It was not how they always pictured it, but that did not matter to Emily and John Murphy as they adopted 3-year-old T.J. on September 2.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the adoption itself was delayed by several months and had to take place over Skype, an online teleconference service. Though an out-of-the-ordinary experience, the Murphys discovered that there was actually a benefit to having a digital adoption.
“Both of my siblings are out of town – one in Chicago and one in Dallas,” explained John. “Emily’s brother lives in Grand Cayman and her uncle is in Syracuse. They were able to watch the adoption because it was online.”
“That was the bright side,” added Emily. “We were able to involve family members that wanted to be a part of it and who have supported us all of these years.”
The process was, of course, second to the outcome for the Murphys. T.J. first came into their lives when he was only nine months old. It was love at first sight for Emily, John, and their three biological children.
“He stole our hearts right away,” said John. “He had a bald head, big dimples, and a big smile that he has to this day.”
“T.J. fit right in and felt like a part of the family. The other kids always found it exciting to have him. On the day of the adoption, we weren’t sure if he understood what was happening. He was probably thinking, ‘What is going on? Aren’t I already a part of the family,’ ” laughed Emily. “He knew the day was about him, though.”
Because the Murphys were able to complete it while in their own home, the Skype adoption did lead to one unexpected problem. The adoption ended at about 2:15, but a small collection of family members and friends were not arriving to celebrate until 5:00. John explained, “Fifteen minutes after it was over, we were in the kitchen asking ourselves what we should do now. We just stared at each other for a little bit.”
The Murphys took the opportunity to toast to their new family – champagne for the parents, juice for their four children.