Becca and I met through mutual friends and instantly hit it off. I knew that she and her husband had battled infertility for many years and were now on the long bumpy road to adopt and within minutes of sitting down next to each other we were wrapped up in one of the most personal conversations about that journey. A few weeks later I got to meet her sweet husband, Rodney, and for the whole drive home that night I just kept thinking “these people NEED to be parents!” Fast forward to Sunday when I got a text from Becca asking if I had plans for the next day because she might have some exciting news. I’m pretty sure I squealed out loud when I read that text because I just *knew* it was the happy news I had been waiting to hear. We both got busy with Super Bowl plans that afternoon and agreed to chat on the phone later that night. I wish I could have reached through the phone and hugged her! I could hear the hope in her voice just as loudly as I could hear the fear. You see, when they got “the call” last week saying that they’d been matched with a birth mom, it wasn’t a “congratulations! you’ll be parents in 9 months” kind of phone call. It was a “congratulations! you will be parents by Monday” kind of call. It all happened so quickly that it almost felt too good to be true. In the state of Texas birth parents have to wait 48 hours after the birth of a child before they can sign over their rights to adoptive parents. When Becca and I got off the phone we had a countdown going until that could happen. 14 hours. 14 of the longest, slowest hours ever while we waited for the thumbs up that this was really happening. I was so excited and hopeful! And then that 14 hours turned into 15 hours and then 15 and a half hours. I was sweating so I can’t imagine how Becca and Rodney were feeling waiting for that last phone call. Once we got the good news, I hopped in the car to meet them across town at the hospital. It was quite a drive and the whole way there I was so emotional thinking of what a tremendous and incredible gift that brave birth mother was giving to them. It was definitely bittersweet. Once we met up at the hospital things moved really fast. The caseworkers from Gladney Center For Adoption met us there to help navigate the next steps. Those ladies were amazing! There was a stack of papers to sign and then just like that, they got to meet and bring their beautiful son home. Seeing Becca and Rodney meet their son for the first time was one of the sweetest most moving moments I have ever witnessed. I’m so glad I decided to skip eye makeup that day and I’m so thankful for autofocus because there were definitely times I couldn’t see through my own tears to make sure my shots were in focus! There aren’t words to accurately describe all the feels that were happening so I’ll stop rambling now and let the photos speak for themselves…
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
From Becca: “We arrived at the hospital and we had to sign the paper work first. I remember there was one time where we had to write his full name for the first time and I immediately began to cry. It was almost surreal…we had been dreaming and praying about this moment for the longest time, and it was finally here. We could hardly wait.“
From Becca : “I bent down to give him a kiss. All I could say to him was ” I love you soooooo much!!!! So so so so much! ” It was the most amazing moment in our whole life. The baby we have been waiting for, and praying for, is right here. Looking into his face I just knew….we will unconditionally love him so much, forever.”
From Becca : “I didn’t think it was possible, but he gets more and more handsome by the hour. I look at him and then I swear I think “he is the most handsome baby I have ever seen…” and then I look at him again 30 mins later, and somehow, someway, he is more beautiful than the last time!”
Becca and Rodney-
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for trusting me with such an amazing moment in your lives. It was such an honor to be there!
Love,
Shanna
Beautiful all around!!! U captured it all at the right time! So Beautiful reading it n seeing the pictures made me cry n I Am So So Happy For Rodney an Becca!!
This was the most amazing gift anyone could have given us! Shanna you are beyond a blessing and there will never be enough words to say thank you enough! We love you!!!!
I couldn’t read this very fast due to the happy tears! Congratulations to the sweetest couple EVER! 💙
Im so happy for you both! I know how much this means to you both! He is absolutely a blessing! He is gorgeous, handsome, and so sweet! I could so nibble on his feet! Congratulations to you both! You’ll do great!
I have been Facebook friends with Becca for a few years but never met her in person. Seeing these photos makes me seriously love her and her new family. How blessed is that little boy to have such awesome parents?!