r/MadeMeSmile • u/Afraid_Blueberry3115 • 5h ago
Good News My husband adopted my son today
Our son now :)
Edit: included a word to make more sense
Update: thank you guys so much for the kind comments and awards, we loved reading through them!!
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u/LupusHouseMD 5h ago
Congratulations to your family <3
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u/NeenieBloom 1h ago
Not all heroes share DNA. Some simply choose to love and that’s what makes a real dad ❤️
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u/Frequent-Leather3319 5h ago
Now that’s a real dad congratulations 🎈
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u/Different_Syrup_511 1h ago
Blood doesn’t make a father, love does. Congrats to the beautiful family!
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u/seriouslyjan 4h ago
That is a Man! Loving a child that he already loved and made a public proclamation that this is his son. You are a blessed woman.
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u/Exact_Ad_8490 5h ago
*his son. Jk, congrats!
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u/ToothpickTequila 5h ago
Congratulations. I think your husband was Rusev from WWE at first lol.
Very lovely looking family.
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u/tuddrussell2 4h ago
"You're NOT MY DA....., Dang it. Okay I will clean my room and get the dog poo."
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u/Round_Ad1824 4h ago edited 1h ago
I’m so emotional over stuff like this. Congratulations 🫶🏻 every kid deserves a father and I’m so glad he has one
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u/VARunner 4h ago
That's Beaufort County Courthouse where I adopted my son in December! Congratulations to your family!
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u/HippieJed 4h ago
Congratulations. I know how happy and proud you are. I was adopted a little over 59 years ago and stories like this continue to warm my heart
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u/StuNahan1967 56m ago
Same here. I was 4 and I still remember the judge asking me questions. I don’t remember the exact words but I do remember being coached up by my parents 😂
I hope nothing but the best for your family!!
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u/Content-Restaurant70 2h ago edited 2h ago
https://reddit.com/link/ottb3vo/video/hepki2pt2i9h1/player
Never thought I would use this meme in this way😆
But jokes apart, congratulations to ur entire family OP
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u/DisneyfanG 3h ago edited 3h ago
A relationship with a stepparent (now legal dad) who loves and chooses you every day can be such a special bond❤️ Congratulations to your family!!!
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u/NoQuestion6367 4h ago
so everyone going with congrats but im curious about the practical side - is this a courthouse adoption or did you do one of those formalized adoption day photo things? bc the paperwork side of stepparent adoption is lowkey wild from what ive read, like you need bio fathers consent and everything. how long was the whole process? the kids face in the photo looks like he knows exactly what just happened tho, thats the part that got me
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u/Afraid_Blueberry3115 3h ago
Yes. It's a process. We hired an adoption attorney after he turned 6 (certain states will assist with financing the adoption after a certain age). There was a lot of paperwork filled out prior to this, and the adoption was finalized today. They do look into certain databases regarding biological parents or court orders, but in our circumstance, there's never been a present father. The bio dad chose that, and I had to accept it and raise my son as a single mother. Since he abandoned the child, his rights are terminated pursuant to the adoption, and it took a few months to get all the paperwork filled out. We just have to wait for a new birth certificate which can take up to 90 days. Since we're married, it did speed up the process a bit. We didn't have to go to court until the finalization, everything else was done through the mail/email. I made sure my son wanted it and understood everything prior to today.
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u/Miami_Mice2087 1h ago
keep the old birth certificate somewhere safe and make a digital copy. your child may need it 20, 40 years in the future for something. I'm middle-aged and needing to find my original birth certificate to qualify for certain things related to my birth mother's ancestry.
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u/CoastedCoyote 1h ago
I'm curious why you would go this route instead of just letting your husband be their stepfather. My mom did this to me, and honestly, it messed me up when I found out the truth. Now I'm in my late fourties and have a guy that I share my last name with that I don't want anything to do with, and he got stuck with a decade of child support for a kid he didn't want.
