WOW

The first moment I held Cody in my arms

All of us trying to see Cody

Dan, Shaleigh, and Cody for the 1st time. I love this picture.

Shaleigh holding Cody for the 1st time

Cody and me together getting to know each other

Dan and Cody getting to know each other

Grandmom and Cody

Granddad and Cody

The birth mom Charolette

Me, Charolette, Cody, and Dan

The Banks family with Cody

Aunt Kristie and Karissa with Cody

Uncle Lee, Lucas with Cody

Carmen with Shaleigh and Cody

Mom with Shaleigh and Cody trying to feed him with help from big sister

Junior with Cody

Uncle David with Cody after work

Maridel with Cody

Kori and Aunt Betsy putting the swing together for Cody

Grandma Elsie with Shaleigh and Cody

Aunt Ellen with Cody

About the 2nd week of April I was sitting at work working the front desk when I received a very surprising phone call. The adoption agency called to say that the birthmom of a little boy had picked us from all the profiles she had seen. It was a very unusual situation....the mom was from San Antonio and she had given birth on March 1. The little boy had some problems after his birth and was in the hospital for about a week or so. From there a foster mom with Christian homes in Abilene went to the hospital and picked him up and brought him back to Abilene where he has been since discharged from the hospital.

The agency had in fact sent us his profile a month ago and asked if they could show our profile to the mom. After much discussing and praying about it we said that God knew what we wanted and he would provide for us. I then turned it over to the Lord and laid this situation at his feet (which was very hard for me to release control). The mom has so many mental problems and we hoped that it would not affect the little boy.

On to April....the agency said that they would be having a conference call with Christian homes of Abilene the next week but that they could not wait to tell us about the little boy that was soon to be ours. Of course I teared up and then forgot about it...my theory that I would not count the chickens before they were hatched. I didn't get my hopes up until after that conference call telling us when we could go and get that precious little boy. They called us the following Tuesday and gave us the foster mom's information and the go ahead to go and get him.

Well of course I automatically called that sweet precious foster mom, Shelly Blake, and talked to her about everything. She started sending us email and text messages containing pictures of our new baby...Cody James. We arrived in Abilene on May 3 and as soon as we checked into the hotel we let Shelly know that we were in town and then loaded back up and went to meet them and Cody. The minute we stepped out of the suburban I saw that precious child in her arms and of course teared up all over again. That was such a special moment that we got to share with Shaleigh, mom and dad. Shaleigh was automatically in love with her brother. She so wanted to hold him and she got to just an hour or so later. She leaned down and gave him a kiss and has been doing so since.

The next day was an emotional day...we were just hours away from driving away from Abilene with a precious little boy. The birthmom wanted to meet us so bad so they had arranged for her to ride the bus in from San Antonio. When she got to Dallas the driver did not show up for his route so they had to call in another driver to continue the route to Abilene. She got there around 3:15 or so and we were suppose to meet her at 4:15 and she had to be back on the bus at 5:00 to go home. We went over to Shelly's house to meet her, she was holding Cody and crying and rocking him. This was very emotional for her...but like she told us she wanted to give him a home with a loving couple that was involved in our community and church. She loved that about us.

After she left we spent a little time talking to Shelly and her family and then we left to begin our journey home with our little boy. We stopped in Lubbock where Lee, Kristie, the kids, and Beth awaited us. They loved on him and Shaleigh and then we headed home.

Through all of this I see the irony of all of this. Life Tree called us on April 21, 2006 at 2:00 and told us about Shaleigh. Special Deliveries call me on April 20, 2011 at approximately 3:00. We were all blessed with our two children right before Mother's Day on both years.

So without further ado....introducing Cody James Long.....