Our adoption story is a little different. We found our son through a Facebook post! “A baby born with Down Syndrome is looking for a forever family.” We frantically called our case worker and, after several tense days and several unsure moments, we were finally able to meet our son six days after his birth. It was a whirlwind! How quickly our arms had become full!
We got the word while we were both at work that it was official and we could come to the hospital to meet him. We both left work and rushed and met our son. I was in snuggle heaven, but we also had lots to learn. We met with several specialists that day who helped us us understand his many health conditions. We worked to pick out his name. We learned how to feed him. I changed my son’s diaper. My son’s diaper. It had all happened so fast. My head was spinning.
That night on our way home we stopped at Target and bought a few new baby items. Some footie pajamas, diapers, bottles, stocking caps . . . okay, we bought more than a few things. We went baby crazy! Our joyful exhaustion spilled over into our shopping. We loaded my car up with goodies and my husband followed me home.
My head was spinning as I spent the drive home talking with my mom on the phone about all the wonderful things that had happened. I noticed in my rearview mirror that my husband kept flashing his headlights at me. I absent-mindedly thought, how cute! He is still showing me how excited he is about today! As I rounded the last turn on the freeway before our exit, a new set of lights started flashing behind me. Police lights. I was getting pulled over! I wasn’t speeding, my seatbelt was on. What in the world was I being pulled over for?
I pulled over to the side and rolled my window down. A tough-looking cop came to my passenger window. “You don’t have your headlights on, ma’am. Have you been drinking tonight?” And then in a hurricane of words I explained that I hadn’t been drinking, that I had been meeting my son for the first time. I told this poor cop everything: how long we had tried to have kids, how fast it had happened, how many specialists we had talked to, and how excited I was to be a mom.
The officer’s demeanor totally changed as I shared my story. He pointed at the big stack of kid goods in the passenger seat. “Is this all for him?”
I laughed and explained we had gone a little overboard in our excitement. A huge smile filled this officer’s face as he leaned in my car and put his hand up for a high five. I slapped him a five and he said, “I am going to let you go with a verbal warning. Turn your lights on. You have to be careful now that you are a mom.”
