THREE MONTHS LATER...

Stef knocked on each of the doors to her children's rooms and waited to hear any signs of life from the other sides. "It is 7:15," she loudly announced. "Everyone needs to get up."

Brandon's door opened. "I'm up," he told her as he sleepily trudged to the bathroom.

"Morning, sunshine. Jesus, Jude, Mariana, Callie... Rise and shine, guys!"

"Don't wanna," she heard Mariana whine through the door.

"Did everyone forget what today is?" Stef called. There was a moment of silence, and then two more doors opened, revealing her other four children.

"It's our Adoption Day!" Jude realized.

"Yes, it is, love. Everybody - including me - needs to get showered and dressed. Mama's got breakfast going downstairs. We need to leave for the courthouse by 9:30, okay? Use your time wisely!"

% ^ % ^ % % ^ % ^ %

Lena had woken up first and gotten herself ready before starting breakfast. She and Stef were hoping to have a few minutes with just Jude and Callie before they all left for the courthouse. The day was going to be a careful balance between private moments with just their two new kids and family moments with all of the children. Hopefully no one would end up feeling like they hadn't gotten enough attention.

As she cracked eggs into a bowl for scrambling, she noticed that Jude was lingering in the doorway to the kitchen, still wearing his pajamas. "Hey, buddy. Shouldn't you be getting ready?"

"The bathroom's already taken."

"Ah. You want to set the table for me while you're waiting?" Jude nodded, and put an object down on the shelves by the fridge before starting to get together plates and silverware. "What was that?"

"Something I made," he replied.

Lena wiped her hands on a towel. "Can I see?" Jude nodded and handed her the small box. Inside were two colorful bracelets made of braided ribbon. A little heart-shaped charm dangled from each. "Oh, Jude..."

"This one's yours," he said as he picked up the blue and purple one. "The blue's for me and the purple's for you." The other bracelet for Stef was blue and green.

"This is beautiful, sweetheart. Thank you."

He smiled. "I never had a mom to make presents for before. I'm glad that now I've got two."

"How's breakfast coming?" Stef asked as she came into the kitchen behind them, her hair still wet from the shower.

"On hold, for the moment," Lena replied. "Jude had presents for us." She handed her wife the box.

"Thank you, love," Stef told him as she took her bracelet. "We were going to do this a little later, but we've got a present for you, too." She went into the living room to retrieve his package. Jude tore into it with all the enthusiasm of a small child on Christmas morning.

The first thing he found underneath the wrapping paper was a leather cord bracelet. "Great minds think alike, hmm?" Lena asked as she ruffled his hair. Jude smiled as he read the silver charm that was attached to it. On one side, it said 'born in our hearts,' and the other side read 'Jude Foster'.

"I love it," he told the Moms as he put it on.

"We're glad," Stef replied. "Keep going; there's more in there." The bracelet had been resting on top of a picture frame. It held an image of sunbeams shining down upon the ocean, and part of a poem was overlayed on it. "This is one of Mama's favorite poems," Stef explained. "And it made us both think of you."

OUR DEEPEST FEAR IS NOT THAT WE ARE INADEQUATE.

OUR DEEPEST FEAR IS THAT WE ARE POWERFUL BEYOND MEASURE.

IT IS OUR LIGHT, NOT OUR DARKNESS THAT MOST FRIGHTENS US.

WE ASK OURSELVES, 'WHO AM I TO BE BRILLIANT, GORGEOUS, TALENTED, AND FABULOUS?'

ACTUALLY, WHO ARE YOU NOT TO BE?

"Don't ever be afraid to be yourself, Jude," Lena told him, "Because who you are is a fantastic kid. We will love you no matter what, and we want you to be happy in life."

He hugged them both. "Promise."

"Okay, buddy, you need to go get dressed," Stef reminded him. "If Mariana's still in the bathroom, tell her I said to get a move on."

"Okay," Jude said as he scampered off up the stairs.

Lena smiled at her wife. "I'm so glad we're doing this."

Stef kissed her. "Me, too."

After breakfast was done, Stef and Lena managed to steal a minute with Callie in the living room while the others cleaned up the kitchen and finished getting ready. "We wanted to give you something," Stef told their soon-to-be daughter. She handed Callie a small white box, which she opened to find a necklace - a pendant shaped like the outline of a heart dangling from a silver chain.

