Five years..just yesterday.

Saturday, June 9th was a milestone for us. Titus turned 5. He's been waiting to be 5 since he was 3. I guess 5 is just some magical number for him. "What today is it, Dad." "Today is Tuesday, Bub." "Am I five yet?" "No, you won't be five until Saturday." This was the course of conversation for about a month. He was counting down the days until the great event and I was mourning the milestone, he's just growing up too fast.

The story of how Titus came into our life is amazing and wonderful. This picture is of Titus two days old. Kendra and I released our desire to naturally have a baby (I call it the death of fertility, and unless you have been down that road you can't get in touch with the grieving that happens when you realize that natural conception is not possible.) and pursued adoption. We worked with Christian Homes in Abilene, Texas and went through about a four month process. We had to apply, then attend a weekend orientation, read four books, have social workers interview us, answer about ten pages worth of information, and do a letter to the birth mother, plus a photo album. The birth mother letter was placed in a book which was given to all expecting mothers under the care of Christian Homes. When a mother came across a letter that intrigued them, they would pull it and request the photo album. The photo album contained pictures of us, our home, our family, and just the things that showed what life in our house would be like.

We had three opportunities to be matched with birth mothers and turn them down due to the circumstances which surrounded the child, they are long stories the end of which is we didn't feel that it was a match. From the time we were "in the system" until Amanda chose us, it was about nine months.

June 6, 2002:

Kendra and I were catering a wedding. I had done the pre-marital counseling and would perform the ceremony for Evan and Christiana at the Botanical Garden in Fort Worth, and Kendra would do the catering for the reception. We had rehearsal on the 7th and the wedding would be on Saturday the 8th.

June 8, 2002:
As I was performing the outdoor ceremony in the scorching heat of a Texas summer, wearing a dark suit and sweating my butt off my phone kept ringing. I had put it on silence in the event it rang and was getting really perturbed that someone was calling me, and calling me. Everyone at our church was at the wedding, and if they weren't they knew I wad doing the wedding. After the ceremony, I was walking down the path to the reception and getting ready to stand in the receiving line to shake hands. I looked at my phone and saw three missed calls. All from a 325 area code. I called the number back. "This is Iris..." "Hello, this is Will Spoon I have some missed calls from this number--" "Mr. Spoon, I'm a case worker for Christian Homes [my hands are shaking as I type because drawing all of this memory up is bringing back every emotion I experienced as if it were happening all over again] and I'm calling to tell you that you have been matched with a birth mother. She chose you yesterday and wants to meet you on Monday in Sherman, Texas at the Denny's. There's a catch." "Gulp...Ok, what's the catch." "Well she is due to deliver on Sunday... but no one delivers on their due date. Check with Mrs. Spoon and plan to meet us at Denny's around 9 on the 10th..Ok, congratulations I'll talk to you soon." My hands were ice cold and sweating, I was shaking like a leaf and could hardly talk. I made my way to the kitchen where Kendra was in full serve mode. "Kendra drop what you are doing and come with me right now!" She handed the bowl of fruit to our friends who were helping and rushed over, she could tell I had to talk. "What's wrong?" "Nothing we've been matched with a mother and we are meeting her on Monday at Denny's in Sherman, Texas. She's due tomorrow, but the lady said no one delivers on their due date, but we could be holding our baby in less than two weeks." As we stood together and cried the tears of joy we were feeling the rush of, "holy crap! came over us." We had prepared the room, but didn't have much else because everyone had told us to not worry about it we would get it at the shower. We didn't want to take away from Evan and Christina's day, but had to share. There was a whole lot of celebrating going on at that reception! After cleaning up the reception we went home and changed then went to Target with our friends Tonya and Mistee to clear the baby aisles of essentials. We had to come with a diaper bag packed, not knowing if it were a boy or a girl.

June 9, 2002:
8:45-Our church was under construction and we were meeting in a high school for morning services. We had rented out office space and I was there getting the finishing touches put on stuff I had to take to the school when my cell phone rang. "Hello?" "Will this is Iris, get to Sherman, Texas Amanda is in labor and having your baby! We are at Wilson-Jones" "Ok...OK...I am on my way." Kendra did not have a cell phone and was already at the church. Our Youth Minister was the only hope I had of reaching her. "Tim, this is Will I have to talk to Kendra. Our birth Mother is in labor and we have to get to Sherman right now. I'm on my way to pick her up." Tim said that when he told Kendra he had to say, "Kendra...Kendra! Breath!"

9:15 on the way to Sherman.

9:45 "Hello...Will, this is Iris. Amanda had a baby and want to talk to Kendra." "Hello, this is Kendra." "Mrs. Spoon...this is Amanda and I just had your baby--it's a boy." "Thank you...it's a boy, Will...it's a boy." The friends who were following us said all they could see were Kleenex flying out of the box. We were both just beyond ourselves with tears of joy and anticipation in getting to the hospital to see our baby.

10:15:

This is the first time Kendra held her baby. You can see that her purse is still on her shoulder. We had just walked into the room, minutes after Titus had been born. He had yet to be bathed, and had just been swaddled.

This is the first time I held my baby boy. I can still remember the feeling of putting my lips on his forehead for the first time. The sweet warm skin of my new son. It was a moment in time that exists in real time no matter how many seconds separate me from then to now.

The emotion of the day was just too much for me and tears just wouldn't stop flowing. That was a paper towel, my eyes were raw by the time we went to bed. This picture is of Titus having just gone to the nursery from the birthing room. He would have his first bath about thirty minutes after this. We were allowed in the nursery because no babies were born that day other than Titus.


A very proud Momma and Daddy, giving our boy his first bottle. We had 65 people at the hospital wishing us well. We were so happy.


Our beautiful baby boy, Titus Andrew. Amazingly enough Amanda wanted to name him Tyler Andrew, never having heard of the name Titus. God's hand was all over the connection of Amanda to us, Titus was clearly one of God's most amazing creations-He really outdid His self.

I have more to tell, but have to go. See you soon.