I have many incredible stories to share after working in the adoption arena for over 30+ years but until I actually write the book that I keep threatening to write, I will turn to one of my recent favorites.
As challenging as the pandemic has been, there really have been some silver linings. Recently one of my clients was adopting a young boy who was a product of the child welfare system. When it came down to the Zoom court appearance, about 40 family & friends were able to appear – all in matching t-shirts, to boot! Several participants spoke in only the highest terms about the mother and child, and at the end, when the Judge asked the minor, J.S. if he knew how special he was, he proclaimed “Yes, I know how much everyone loves me!”
Family and friends were then heading downtown Chicago on a bus to take pictures in front of the Picasso sculpture outside the Daley Center where adoption cases used to be heard pre-covid. Thereafter, they would be having lunch at the famous Manny’s deli in the south loop. They graciously asked me to join them. I declined, claiming that I couldn’t possibly attend, because I only looked good from the waist up. Without missing a beat, the adoptive mother said, “Don’t worry about it, we are all sitting here in our underwear and t-shirts!!” That made everyone laugh through their tears of joy and off they went.
— Sheila A. Maloney is an adoption and ART attorney and Fellow of AAAA. She is located in Illinois. You can learn more about Sheila by visiting her website, www.sheilamaloneylaw.com 