Daughter Christy is 12 Today!
| On Sunday, January 21, 1996, Dave and I had the rare privilege of being in the delivery room while another woman labored for our child. Jennifer, having just turned 18, had independently made an adoption plan with us four months previous. We had followed her pregnancy... um, expectantly! We got the call just after church that Jennifer had indeed gone into labor and was at the hospital with her mother. So we hopped in the car and drove uptown, knowing that our life was about to forever be changed. And sure enough, after helping Jennifer "PUSH! PUSH!", out popped a perfect baby girl with porcelain skin and rosebud lips. Even the nurses commented, "She's beautiful!" and through tears I said, "You HAVE to say that... you are delivery room nurses!!" to which they responded, "No. Sometimes we just say, 'It's a girl!'" Jennifer, an amazingly brave person, kissed her newly swaddled infant and then turned to me, held out the little bundle, and said, "Here's your daughter." Unbelievable. Two days later, we exited the hospital: Jennifer with baby Christy on her lap, Jennifer's mom, and me. Dave was home with a gaggle of folks waiting to meet our daughter for the first time—grandparents, pastors, and neighbors. Mark Hoffman, a pastor at our church, had come to the hospital to help me. He showed me how to secure the baby in the carseat and the carseat in the car! Then we all caravanned to our house, with Donna and Jennifer following. Once we made introductions all around, we had an informal "releasing" ceremony. Our senior pastor, Jimmy Kallam, prayed for us all. Then Dave and I spoke to Jennifer, thanking her for her gift. Jennifer spoke to us, thanking us for inviting her into our lives. Then we took sleeping Christy up to her new crib. I laid her down and quietly walked away, leaving Jennifer alone with her child one last time. After a few minutes, Jennifer exited the nursery with tears streaming and symbolically closed the door behind her. We have had an amazing journey with Jennifer, now a 30-year-old woman. We still get together with her and her mom on an annual basis, and now Christy is at the age where Jennifer can take her out to a restaurant to celebrate and spend time together, usually sometime around January 21st. Most people unfamiliar with open adoptions get a little freaked out when they hear this. But each time we interact with Jennifer, we each speak to the fact that the right decision was made twelve years ago. | |||
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| Once when Christy was about five or six, I asked her if she knew who Jennifer was. She said, "Yep, she's my birthmom." Then she paused for a minute, looked me straight in the eye, and said, "But you're my REAL mom!" Happy Birthday, my REAL daughter, Christina Leann Verhaagen! |
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Happy Birthday Christie!!
What a blessing that you joined your Mom and Dad in our shared home. Our precious Gannon was brought home to your nursery room. We are amazed at the way the Lord has woven our lives together.
With JOY!
Rebecca
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HI Ellen, Dave, and girls! What a wonderful adventure and website. We think you are all wonderful. We want to see you all. Would you call us? 910 822-4673, or 910 818-3726. Love, Lyle, Ana Maria, y muchachos
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