He was named by a police officer in India. One name. Like Madonna. But we added on today.
We made the trek into the big city for a nice lunch and an appearance before Judge Smith at the county courthouse.
Ten months ago my cell phone rang. I was speaking at a festival in New York. Becky said our social worker, Kim, wanted to know if we could foster a little boy from India. And possibly adopt him someday. She needed an answer in 24 hours.
We didn’t want to foster. We wanted to adopt. We wanted to adopt from Ethiopia.
But…
We said yes.
Sambhaji’s situation was complicated and unusual. We took him into our home, into our hearts, not knowing if he’d ever be our son. We prayed and waited and rode the ups-and-downs of the on-and-off-and-back-on-and-maybe-off-and-back-on coaster of his adoption into our family.
It’s been the hardest ten months of our marriage.
I’ve never felt more inept as a parent.
But I’ve also been surprised – amazed – at how much I love this little guy who was a total stranger just ten months ago. And how much closer our entire family is today than we were before Sambhaji came to live with us. I’m shocked at my ability to love him like my own. How he has become my own. He is my own.
Today’s he’s mine on paper but I feel like he’s always been.
It became official today when an attorney sat with us and Judge Smith, read a few sentences, asked a few questions, and then handed some papers over to be signed and sealed.
And now he has three names.
Sambhaji David Groves.
(Pictured: Groves family with Judge Smith)
Sambhaji is the name of a great warrior king in India. A warlord, the story goes, took over all of India except the province Sambhaji ruled. Sambhaji stood up to the warlord and his armies, outnumbered, against the odds.
David is my father’s name. The man who taught me how to be a father. Without my father’s love for me I’d never have been a father to Sambhaji. We love because we have been loved well.
Groves. A name carried by pasty pink faces from Wales to the Carolinas, to Texas and now to Tennessee…just got a little more colorful. Who knows what greatness Sambhaji will add to our legacy?
(Pictured: Groves family with Kim)
Our social worker, Kim, was with us today. She’s taught us, worried with us, cried with us, filed countless pieces of paperwork for us and today she celebrated with us. It was her phone call to Becky ten months ago that expanded our family today. What would our life be like if she hadn’t called? It would be a lot less. I would be a lot less.
Thank you,Kim and everyone at Miriam’s Promise in Nashville, to Judge Smith, to Holt International, to the wonderful caregivers who raised Sambhaji so well in India, to Allison Clanton our family therapist, to our church and closest friends and family who’ve listened well and cut us slack and encouraged, and to all of you on the internet who prayed and rooted for us through these last ten months. We’re a family of six now! Thank you for the part you’ve played along the way.
As for Sambhaji’s perspective on all of this…
I explained to him that Judge Smith was going to sign a piece of paper that would make me his Daddy forever – that he’d always be ours from now on. “What do you think about that?”
“Awesome!….Please can I have ice cream?”
“Absolutely.”
Michael Patterson says:
Congratulations to you and your family. Our adoption had bee our toughest 3 years of parenting as well (of course we have 3 teenage daughters which also contributes). I look forward to learning or about Sambhaji over the coming years, and am glad he is part of your family.
Christine says:
Shedding tears of joy for you, and dedicating my prayers in the coming months and years as well. Congratulations!
Susan says:
Congratulations to the Groves family! This is such a wonderful blessing and a huge praise! May you all have many happy years together!
Blessings,
Susan
Jen C. says:
So happy for you all. These are some of the best family photos I have ever seen!
MrsHLBjr says:
He looks just like you, Shaun!
Congrats!! So glad you have your forever family today!!
brad says:
I can’t tell you how happy I am for you guys Shaun! I am far happier than I can explain seeing as how I’ve only met you once and followed you here on your site, but this is such a good thing. Such a God thing. Good job hanging in there, good job persevering. What a beautiful family, you are truly blessed.
Ann Voskamp says:
Weeping joy.
All’s grace.
And the rain of grace continues…
Katie Axelson says:
Congratulations!
