Finalization

Complete. Finished. Official. Final.

The adoption process does not end with the birth of your baby. And it does not end when you bring that baby home. The legal process does not come to an end until a finalization hearing, which typically happens in the six to eight months after the baby is home. It’s the official end to the paperwork and the home visits. It’s the day the state officially recognizes what you’ve known since the moment you met your son or daughter – they are a part of your family.

Finalization is the end of the road to adoption. And I imagine it’s the day you breathe a sigh of relief. It is finished.

Rejoicing in your finalization Isaiah!