"This is really pretty." As she ran a finger over the charm, Callie realized that the left side was engraved with that day's date, and the right side had her new initials - CJF. Stef and Lena had supported the idea of making Callie and Jude's former last name into a middle name. They would be Fosters now, but it had seemed wrong to erase their only remaining tie to their birth mother. She was part of who they were, even if they were now free to define new futures for themselves. Callie appreciated the fact that they'd put all three initials on the necklace; it would forever be a reminder of the start of her new life.

"We got something similar for Mariana five years ago," Lena explained. "In a way, this is a present from her, too, because we talked to her before we got it. She thought it was fitting that both of our daughters would have one."

"Thank you." Callie undid the clasp and put it on. "Um... there was something I wanted to tell you."

"What, love?" Stef asked.

"I just... I'm really sorry for the things I said and the way I acted my first day here. I didn't mean it; please believe I didn't mean it. I know I was horrible and I'm sorry."

Stef kissed her forehead. "We know. It's okay."

"We love you, sweetheart," Lena told her. "Every bit of you. The sweet side that takes care of Jude, the funny side that jokes around with Brandon and Jesus... and the rough side that comes from memories we wish we could erase."

Callie thought about that for a moment. "Without all of those memories, I wouldn't be here now."

"True," Stef agreed, "But that doesn't mean any of us have to like it."

Jude appeared at the top of the stairs. "Mom?" he called to Stef, "I can't find my tie."

"How did you lose it?" she asked as she got up. "You put all your clothes out last night, didn't you?"

"Yeah... But I don't know where it went."

Lena sat beside Callie on the couch once they were alone. "We know you're concerned about Jude. You're always going to be worried about him. But you're not alone in that anymore. He's our little guy now, too."

Callie nodded. "Yeah. It's been so long..."

Lena took her hand. "We know. You've done so great for him; he's lucky to have you." She and Stef were determined to unburden their new daughter as much as possible after this day. She deserved to at least attempt to just be a normal teenager.

However, Callie shook her head. "No, I'm so lucky to have him." She gave Lena a small smile. "And now we're lucky to have you guys."

Mariana, Stef, and Jude - with his tie - came downstairs just as Brandon and Jesus came out of the kitchen. "Is everyone ready?" Stef asked the kids. They all nodded. "Okay, let's get going."

Mariana smiled at her sister when she saw her present. "They look good, don't they?" she asked, pointing out that she was wearing her own necklace.

Callie nodded. "Yeah. Thanks." It wasn't just for the compliment, but for sharing something that had meant a lot to her and the moms.

She just shrugged. "No problem, big sis." Both girls smiled.

At the courthouse, they were joined by Mike, Lena's parents, and Stef's parents. Callie thought it was amazing that all of the out-of-town grandparents had flown in to support them. She was still adjusting to what being part of the family would mean, but was looking forward to it.

The judge was a kind-looking woman with graying auburn hair. "Do both of you understand what's happening in court here today?" she asked Callie and Jude. They nodded. "How do you feel about being adopted?"

Jude smiled. "We're going to have the best family ever."

"Excellent. I've been looking through your social worker's reports. It makes me very glad to see that you've finally landed somewhere he thinks will be very good for you. Would you agree with that assessment?" Both of them nodded again. "You understand that from now on, you've got some responsibilities to your family, right? You have to get presents for your moms on Mother's Day. Callie, you're going to have more younger siblings to look after, and Jude, you're going to have more older siblings to annoy." Everyone laughed.

The judge then looked to Lena and Stef. "I admire you two for choosing to take on the challenge of such a large family."

Lena smiled. "Once we got to know them, it wasn't really a choice."

Their adoption lawyer laid out the forms they would need to sign on the table. "I just have to be sure," she told them, "That you understand that by signing this document, you are stating that from now and hereafter, you will care for Callie and Jude as if they were your natural children?"

"We do," both women agreed. Stef signed first, then Lena. The forms were also taken up to the judge for her signature.

"By signing this," she explained, "I'm granting your petition; the minor children are now the adopted children of petitioners, Stefanie and Lena Foster, with all the rights and duties of that relationship. And the children's names shall henceforth be Callie and Jude Jacobs Foster. Congratulations."

The newest Foster siblings were quickly swallowed up in a sea of hugs from their brothers and sister and other family members. Stef and Lena smiled as they watched them celebrate. It had been a long time coming, but finally their family was complete.

At least for the time being.

The End.

Phew! What a ride. Once again, thank you so much to everyone who sent feedback. You all are the best and I'm so glad you enjoyed the story. I've got another story (not connected to these two) in work, so hopefully I'll be posting again soon.

Oh, and the poem that the moms gave Jude is by Marianne Williamson (and one of my favorites, too).