Today I became a mother <3

[jaysonsmom]

Congratulations Mrs. B and Eleanor, you both look so happy in the pictures, and it really was a tear-jerker to read. Blessings to you and your "new" daughter!

 

[mrs-b]

Thank you, @Diamond Girl 21 - she is the light of my life.

@Dandi - as always, thank you for sharing my joy with me. It amplifies it accordingly. ox

Thank you, @icy_jade!

 

[mrs-b]

Thank you so much, @Calliecake! if one cannot be happy with a daughter as wonderful as this, one is simply not trying! I'm so pleased our joy is obvious to others.

@Shazam22 - thank you! The world's a pretty dark place these days, isn't it? This, for me, personally, is a very bright light in an otherwise depressing global landscape.

Awwww - @motownmama - thank you! <3

 

[mrs-b]

@angeline - your words mean so much! Having reached a place where I believed motherhood, in the legal sense, had simply passed me by, and having grown to accept that and not resent it or 'kick against it' - having a daughter is a breathtaking turn of events for me. As I sat in the courtroom and FELT myself shift from 'no children'...to...'I have a daughter'....well...you know. I can't explain it but - you know. <3

Now on to get Eleanor Australian citizenship! Yay!

 

[mrs-b]

Thank you, @Karl_K!

Thank you, @islandgirl81 - it's an honor to be able to share this news.

Thank you, @kenny. Never thought I'd be able to share news such as this. Incredibly glad that I am!

 

[mrs-b]

Thank you, @Venti25!

Thank you so much, @Demon. Will never tire of hearing this precious girl referred to as "my daughter"!

Thank you, @Gussie - we continue to be thrilled!

 

[mrs-b]

Thanks, @tyty333. Everyone's warm wishes really do add to our joy and celebration!

@diamondseeker2006 - hallo, my friend. This has been SUCH a big deal and that piece of paper really does make a difference! Altho I didn't adopt her brother/my godson, my adoption of Eleanor has had the interesting effect of drawing me and him closer as well. He is a young man who values the legalities of things, so this, in his mind, makes a legal connection between us. He and I have always been very close, but now it's like he has decided that - come what may - I'm never going anywhere, so he and I are forever. He is a maths and science kind of guy, so rules and legalities mean a lot to him, and this change of situation between his sister and me makes a difference in his head to us as well.

And you would LOVE this locket in real life! It's beautifully made and it's so substantial - plus the diamonds are beautiful quality - I love it!

Thank you, @CareBear - yes, we really have!

 

[mrs-b]

Thank you, @caf. When her dad first asked me to be a presence in both his kids' lives, I thought about it long and hard before saying yes. By the time I did, I was in it forever. I made him a promise the day I committed to be a mother figure in their lives - that, to the extent I was able, I would never hurt them or bring them harm. I've tried my very best to fulfill that promise ever since, and it's been my honor.

Thank you, @jaysonsmom - we are VERY happy!

 

[mrs-b]

Eleanor is an art major, just going into her senior year. She also has an Etsy store where she sells greeting cards. She did the one below yesterday, specifically to say thank you to you all for your kind wishes. So from us both....

THANK YOU!

 

[Calliecake]

@mrs-b, I’m so happy for you both. Your heart must feel so full. You both have been given a beautiful gift as I know you are aware of. Isn’t wonderful when life brings us all this joy?

Please thank Elinor for her beautiful card.

 

[ZestfullyBling]

@Mrs B you and your daughter look so beautiful and happy!! So refreshing and heartwarming to see! I'm so happy for you!! Legalities are so important I can imagine how elated you are!!

Your jewelry collection is superb and a PS staple!! Eleanor's locket is exquisite!!! She is extremely talented as well! The card she made looks like it's straight from Hallmark shelves!!

 

[rcjtraveler]

Congratulations!! Such a lovely story. You both look so happy. You can tell in the pictures what a special bond the two of you have had for years.
Love your beautiful locket too!

 

[mrs-b]

Thank you, @Calliecake - our hearts are full indeed. I'll pass your kind words re the card on to Eleanor!

Awwww - thank you, @ZestfullyBling! Eleanor's cards are whimsical and pure and delightful. Her Christmas designs are pure joy! Every year, her gifts to the people she loves are original, hand painted Christmas-design cards. They are an absolute delight and my collection is one of the most precious things I own. And I'm glad you like the locket! The one in this thread is mine; Eleanor will get hers when she becomes an Australian citizen. And what a day that will be!!

@rcjtraveler - Eleanor and I were saying today that we wouldn't have done the legalities of adoption had we not already been mother and daughter in our opinion. It strikes me that no legal paperwork can 'make a thing so' - it has to come from the heart. And then, when it's already a fait accompli, *then* you do the legalities to confirm in the eyes of the state what you already know to be true. She is my girl. She has always been my girl. I know it - she knows it. The court process was just to inform the state. As it turned out - they agreed with us.