I know I have showcased our video on the blog before but it is worth sharing again. And worth a little bit of the back story, as this is the next time we saw Heather. We went several months without seeing Heather. Not intentionally but it happened. Life happened. You slowly realize how fast time goes when you are raising children and how fast they grow up. So when we were contacted by our adoption agency to create a video about open adoption, we jumped right in, just like every other thing relating to open adoption, we had no idea what to expect. The video was going to be filmed at our house. Which meant, Heather was coming to our house again! I know she would never judge, but for some reason as I was frantically cleaning my house (one, for her but two, because they were going to be filming the inside of my house- yikes!) I had anxiety about it. I had no idea why. She had been there before. She knew what our house looked like. She knew that I use to be a clean freak (use to be because who in the heck has time to clean with a baby). But for some reason I was nervous. Maybe because it had been so many months since we had seen her last. Maybe it was just in my head but none the less I was worried.

Whatever it was, my anxiety was washed away the minute she arrived at our house.  There has always been such a “calming” feeling when we have been in the presence of Heather. I think we even felt it the first day we met her and she asked if she could give us a hug when we left. It was so comforting and reassuring, we almost thought like we were living a “dream” not reality.  It is one of her greatest qualities and one of the many reasons why we love her!

Heather got there before the staff got there to film. Once everyone was there, they were going to interview us separately. Heather interviewed first, while we played with Jackson upstairs. Then we interviewed and Heather played with Jackson upstairs. It was the first time, since the hospital, that she “watched” him while we were not present. Many have commented on how unique (or even different) our relationship is and maybe that they wouldn’t be able to do that if they were in our shoes. Not for one second did I “worry”, “question”, or frankly have any other negative emotion about Heather spending time with Jackson. That is exactly why we chose open adoption. It was beautiful to see her with him.

We all came back together with Jackson in the center and taped more of the video. We walked our neighborhood, we talked, we laughed, we simply enjoyed being in the presence of each other. We didn’t know how the video would really turn out, how long it would be or what to expect. The film crew was probably there for a good 3-4 hours.  All of us gave them pictures, not sure of what they would use.

And then, several months later we get a package in the mail with the CD to this video. I cried like a baby. I couldn’t contain my emotion. There are a few errors in the video though, that of course I would only know, like I wasn’t 14, I was 15 when JJ and I first met!!! Man, you get nervous when there is a camera in your face! But I could not be more proud of this video and the representation it has on our family. It is simply about LOVE. Unconditional, unwavering, magical love for one special little boy who brought two worlds together and made one large family.

Oh, and wait until I share with you all next week what we are doing this weekend with Heather and her family. I am so excited, I can’t wait to share about it. Until then, enjoy the video, continue to share love, stop questioning other people’s actions, show compassion and simply live each day to the fullest.