The Boy of Many Names

Mondays.  You've got to love them.  This one was trudging along like most of them.

Coffee.  School work.  More coffee.

In the afternoon, we head over to our daughter's American Heritage Girls troop meeting - where I am one of the fearless co-leaders (I use that term VERY loosely.)  Today, we were working on the Our Flag badge and spent the beginning of the meeting time singing patriotic songs.  The second half, we let the girls play some games outside.

While I had a down moment, I checked my phone and saw that I had a message from a fellow adoption momma.  She said that a new list of names had been posted on the Haitian government's website.

Now what this means to those of us in the Haitian adoption process...

Most adoptions in Haiti need to have the Haitian president sign off on the adoption.  In our case, we need it because we have biological children.  When the president signs it, the child's name goes onto the official record of actions for the government for that day on their website.  Us adoptive parents check and CHECK this web page throughout each and every day, just waiting to see their child's name on it.  Why?  Because that is the first sign that your adoption is moving forward AND this is a step that has been known to take some up to 12-18 months to pass.

Anyhoo.  I asked my friend if she would text me a screen shot of the names listed on it.  As every day that came before this one, I had a knot in my stomach at the potential news to come that our file had been signed.

And then I saw it...

Pierre Davidson THELEMAQUE. (Middle name, first name and then last name in caps) OUR Sam!!!  Praise the Lord!

I believe that I screamed and jumped off of the bench in one big movement.  My 2 girlfriends sitting with me yelled "What?"  They had looks of terror on their face, since this kind of reaction to news usually doesn't mean something good just happened.  I said, "we received our dispensation."  To which they replied, "what does that mean?"

Fair enough.

I explained the magnitude -in short, barley coherent sentences.  They quickly jumped up and gave me bear hugs and cried with me.  I nearly dropped my phone from shaking!

Apparently, I made such a commotion that the leader of a nearby classroom stuck her head out of the door and asked what the big news was.  She too is a good friend and knew that this was a wonderful answer to prayers.

What a GREAT feeling it was to share it with EVERYONE!  Many hugs and tears were shared.  I have such awesome friends.

After calling my hubby and excited grandparents, I called our orphanage director.  Often times, the online version (where I saw Sam's name at) is available before the printed one is in Haiti.  But our director is on top of it all and -of course- already knew.  She was disappointed that she wasn't the one able to surprise me and explained why she was waiting until the end of this week to call and tell me... because of this little nugget...

Sam now has our last name!!

Wow!

Today has been like that day that you just found out that you were pregnant or the moment that your child was born.  The knowledge that he bares our name and is ours, touches my heart to a degree that is rarely done in a lifetime.  Reserved for those sacred moments that your heart grows and is filled with a child.

But this also got me thinking...

My sweet boy has had many names in his short life.  First, he had the name that his mother whispered to him the moment he was born.  That name is a treasure that was etched on his heart and soul.  Oh, what  I would give to know this name... but this is something that will stay between mother, child and our Creator.

Then there is the name that was given to him by the government, after he was declared abandoned.  Davidson Pierre.  Davidson is a VERY common name in Haiti.  For instance, there are 3 little Davidsons at the orphanage right now.  This is the name that was on all of his paperwork when he arrived at the orphanage.

Once he became our son in our hearts, and we moved forward with our adoption, he needed a last name.  He was designated the last name of the woman that would represent the orphanage and Sam to the courts and child services.  This is normally the role of a birth parent but is assigned to a representative when there is not a birth parent.

Now that he is legally our son, he is Davidson Pierre B.

When he comes home, he will then be given the name that he has become to know as his own... Samuel 'Sam' Davidson B.

"The boy of many names' he will no longer be.  He will be Sam, or son, forevermore. 

Oh Mondays will never be the same again!!