2 part question

Party wise: for both of our adoptions I held simple open house types of parties inviting family and good friends. We had over 40 guests come to congratulate us each time. I served simple apetizers, fruit trays. veggie trays, deserts. I decorated the house by printing up all the photos I had taken of him/her from first visit up to adoption on plain paper and plasering them all over the house. great for making conversatons. Court itself was pretty simple. In fact, after all you go through to get there it is almost anti-climatic. The judge has already reviewed the file, and made his/her decision, so this is just a formality. He swore us in, asked a couple questions about us, our children, even asked what our child's favorite pastime was. both times the judge spoke directly to the child, asking them what they thought about it (our son was 6, daughter 10 at adoptions). Then he signed off on the adoption, we cried, took a bounch of pictures (both judges were great about getting pictures) then went to court clerk for the paperwork! Both times we had to wait quite awhile to actually get in before the judge, but once we were actually in court it was very fast. Congratulations!

Our story at court sounds the same. We had to wait for the judge to show and court to start, we were sworn in and asked questions about what was already in the file (like how long she's lived with us,her grades, ect) and then pictures. We had a party when she was placed with us and only had a small gathering when the adoption was final.

thank you both .our fs is 3 and gets very shy at first when someone is talking to him so I am not sure how he is going to be I may just have a small something at the house..Loved the idea of printing the pics..thanks again

My older daugther loved Lilo and Stitch so we did a party around that theme. It was her birthday too so we did it up big. My younger daughter was only 2yrs old and it was right before Christmas so we did something smaller at home for a party. I've had her since she was 3months old so I did up a VCD of pictures since she came to us to play on the TV the entire time of the reception. We used songs about little girls and then gave a copy of the VCD to all of our guests. It was all family except two of our closest couple friends.

Do not know where you live but. I adopted in May of 2005 and I lived close to a Build A Bear workshop so I took my son and he stuffed a animal and adopted him on the same day as his adoption. We have talked about that alot. We keep the day of adoption for family only had lunch and such but about 2 weeks later had a open house kind of thing also. Invited family and friends. Lori

Wow, I really love this idea.

hatiehazel.yes I too love that Idea maybe after court we can go do that ..THANKS.As for party still not sure where..My husband brought up that maybe we shouldnt have at house since I will be so worried about cooking and cleaning..(which he has point) so now I am back at square one with finding a place.ahhhh anyone know of good place in Ocean or Monmouth county???