Epilogue
CADE
Dear Declan,
I can’t tell you how long your mom and I waited to meet you. It feels unreal that soon we’ll actually get to call you ours.
Our family might not look exactly like some others, but believe me when I tell you your home will be filled with love, a love that started with a little boy and a little girl who were next-door neighbors.
Your mom and I might have different versions when we tell you when it was we fell in love.
I’d say it was when I was 7 and she was 8, and she crashed her skateboard in my driveway.
For her maybe it was when I took her to prom, or maybe when we lived across the country, but I came to visit her when she was feeling bad and I did my best to cheer her up.
Maybe it was because I never really stopped waiting for her, because I knew she was special.
Whenever it happened, I think we have the greatest love story ever.
Your mom might be different from other moms. She needs extra rest sometimes. She gets itchy a lot. Sometimes she needs cheering up, but that’s where we come in.
I’ll let you in on a little secret, though—she’s the most amazing woman in the whole world. You’re really lucky you get to have a mom like her.
We decided not to have a baby in the way a lot of families do, and someday I’ll explain all that to you.
Deciding to foster you, though–you have your Aunt Whit to thank for that. Like you, she grew up needing a family, and she helped us a lot when we decided we wanted to meet you.
Aunt Whit is adopted, too, and she’s one of our favorite human beings. She’s your mom’s best friend in the world. When our friendship faded, I’m not sure Mom would’ve given me another chance if it hadn’t been for Aunt Whit. I owe a lot to her.
Aunt Whit also taught us about what it means to choose our family.
You see, sometimes, family comes into your life by who you’re born with. That’s like me with your Nana and Poppa. They already love you so much, little man.
Sometimes family grows up and grows apart, and you have to work to find your way back to each other. Your mom can tell you about that.
Sometimes it comes crashing into your path, like your mom did with me.
And sometimes, family is a choice you make to love someone so much that you don’t ever want to let them go. That’s how we feel about you.
We decided to name you Declan, which means “full of goodness.” You have already brought so much goodness to our lives.
I used to write letters to your mom like this one, and I like to think they made up part of our love story. I hope one day you’ll get to read these letters and see just how very much we love you, too.
Happy adoption day, Declan Cole Adler-Meadows.
Love,
Dad