It's a BOY!!

It has happened, he is here! 

Owen Faron Burns arrived into this world on April 10 at 2:07am weighing 6lbs 2oz - 19"long and was placed into our waiting arms on that same day at 12:30pm.

That was it. The wait was now finally over.

On April 10th we were on our way to Calgary for an art show I was in the following day. Thought we would stop for breakfast at our favorite little small town diner, do some shopping at Ikea, and then have coffee with Jason's folks. Our car was so packed with Art I was sitting in the back seat!  We stopped in Airdrie to grab some supplies and when we stopped we noticed a voicemail on Jason's phone to call the adoption agency.  This happens once in a while, so we didn't think anything of it.

While I went in to shop, Jason went to the car and call the adoption agency back.  After a few minutes I came out to see what was up, and by that point he was holding his phone and crying.  Jason told me that we were chosen.  We held each other and cried in the parking lot for what seemed like an eternity.

Within a couple hours we were already at the hospital meeting our new son,  But this instant adoption caught us off-guard and we had nothing with us.  That night we stayed at our cousin's place in Calgary, and luckily they had a extra car seat for us to use!  Not to mention a box of newborn clothes for the little one.

The next morning before we went back to the hospital to get him, but we had to decide on a name.  We had both thought of different names that we liked over the years, but now all a sudden we had to make the difficult decision to sign our son out of the hospital with a new name that he would have the rest of his life. 24 hours ago we were just thinking about what kind of eggs to have with our breakfast, and now this!

So we finally brainstormed, and researched many different names.  We both went through the names that we had like over the years on the adoption list, and started to eliminate the ones that didn't fit.  What was important was that we had just met the little guy, so some names didn't suit him.

Within a couple hours that Saturday morning, we had named him Owen.  One translation for Owen is "desired child".  What better definition that that?  What kid has been desired and thought about more?

His middle name would be Faron.  The name Faron is at it's roots a German name meaning "journey".  Of course the journey being what we went through together to bring us to this time and place, now with him.

After quick hugs with our cousins, we left for the hospital to go get Owen.  The rest has all been kind of a blur because our lives have been changed forever.

We got home to Red Deer later that afternoon, and my parents had already picked up formula and diapers for us.  Immediately we had to clean out the baby's room because it had been sitting idle for years. All of a sudden now we were using a room we never really had before, and our house just got a little bigger!

Then parenthood started. Work schedules were rearranged, chores fell to the wayside and our son instantly became priority.  It seemed so surreal that he had finally arrived.

Jason and I were prepared for an instant placement, we were told about them and all other options that are possible.  But no matter how prepared you are, mentally or physically it still comes as a shock.  Nothing truly prepares you for it. Your mind takes a while to catch up to what is happening on the outside as in disbelief we keep asking ourselves, "Did this really just happen??"

Now why are we just telling all of you now, almost a couple weeks later?  Well once the adoption placement happens, it doesn't really become official.  Owen's birthmom is one of the bravest and most important people that has ever impacted our lives, but in this process she has 10 days to change her decision.  So as of midnight that just passed, we now officially became parents.  The last week or so have been absolutely nerve racking to say the least.

But now we can tell everyone!

We've been parents for just 10 days now and our dreams really have come true. We're enjoying every single minute with this little guy. Words cannot really express what our hearts are feeling or what our minds need to say, but we are in complete awe of this as we need to let it all sink in.

Thank you so much to all of you who have been with us through this entire process.  The adoption experience up to this point has been completely life changing.  Thank you to listening to our stories, harboring our pain, and working with us through the hope that we would one day bring our child home through adoption.  But the biggest thank you of all goes to the birthmom who chose us, the most special, important and bravest woman of all.  

The years of waiting have been very difficult, but when we hold Owen in our arms, we know that it was all absolutely worth it.

And so the parenting adventure begins!  Owen is eager to meet so many of you.  He's a very healthy and happy baby, and I'm sure we have many more stories to tell.


So please stay tuned for the next step in our Adventure in Adopting.



Love,

Lauren, Jason, and Owen