Building a Bethards

500 days. 500 days ago we brought home a precious little bundle of joy from the NICU. Much like any new family we were full of excitement and happiness over this little blessing. We had prepared a place for her in our home. We had clothes and a bed ready and waiting for her. We loved her from the moment we laid eyes on her. It has not been an easy 500 days. Some of those days, many of those days, were bittersweet. The days with caseworker visits, resource worker visits, licensing checks, biological family visits, staffings, and court hearings were not easy. Those days were the ones that reminded us that this little baby girl who we loved as our own was not ours. It was hard. But she was worth it. So we kept going. By God's grace we were able to love her through it all. It's now been 5 days since our last court hearing for her. The beginning of our forever. Our happily ever after. It was at court on April 18, 2017 that the bundle of joy who had been with us for 495 days ...