All parents have a ‘birth story’ of how their children came into their lives. It probably involves contractions, driving to the hospital and labour.
I want to share our ‘birth story’. The story of how Madison came into our lives. Even though we didn’t have 9 months to prepare for her, it feels like the day we met her was the day she was ‘born’ to us.
Friday 6 Feb 2015 started off as any other day. Mike and I drove to work, I had a full and exhausting day at school teaching 2nd graders. Finally 2:40pm came and I had the last lesson free so I was sitting down in my classroom enjoying the peace and quiet, catching up on some marking. Little did I know that in a few minutes our lives would be forever changed!
I got “the call” at about 3pm from the agency we had been dealing with to say that there is a baby girl for us. Say what??
It took a while to register it all. Mr S from the agency told me that she is a Singaporean baby girl and is 10 days old. She is perfectly healthy and he asked if we wanted to be her parents. After a few minutes I put the phone down and I was visibly shaking. I actually couldn’t believe the conversation I had just had. We had only been on the “waiting”list for 4 days.
After school Mike and drove home and that ride home was filled with tears, fears, questions and excitement. When we got home we called Mr S back to say YES! We wanted to be this little girls parents.
That night Mr S came round to our house to explain the whole process to us and to answer any questions that we might have. He brought the little baby girl with him and we got to hold her briefly. I didn’t want to hold her too long and get too attached as it was still SO surreal that this actually might be happening?? After years and years of trying to have our own biological family, could this be the moment we have been waiting for, for nearly 6 years?
Mr S filled us in on the little baby’s background and birth details. She was born on 27 January 2015, at 20:34 and weighed 2.9kg. Her birth mom was a young mom who didn’t have the means to take care of her. He explained what the next steps were. We were all going to go to the paediatrician to sign off on tests that were done at birth and from there we would proceed straight to the lawyers office to sign heaps of paperwork and from there we could take her HOME with us! This would take place the following Wed.
Needless to say, we didn’t sleep at all that entire weekend! People have 9 months to plan, prepare, buy things but we had a few days!! A late night trip to Ikea was undertaken to buy basic furniture essentials……
We spent that evening trying to put everything together. It was super exciting but very overwhelming too!
At work on Monday and Tuesday I had to plan for being on leave from Wednesday – organising the little bit of paid leave I was entitled to – all while trying to mentally and physically prepare for a baby!
Friends at work were AMAZING with all the things they gave me. This little baby girl was already
SO loved by SO many people and the excitement and support we got from EVERYONE around us, near and far, was just utterly incredible!!!
SO loved by SO many people and the excitement and support we got from EVERYONE around us, near and far, was just utterly incredible!!!
Wednesday 11 February 2015:
The day had arrived!!! We didn’t sleep a wink the night before. This day felt like how I imagined a ‘birth’ day would feel!
At 8:30am we arrived at Gleneagles Hospital to meet with Mr S, the foster family that the little girl had been staying with since she was released from the hospital, and the paediatrician. As soon as we arrived we were handed the little girl to hold while we wait for the doc – we sat holding her and just staring at how perfect she looked. I still couldn’t completely believe it was happening and my mind was racing with a million thoughts and emotions.
Once we were finished at the paed, we drove to the lawyers offices to sign some paperwork. We were getting closer!! It didn’t take as long as I thought it would take. The birth mom had met with the same lawyers the day before to sign paperwork too.
Once the paperwork was signed, we walked out of the lawyers office with our daughter, MADISON GRACE GILMOUR!
This picture of her was taken just before we left the lawyers office with our 2 week old daughter!
Driving home with her was THE most incredible feeling! I think I was still in shock that it was all actually happened that I couldn’t even cry! It’s hard to actually put into words how I felt.
It was the build up of all the years of failed pregnancies, doctors tests, heartache, devastation – this was THE moment I had been waiting for! I was a MOM to the most perfect little baby girl and I felt like the proudest mommy on the planet!!
This is SUCH a proud dad!
Madisons first bottle at home!
Our precious little family!!
I still pinch myself with disbelief that this has all happened the way it has! We feel that we have known Maddi our whole lives and just love her like words can’t describe!
There is still a long process to follow with the courts until the adoption process is complete but we are just SO grateful for every single day with her! The love and support we have got from SO many people has touched our hearts so much!
For years people were sharing in our grief and pain and now people can share in our joy and happiness!
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