Maggie Joy Thompson....formerly known as

Tears flowing. Overwhelmed. Sure, we've written her name like this since July 2007, but never once has it been typed up on a legal document from someone else...MAGGIE JOY THOMPSON, formerly known as....

Whew. I can't even really put it into words. She has been ours since the moment we opened the door and her foster mom walked in with the tiniest 17 month old I'd ever seen. And there have been so many times when we've caught ourselves saying - wonder if she gets that from you or me (meaning me or Michael)...only to realize - duh...she's not biologically ours - it's not because of either of us. However, in the eyes of the state/law/system, she's not ours. She doesn't have our name, or her given name for that matter. It's like our child has a double personality ~ she's one person to us, and someone else completely different to the rest of the world.

This legal document that I'm referring to is the Adoption Subsidy Agreement...yes, that's right! Maggie was approved for subsidy. So what does that mean exactly? There are certain criteria that allow kids from the foster care system to keep and actually gain some benefits because of their time in foster care. It's what they consider special needs. This is not special needs defined like the majority of the world would see it. Here's the criteria for getting subsidy:

1. Child over the age of 5 - doesn't apply to Maggie
2. Part of a sibling group - doesn't apply to Maggie
3. Minority race - doesn't apply to Maggie

If you don't fall into one of those categories, there is also an "other" category that covers emotional, medical or physical needs. This is when you have to plead your case in hopes of getting the benefits. This is where we fit in. Due to Maggie's severe sleep apnea, we could try to qualify, since this is considered a "life long handicapping condition". This is why we were waiting forever for the letter from her doctor. Without the letter with these exact words, we would most definitely be denied. Everyone encouraged us to apply. We could always be denied and reapply at a later date, if anything ever changed. However, if you never apply, and the adoption is finalized and then something happens - you're just out of luck. So, we filled out all the paperwork, got the letter from the doctor, turned everything in and waited. Honestly, we didn't expect to be approved.

So, when someone new called me from CPS, my immediate thought was "oh great - are we getting another caseworker?"...but then she identified herself as the subsidy coordinator and she continued on to say that we had been approved for all benefits. I literally said, "Are you kidding me?" She laughed and said "no, ma'am. I'm serious". I just didn't expect to hear those words. But, I also thought that we were just applying to keep her medical benefits, only to find out that subsidy is all or nothing. So, Maggie was approved for all subsidy benefits, which includes:

1. Traditional Medicaid until the age of 18 - everything paid for.
2. College education paid for, as long as it's a Texas state school. And get this - it's UNLIMITED! She can get her Bachelors, Masters, PhD, go to law school, medical school - whatever...all paid for.
3. Adoption costs are covered in full and paid directly to our attorney. We do not have to even try to pay for it up front and wait to be reimbursed.

Overwhelmed. Seriously overwhelmed. God has been faithful...gone beyond what we ever thought we'd get. Needless to say, it was the best call I've ever received from CPS!!!

Paperwork has been received, signed and already sent back to CPS. Now, all we are waiting on is for our CPS caseworker to come out to the house to sign the adoption placement papers. She said it's quite the process and can take over an hour to get everything done....this is no surprise, after all the paperwork we've completed over the past 3 years. Once the paperwork is signed, we can contact our attorney to get our court date scheduled....and that, my friends, will be the end to this part of the journey.

We truly have been blessed with the sweetest blessing in Maggie Joy. She has brought more love, laughter, and joy than we could've ever imagined. We feel so privileged that God has seen fit to allow us to be her Momma & Daddy. We do not take this gift or responsibility lightly and pray each day, that our Heavenly Father will reveal to us exactly what we need to be the best parents to Maggie. It hasn't been easy....but look at her....she's been soooo worth it!

Maggie Joy Thompson, formerly known as....