Katie
Jill Foley says:
Congratulations and good job! You are all so blessed to have each other.
Ron says:
Congratulations, sir! I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene … HE IS GOOD!
Johanna says:
yesyesyesyes YES!!!!!!!! There is no joy like that of forever day, is there?
Glory. to. God.
Johanna
(mama x4, three times through int’l adoptions)
Kelli says:
This fills me up. He fits so perfectly. I’m happy for you and your family of 6. Congrats.
Marla Taviano says:
So, so, so happy for all six of you!! He couldn’t be any stinking cuter.
And I’m remembering back to the interview I did with you for my blog back in July. I had sent you the questions, and you were answering them on the way home from NY. I asked you about adoption, and you said:
Funny you should ask. At the moment I’m in a car driving across Ohio. Well, my road manager Ben is driving while I type to you. About an hour ago my wife called to say that there is a child in need of immediate placement. We were planning on adopting siblings from Ethiopia and that process should take us another six months to a year. But now this phone call. A child from another country needs us. Would we consider it? We have until the morning to decide. To decide if we’re interested. Of course we are! But adoption is a strange animal – things change rapidly. As quickly as this opportunity presented itself it could be taken away and given to another family. So we hold it loosely for now, praying that this child receive the best God has to offer. And that simply may not be us. So maybe we’ll enlarge our family by one in the next few days. Or maybe by a sibling set in six months to a year. Only God knows.
(How fun to be “in on” Sambhaji’s story from the beginning. Here’s the whole post: http://bit.ly/ogAQin)
Can’t stop smiling for you guys!
Julie says:
And now the Groves are officially “the best that God has to offer” this precious child! What an incredible honor to have Sambhaji in your family – and now officially, too! Wow!
You (Shaun) came to our church in August, and I think it was the first time you had been away from the family since he had joined you. We got to hear the beginning of the story, and now to read the end is just so exciting! I’m so happy for you!
Kathy Schwanke says:
Awesome JOY! Praising Jesus!!!
Amy says:
“this family adopted me and all got was ice cream…. And a lifetime of love and belonging”….
Stacy Sublett says:
Congratulations to Sambhaji, you, and the whole beautiful, growing Groves fam! Adding a little color to the family palette is wonderful thing…Thanks for being willing to walk this road for Sambhaji and your family.
Liz Reeves says:
So sweet!!! Congratulations!!
I can’t help but think of the cute adoption announcement video I saw on Facebook this morning that has circled through lots of my friends. Go to youtube & look up “Dynamite Announcement”. You will love it!
Angie says:
How beautiful! Congratulations!
Melinda Lancaster says:
Wonderful news!
Congratulations! It was a good day for ice cream 🙂
Rebecca says:
All things new! Beautiful. Congratulations.
Melissa Scott (Realmom8) says:
Awesome indeed!!! Rejoicing with the Happy Groves Family! The Happy Scott Family (that’s us!) is a family of 10 thanks to God and adoption! Our firstborn a blessing through private, open adoption and seven more blessings through Indiana foster care! (ahem!…:)all girls by the way, not our idea, all God!) Like you all, we are Extremely Blessed, Eucharisteo!!! Love to you!!
Ken Summerlin says:
A beautiful family in every way. Blessings!
Scott says:
Congratulations!
shayne says:
Congratulations y’all!
Kim says:
WOW!!! Congratulations. Adoption is such a blessing!
Jamie {See Jamie blog} says:
CONGRATULATIONS to your family!!!
Kaye says:
Huge congrats to the entire Groves family! Just a sidenote – my sister in law and brother in law adopted their children through Miriam’s Promise. Small world!
Lilyanne says:
Congratulations!
Cheri says:
Praise the Lord for all things beautiful…..and this is beautiful!
Laura says:
Congrats on making it official. I know it’s a great feeling!
rjb says:
Just lovely!!
Grace Cho says:
absolutely beautiful 🙂
Steph says:
What a blessed little boy. What a blessed family. A blessing all around. So very exciting.