
We had our adoption day virtually very early in the year. Due to Covid-19 concerns, it was done virtually. We had some guests in our living room and in the virtual meeting room. The guests in the living room were a production crew from the local TV station that has regular segments featuring children in need of adoption.
Alex had been featured twice, though it was the second appearance that I took notice of. It was an odd chance at all that they were there. Alex came to me under a trial placement back in October of last year. I had the weekend to get him all set up for his new school. He was a junior. One of the places we ended up going to was a department store in the next larger city. I had never been there before, so I asked a lady who was passing by where the changing rooms were, and she told me. Then she saw Alex and recognized him. It was the producer of the TV segments that Alex had been featured on! Strange coincidence. We ended up talking while Alex tried on his new threads. She asked me if it would be possible to cover the adoption for the segment. I agreed and over the next months, it was worked out for them to do that.
A few hours before the adoption, we set up all of the equipment for the virtual meeting and for the TV crew. We were interviewed and then came the momentous event. The Judge came on and made sure everything was right and everybody was in place.
In turn, Alex and I were sworn in and we were asked questions by the adoption attorney. Finally, the judge made his decision for adoption and proclaimed us a new family unit. One of the interesting things the attorney (he is a specialist in the field of adoptions) stated was that he does 3-5 adoptions per day, and he had never been asked by the media to cover an adoption. The other people attending virtually were friends I have known through the years.