joy, all at once. I cried for them. I was happy yet I remembered how hard it was to say good-bye to Lilly at a mere 5 weeks of age. It hurts. There is physical anguish when you say goodbye to child. But there is peace in knowing that the sweet child will be loved and cared for, and that truly, they will be happy.

They had only been foster care approved for a few days when they got the call about Collin. They happily agreed and went through the crazy preparations to get ready for him. When we picked up Collin, they has sweetly organized all of his things, from the outfit he came home from the hospital in to the clothes he no longer fit. They wrote pages of Collin's routine and what he liked or disliked. They also included a CD of video and pictures of almost every day they had Collin there home. We shed tears of gratitude for them.

I wish I could have had Collin from the start, but we know there are reasons for everything. I know Collin was meant to be part of their little family, no matter how short it was. He probably will not remember them, but we will, and that's what important. I want to get a picture of them framed, so that Collin will always know that he was loved, long before he ever came home. I do not think you can have too many people that love you, and in that way, Collin will always be blessed.

And not matter how old Collin gets\, he will always be our baby. He was our baby 

that gave us hope of first birthdays, of being able to plan for a future. Thank-you K and D.

We will always be grateful to you.