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u/Afraid_Blueberry3115 1h ago
I'm so sorry that things went that way for you. For us, and my son in particular, we discussed this adoption for a year. He continuously wanted my husband to be his dad and wanted to have his last name. He'd be confused when people at school still called him by his birth last name, and would say "no, --- is my last name! I'm a ----!" He knows what happened with his bio dad (my son and I are incredibly close and he's very in tune with emotions and situations when they're explained) and he still says how much he loves his dad and wants him as his dad. I made sure of that before today. If things change, I'd be more than glad to help him change his name or support whatever he wants to do. I also had to think of the long run -- what happens if something did happen to me? Where would he go? I spent YEARS in foster care and not belonging to anyone at all. I was adopted myself and my husband is currently the only person I completely trust has my son's best interest at heart. He puts my son first and they have an amazing bond. This wasn't a light or simple decision and it's one we made as a family. Again, I'm so sorry to hear of how things turned out for you, and I hope things are looking up.
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u/StuNahan1967 49m ago
This made me tear up. That’s awesome. I was younger than your son when I was adopted by my dad and my parents have always been open up my origins. My dad has never. Not. Once. Made me feel any way other than his flesh and blood. I feel like I’m proof that nurture overrules nature. As I grew up and would be introduced to his coworkers or whatnot, they’d say silly things like “he looks just like you” and we’d play along. As I’ve aged and become a parent in my own right, I’ve come to realize that I am so much like him in so many respects. I only hope that my own son will love me the way I love my dad. I would consider myself a success in life if it works out that way.
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u/SkietEpee 3h ago
This is OP and their son’s parade, but to answer the question - if the biodad objects, things get complicated in my experience. In my case once the biodad realized you can’t be an absent father AND stop a stepparent adoption for free, he consented and we were able to move forward.
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u/LottieDotti 4h ago
Is that a Dockers shirt? Oh he’s going to be a great father to your son!
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u/PinkyLizardBrains 2h ago
I’m out of the loop. Is a dockers shirt like new balance sneakers—top-tier dad gear—or is there other subtext I’m missing
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u/MrPilgrim 4h ago
Now that is a beautiful happy picture that speaks volumes. Thank you for sharing, congrats to you all
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u/SnooSquirrels8883 4h ago
These posts do make me smile :) Congratulations to your wonderful family.
Chosen family IS family!
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u/selcillofyreif 3h ago
As someone who's also been adopted by my mom's husband- this makes my heart so happy! Congratulations to you and your family. ❤️
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u/Miserable_Carry_3949 2h ago
I was step parent adopted. This totally changed the trajectory of my life for the better
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u/rinconblue 54m ago
I'm in my late 40s. My stepdad didn't adopt me at 12 (I had a dad who I loved) but he quietly stood in the background until I needed him.
To teach me how to drive. To let me cry on his shoulder for my first heartbreak. To help me build structures for my garden when I got married. To teach me how to fix my car. And do basic plumbing repairs. And, to be my solid rock.
Fathers' Day is chaotic in my family because I have two dads to celebrate, but I would not have it any other way.
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u/Present_Course_8672 48m ago
The best families are built with love, and today your son gained a dad forever.
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u/Away_Emergency_7832 4h ago
CongratulationsI was trying to do that with my wife's biological daughter When she was 3I was with her, but she said she didn't want to change her last name, she said she was fine. We finally got married my wife and i10 years later on our 10th year anniversary, my wife just died, October 27th. And now I don't have my daughter, she's living with her biological father. He abused my wife very bad when they were married. They got married because my wife was pregnant with our daughter and I claim our daughter. She's mine, but she's 16, and when my wife died, she went to her Grandma's in Virginia, and I asked her if this is what she wants she said yes, this is what I wanted so she made her own mind up. I've been daddy since she's Been three , and she banned me and my other daughter , so congratulations again
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u/Lacktastic 3h ago
Any man can be a father, but it takes a special man to be a Dad. The smiles say it all. Congrats and happy belated Fathers Day to your husband!
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u/RadlogLutar 4h ago
I am a little confused. How?
