get to, but could this be the year we get to meet our forever child?’” Ayden was 21 months old and Cheyenne was 8 months old when they were first placed with the Redmons. They were siblings that came from a difficult home life, but Joshua and Jeralee were not given the impression that adoption would be an option. The caseworker was forthright about the biological parents’ resolve never to relinquish their rights. Still, Joshua and Jeralee prayed for their forever child. On Thanksgiving 2013, Jeralee’s family told her they knew someone who was pregnant and looking for a couple to adopt her child. They asked if they would be interested. The Redmons agreed to pray about it. “We prayed about it, and we told God that if he wanted this baby to come, then he’ll bring her here,” Jeralee says. “And I left it at that. I’m not calling anybody, and I’m not pushing anybody.”
Jeralee admits that they got wrapped up in their life and forgot about the conversation until February when they got a call saying the baby was born and asking if they were still interested in adopting her. Joshua and Jeralee immediately drove to New Mexico and two weeks later came home with Abby Mae and paperwork beginning the adoption process. One week later, Abby Mae was hospitalized for failure to thrive, because she couldn’t keep any food down. During Abby Mae’s hospitalization, Ayden’s and Cheyenne’s case went to mediation. The caseworkers kept insisting that the parents would not relinquish their rights, but Joshua and Jeralee had peace that God’s plan would be done regardless of the outcome. “I told the caseworkers that we serve a really big God, and if they’re supposed to go home, then they will go home and there is a reason and there is a right plan for them,” Jeralee says. “But if the Lord wants the parents to relinquish their rights, then they will relinquish at mediation.” Jeralee says she still remembers how shocked the caseworker was when she called to inform them that Ayden’s and Cheyenne’s parents relinquished their rights, but Jeralee was calm through it all. All she could say was, “We serve a really big God.”
•••
As Jeralee does Cheyenne’s hair, Joshua helps Ayden get dressed. With his new boots on, Ayden walks up to Jeralee’s mother and shows them off. “You look so handsome, Ayden,” Jeralee says. Ayden looks her straight in the eye and with a coy smile he says, “Yes.”
“He is so cute,” Jeralee says, “and that is something that gets him in trouble because he is handsome. He knows it too.” But he is also compassionate and tenderhearted. Joshua calls him Mr. Sen- sitive. He always wants to help, whether it’s caring for his sisters or helping with the chores. He also wants to mimic Joshua in style and actions, wearing camo and tucking his boots over his pants. Even when Joshua isn’t home, Ayden wants to watch hunting videos so he’s ready to go out with him. But Ayden isn’t the only one who admires Joshua. Jeralee finishes dressing Cheyenne and adds a special necklace. Cheyenne looks down at it and smiles bright. “I have to show Daddy,” she says. She races over to Joshua
to show off her ornament. “She’s daddy’s princess,” Joshua says. “And every time I get home, she screams and gets so excited.” “She’s also a fireball and so animated,” Jeralee adds with a laugh. “But I love that fire in her. I love her fighter personality.” It’s a personality she has needed. At 9 months old, Cheyenne needed a major cranial surgery. In the hospital after her surgery, she began walking. “That’s when I knew she was going to be strong-willed,” Jeralee says. “And now she can talk and she tells us what she thinks, but she is also really sweet and loves her dolls and taking care of the baby.” Jeralee picks up Abby Mae, deftly dressing her and adding a headband
as a finishing touch. “I think she’s going to be another Cheyenne,” she says. “She’s just so active, but she doesn’t cry a whole lot and sleeps good. She’s tiny and fierce – both our girls are fighters.” “My favorite thing about Abby Mae is when I feed her,” Joshua adds. “She likes to sit here and run her fingers through my beard. For me, it’s a connection thing. She recognizes it, and it’s like a comfort for her.” With the children all dressed and ready to go, the Redmons and a few of their extended family circle and hold hands to pray before leaving for the courthouse. Jeralee’s brother thanks God for giving them this day of adoption, for bringing these children into their lives, and he asks God to continue blessing them as they grow together as a family. Jeralee says “amen” and looks up. She’s calm, collected and serene. This is the day she prayed for, but adopting all three kids in one day almost didn’t happen.
•••
Since Abby Mae was a private adoption, the process toward adoption day was much quicker and more straightforward than Ayden’s and Chey- enne’s. They just needed to have Abby Mae in their home for six months before the adoption could be finalized in court. Early on, they scheduled her final court appearance to be on Aug. 29. At first, it appeared as though Ayden’s and Cheyenne’s adoption would take place after Abby Mae’s, but when the Redmons found out they could have an August date, they requested the same day as Abby Mae’s. However, the adoptions had to be completed in different counties. Having them on the same day meant they would have an extremely long day, filled with traveling from one courthouse to the other, but for the Redmons, it was worth it.
About a week before the adoption though, there was a scheduling conflict; they scheduled both adoptions at the same time. The caseworkers tried to move one of the adoptions to a later time, but it wasn’t working out, and it looked like the best solution was to move Abby Mae’s adoption to another day.
But the caseworkers decided to attempt transferring Abby Mae’s adop- tion to the same county as Ayden’s and Cheyenne’s. They warned Joshua and Jeralee that this was hard to do and unlikely to happen, but they were
24 Buckner Today • WINTER 2015 ISSUE
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