Amy's Domestication/ Re-adoption Court Validation today

This is the process families undergo to have their county and state recognize the foreign adoption of their child even though the adoption was final in China.  This is a big deal for Amy. We have told her this meeting with the judge..... makes things absolutely, positively..... official. Amy needs this reassurance.  She continues to tell us she never wants to go back to China and she wants to stay with us forever and ever.  Sometimes the fear creeps in that this good thing, her family......may not be forever. It is almost like she is waiting for "the other shoe to drop".  Can all this good in her life be true?  Will this last?   There is still healing to take place, as a child that gets adopted at 6 years old, has been without a family for quite some time. She has been without a lot of things we take for granted and now she has every good thing. She wants to believe this is it for her...... her heart is open and she has made great progress....... it just takes time for trust and belief to take hold....... for roots to grow deep.
Amy will tell you that  "the judge signed the papers and they put a gold seal on it because the papers are very important.  The papers say that Amy stays here with us.....forever.  No more China."
She also knows that we as her parents raised our right hands and promised to take very good care of her.  Special girl.... special day.  She must have asked 15 different people if they were "the judge" as we waited for court processes to begin.  Everyone we passed, every security guard, every lady that looked important and every man in a suit! "Hey... are you the judge?  Is he the judge?  Is she the judge?"   Our attorney told her the judge would be in a black robe like one of the portraits we saw displayed in the foyer outside the courtroom.  Amy had to check out our judges' robe when we first went into his chambers. He acknowledged that it looked like a black dress.  That qualified him as "the judge".....in her eyes! "Nice," she said.  She told him her name and that he had a nice desk, as she checked out his name plate and then immediately asked him straight forwardly, "Are you going to sign my papers and put a stamp on it?!!!!!" We went through the formalities and yes,  he signed the document as Amy and the rest of us looked on.  He told her the lady downstairs in the office would put the stamp on it. Pretty quick process then we took a few pictures.  We think it was great for Anna to witness this whole process as she was too young to understand or remember her court date. It seemed to be a meaningful day for her as well.  So glad this all went through today as we had ice and record freezing temperatures that caused many counties/courts to be shut down or delayed. We were delayed by over an hour. All schools were also cancelled today.  

The Judge signed.  We are official. 

Our attorney.  She is such a neat lady. She made things easy for us and charged us nothing.  God Bless Her! In lieu of paying her... she suggests  donating to help other children and families. She drove all the way up from south of the city.

She is proud of her important papers. State of GA adoption certificate with gold seal.