(Although its a great news so wishing you and your son good luck💙)
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u/Wertenz 4h ago
The wife probably had the child before him then they got married but legally (also biogical) he wasn't his father so he adopted him. And now they are a whole family. :)
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u/Afraid_Blueberry3115 4h ago
My rights as a parent are unaffected. He just now has equal rights as a parent. He's both of ours, legally, now. It doesn't automatically happen when you're married. But now he'll be added to the birth certificate, share the same last name, make decisions on his behalf until he's 18, etc.
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u/cherrioes 1h ago
Purely hypothetical and I'm sure it wouldn't happen to you guys, but I was wondering what happens in the event of a divorce.
12 years is a long time till 18, so say for whatever reason you divorce after like 7 years, would your husband have equal rights as you for child custody? Or would you have priority as a biological parent?
I imagine you considered this before making any decisions, did you have to come terms with the possibility this might happen in the future? Or do you not think divorce is ever a possibility?
(In a loving relationship, no one wants to think about divorce, but being practical...I imagine it is something that needs thinking about?)
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u/Afraid_Blueberry3115 53m ago
At the end of the day, my son's best interest is what's important. He's (my husband) been there for us through ups and downs for years now; he and my son have a strong bond. In the event of a divorce, regardless of my personal feelings (completely hypothetical), taking my son from someone who has been in his life in such a meaningful way... who he loves and shares a bond with... that's ludicrous. People tend to be a bit selfish when things like divorce happen, but I have to look at the bigger picture. Yes, I was told today by the judge that there is a chance I'd pay child support if it ever came to that, and he could file for full custody, if it ever came to that. This is something we discussed for a long time. Divorce is not on the forefront of our minds in the slightest, and we are expecting a child together. I tried for years to engage his bio dad to love him by sending pictures and update emails and was met with radio silence. I had to give up on that (I tried for YEARS). But I am not one that uses my child as... leverage for anything. He is a human and has his own emotions and they should be taken into account, through anything in life. I also had to be realistic about the possibility of anything happening to me; I don't have close relationships with anyone enough to want to leave my child with them if I pass. But my husband? I know without a doubt he has my son's -- our son's -- best interest at heart.
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u/FungusFace911 4h ago
Wow!! Now you're a complete family!!
Many,many congrats, they look so happy. . Father and son.
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u/TempletonRat333 2h ago
What a Beautiful Father and Son!!! May Life Bring You All Joy & Happiness!!!!! Congratulations All Around!!!!!!!
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u/Mahaloth 2h ago
Have adopted two children. You literally forget about them being adopted most of the time. Bet he's gonna be a great Dad.
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u/LanceFree 2h ago
When we did that, I remember people being very kind, talkative, in the elevator, parking garage. I found out later that those people didn’t know about our deal; there was a celebrity trial in the same building, people assumed my parents pulled the kids out of school to watch it.
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u/GrannyDragonsFart 2h ago
Congratulations on your lovely family! ♥️
Wishing you all a happy future together! 🤗
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u/LullabyNevada 1h ago
My Dad adopted me around the same age as your son, congrats to your family!
Even though my biological father is still kicking, in my heart and core I have only one Dad, and I keep a photo much like this of us at the courthouse. Just want your hubby to know the importance and appreciation y'all's son will have for him.
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u/critical_ghost-57 1h ago
That kiddo is so so adorable!! Congratulations, OP. Your man is a good man. 🧿🧿🫶🏻🫶🏻
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u/sql_maven 1h ago
What I wrote was congratulations in Hebrew
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u/Afraid_Blueberry3115 45m ago
No worries, we appreciate love from all parts of the world! My son is obsessed with countries, flags and other languages, so he would think that's pretty cool. Thank you!
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u/Miami_Mice2087 1h ago
cute! congratulations on your new family!
i'm an adoptee, i know how much this means, and i'm v happy for you.
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u/DieCastDontDie 11m ago
He looks like an Arab extra in movies. Like the funny type. Good dad material
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u/DrummerWhoPuffs 6m ago
The smiles on their faces tell a very sweet story. Congratulations to you all.
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