The Journey Home

We decided to spend 4 days driving home from Memphis.  We wanted to be prepared in case Ellis was not a good traveler.  But we soon realized that there was no need to worry.  Ellis would sleep while the car was moving and wake up about every 3 hours for to eat.  We would pull over, fill the car with gas and take care of Ellis.  He was a hit every place we stayed.  By the time our little man was 3 weeks old he had visited 7 states and 1 presidential library.  In addition to Arkansas and Tennesse, we traveled through Missouri (visiting the LDS Independence Visitor Center), Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, and finally home to Utah.

Stretching in his car seat

While we did not take many pictures on our journey home I learned a valuable lesson at the Indenpendence Visitor Center.  Jason and I know quite a lot of church history but, as with everything, there is always something new to learn.  Joseph Smith only called a few people to settle in Independence, Missouri, but many families, hoping to reach their final destination joined those few and the numbers swelled.  And those who were not Mormons began to feel threatened and so began the persecution against the Saints.  How important it is to heed the words of the Prophets and not assume we are the exception.  Had those Saints waited until they were called to settle in Missouri they would probably not have faced such awful persecution.

Ellis Returns to Memphis, TN

We returned to Memphis, Tennesse, and stayed with my sister and her family for 5 days.  It was the least we could do since she was responsible to putting us in contact with Tabitha.  Hannah Grace, Isabella, and Alma Sue were so excited to meet their brand new cousin.  They loved to hold him, feed him, and tickle him.  Grandpa and Uncle Steve were also excited to meet Ellis for the first time.   Ellis was always being loved by someone.  

We took Tabitha and Lexie to the Memphis Temple grounds for a final good-bye.  Tabitha chose this location as a symbol of Ellis' new eternal family. The temple grounds are such a peaceful place to be.   

I reflected on the eternal nature of families in the Plan of Salvation and I felt so grateful for Ellis and Jason. And for the chance to say thank-you and good-bye to Tabitha.

8 Days to Finalization

We left West Memphis for Conway, Arkansas at 9:30pm.  Surprisingly, the ride was a quick 2 hours.  Ellis slept the entire way.  Conway is a small college town and is quite nice.  The first 5 days seemed to take forever.  That was the time we had to wait for the rights of the birth parents to be irrevocably terminated.  There was no concern that either one would change their minds it was just our first milestone as adoptive parents.  But the last 3 days seemed as long as the first 5.

We were hoping for a Friday court date but no such luck came our way.  Our attorney contacted us and told us that Monday, 18 June, at 9am was the earliest court date she could get.  One judge was out of town and the other judge had a full docket.

What do you do when your are far from family and friends at a hotel in an unfamiliar town with a newborn? Not much! We really did not want to take him anywhere but we could only handle a small hotel room for so long.  Ellis accompanied us to a few restaurants on the days we could not handle take out and he experienced Target every time we needed to replenish baby supplies.  He visited his first antique store and we purchased an old needle point train pillow for him to commemorate his time in Conway.

                                    We also took a trip to Little Rock to visit the Clinton Presidential Library.  

Jason spent his first Father's Day in Conway.  We decided to attend Sacrament Meeting even though Ellis was only a week old.  We were pleasantly surprised at the size of the ward.  The members were nice but disappointed when they learned we were only visitors. After Sacrament Meeting Jason received his first Father's Day from the Relief Society, chocolate chip cookies:)

Monday morning finally arrived.  We checked out of the hotel and headed to court.  We walked into the courthouse and the bailiff said, "You are in the right place.  I was waiting for you.  I was told to look for a couple with a baby." Judge Michael Maggio presided.  He talked with us about how most people who appear in his court are running away from responsibility and how refreshing it was to have a couple running toward responsibility. Adoption was very important to him as he had 4 adopted nieces and nephews. He was happy to make Ellis an official Italian in the Covili family.

Placement

Placement took place on Sunday, 10 June. We placed at a park in West Memphis, Arkansas. We walked wih Tabitha to a pier and she held Ellis and spoke to him of her love for him and why she was giving him to us.  It made me truly understand the magnitude of the sacrifice she was making by giving Ellis to us.

It is because of Tabitha that have become parents to the most perfect little boy. And we are eternally grateful to her.

Ellis Morgan

We have a new addition to our family.  Ellis Morgan was born on 9 June 2012, in Memphis, Tennessee.  He was 7lbs 9oz and 19.5 inches long and he came as an answer to our prayers.


Our journey to get Ellis was long but well worth it.  Last October I learned I had miscarried after doing Invitro.  At that point Jason and I decided that, perhaps, adoption was the best way to bring children into our family.  And, unbeknownst to me my sister posted to her mother's group asking if anyone knew anyone who was looking to place a baby for adoption. Within a minute she was contacted by an amazing young mother, Tabitha, looking to place her unborn child with an LDS family. The tender mercies of the Lord have been very evident these last 7 months.  And miracles abounded.

Hannah at Liberty Jail

As time came to prepare Jason felt that we should leave for Tennessee a week before Ellis' due date.  We were planning driving for 3 days to reach Memphis.  I insisted that the first day be a 12 hour drive (half the distance) and we would cover the remaining distance over 2 days.  We left 7 June with Grandma and Grandpa Myrup and Hannah Grace.  The journey was fairly uneventful.  We stopped at Liberty Jail and shortly after we were on the road I spoke with Tabitha.  Ellis was making no effort to come.  She felt she would make it to her due date.  We stayed in Columbia, Illinois, for our 2nd night on the road.    

The following morning Tabitha called me at 5:20 and announced she was in labor and at the hospital.  It took us an hour or so to get ready and pack the car.  It took us 4 hours to reach Memphis.  Jason and I arrived at the hospital 10 minutes before Ellis was born.  Tabitha's doula commented that labor and delivery was 4 hours longer than they had anticipated.  Ellis was waiting for us.