It's official!

It's 100% official now.
We are the proud parents to a  bouncing baby boy gigantic teenager who is taller than me.  It took 1.5 hours for the last hearing.  The "big one."  The one with people going on the stand.  The two prior to this point simply required us to be present and nod our heads at what our lawyer said to the judge.
After we had our son for 5 months, we made it known that we wanted him to be with us permanently to his first mother.
After we had our son for 7 months, she made a demand that we bring him back to her immediately.  Housing inspection was coming to look and if he wasn't present then her benefits would decrease.
After she had our son back in her care for 4 days, a restraining order was placed on her and he was back in our care.
After we had our son for 8 months, we went to court for the first time.
Then, we went to court again.
Then, she went to court by herself.
After we had our son for 1 year and 3 months, we went to court for the final hearing.  He is now permanently in our family!  For a couple of weeks prior to the hearing, he was different.  He was testing us again like he did for the first 11 months with us.  It was both understandable and incredibly frustrating.
But, it's done.  It's all done.  Next on our to do list is to change his name.  Many, many months ago he took a name off of our baby names list and made it his own.  He wants to hyphenate his new name with his old first name in addition to taking on our last name.  :) Yippee!

For those who would not accept our son with open arms because he wasn't "really" ours, please do so now.  You have waited long enough. :)

My son is the strongest person I have ever met.  He not only survived his childhood but has begun to overcome it.  He has high standards when it comes to his personal hygiene.  He keeps his room exceptionally clean.  He makes straight A's.  My son is brilliant and wonderful.  
This is where he came from.

His bathtub (the large quantity of animals would litter the house with feces daily).

His bed.

The eating area.

The kitchen.

The living room.

The kitchen on another day.

The kitchen on a third day.