16 Months & 1 Week

As you can imagine, Molly is experiencing all kinds of emotions as today is the one week mark before their impending court date.

Tonight, she emailed me a precious pictorial timeline of their 16 months with Waverley and the legal battles that have consumed them during that time. She said it was therapeutic to get it all written out.

I want to share it with you...

16 Months of Waverley

and Legal Battles
as written by Molly


June 23, 2008

Sweet Waverley is born and becomes our daughter

June 24, 2008

Our lives change forever, for the better, when we meet her at the hospital for the first time.

June 25, 2008

Wave comes home from the hospital and meets her big sister for the first time.

This is the first picture ever taken of the four of us.

End of August 2008

Waverley is 2 months old...

We learn that the birthfather has re-entered the picture and is contesting the adoption.

Late December 2008

After multiple delays and preliminary court appearances, we have the first day of testimony.
It is brutal.

Our lawyer warns us that he does not think we are going to be able to win.

Waverley is 6 months old.

The next day, we leave for Christmas in Colorado and try to collect ourselves.

January 2009

We hear the second full day of testimony.

We wait for 6 weeks to hear the judge's decision.

March 3, 2009

Our Miracle Day...

we found out we WON!

Against all odds, the judge ruled in our favor. He based his decision on the fact that the birth father had not offered any support of provision before or after Waverley was born, and because to place her in the custody of the birthfather would not be in the best interest of the child because the birth father was outrageosly unfit as a parent.

We breathed in relief and happiness!

This picture was taken on the night we found out that the judge ruled in our favor.

Waverley is 9 months old.

Later that night, we sent out a mass email thanking people for their prayers.

We know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this outcome can only be contributed to a miracle... brought about by thousands of people that prayed on Waverley's behalf.

This is the picture that was at the end of that email.

April 1, 2009

The birthfather filed his appeal...

on the last day possible.

June 2009

We tried to find a normal flow to life as we waited for the next step in the process.

Each day that goes by, we realize that the outcome of all of this could still mean the loss of our daughter. While we try to stay positive and place our faith in God, it is especially hard on "big days" to swallow the idea that it could be the last time we have that experience with Waverley.

This is the picture that was on her 1st Birthday party invitation.

Every day in June I prayed...

"Please, God...don't let this be the only birthday I celebrate with her."

November 10, 2009

Today we are one week out from our court date before the Court of Appeals.

These pictures were taken of Wavy this afternoon.

She is 16 months old.

I am anxiously awaiting the picture we will take on the day we win for good...
the day Waverley's adoption is finalized!

Please continue to pray for our family.

We are eternally grateful for you!

Love,

Molly

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For specific prayer requests, read the post "Normal, Yet Not Normal"