Mondays don’t often get a lot of positive attention, but yesterday was a very momentous one for my family. Yesterday, was my son Henry’s adoption court date. It marked the closing of the final chapter of his adoption which began in November 2008. Even though he’s been home for almost a year, and even though he’s legally been our son for longer than that, we had this last formal process to go through.
It was a simple act – file the proper paperwork, stand before a judge and answer some questions – very easy. But, the result was much greater than these simple acts. In the eyes of the government of the United States of America, our son went through a tremendous transition. He changed from being a resident alien in this country to being a full American citizen with all the rights and privileges that entails. He changed from being Sisay Jonathan – the name the Ethiopian court placed on his documents – to Henry Owen Sisay.
His Ethiopian heritage is obvious (all you have to do is look at him and you see Ethiopia screaming from his features) and is one that we, as his family, will celebrate. But, after yesterday, officially and legally, he has a new heritage as well. A heritage as a Morgan, an Arkansan, and American – with all the good and bad that entails. His story is now added to ours. Our people are now his people. He’s an immigrant in the truest sense of the word, and now is officially a citizen of a nation of immigrants.
As the judge asked me if I realized that by completing this action, that Henry would attain the same legal rights and entitlements as all of my other children and that this action was irrevocable, I could not help but smile. This was the perfect visual reminder of our spiritual adoption. Because of God’s adoption, I have a new family, a new inheritance, a new standing, a new citizenship, and – it’s irrevocable. I’m thankful for this reminder.
Yesterday was a great day. And, even though he was thrown out of the courtroom by the bailiff (apparently loud exclamations are frowned upon, no matter the age of the exclaimer), we now have an official new citizen. Welcome aboard Henry.
