There are some moments in parenthood when we get a sign that we’re doing something right. These moments are rare, but they make all of the difficult days worth it!
Jennifer Hubby has loved her wife’s biological son, Cameron, since the day he was born. Concerned that laws would keep her from parenting him if anything ever happened to Kimberly Hubby, the couple decided Jennifer should officially adopt him to make life easier.
“We wanted to do it years ago but we didn’t have the financial stability,” Jennifer told GMA. “And it’s not easy. Adoption is a very expensive process. Even though ours was pretty straightforward, stepparent adoption, still there’s a lot that goes into it – financially, background check, emotionally, having the conversation with the partner.”
The Rio Rancho, New Mexico couple was finally able to get the ball rolling in 2022, and six months later, on October 27th, they stood before Judge Cheryl H. Johnston to make their family official. When the judge asked if they’d like to state anything for the record, they were shocked when Cameron spoke up.
“I just want to say that I love my mom so much and that she’s the best mom I’ve ever had and I love her so much,” Cameron told the court.
In a video captured by Jennifer’s friend, Milly Davies, you can hear the response from onlookers in the room. People gasp and immediately start sniffing and holding back tears. From Milly’s vantage point, you can see Jennifer’s head dip as she starts to cry, too.
It’s a moment no one present is soon to forget, least of all, Jennifer.
“He said, ‘I love my mom so much.’ And then I started to cry,” she recalled. “You can see my head dip. And then he turned to me and held me … it was super emotional. And you can hear people tearing up, and you can hear the judge respond and she goes, ‘Oh, my gosh,’ and then she had her own little words of encouragement for Cameron.”
Judge Johnston was quick to praise the boy for voicing his feelings, reminding him how lucky he is to have such a strong, loving family.
“You know what, it’s important to tell people you love them when they care about you,” she told Cameron. “And so you’re a lucky guy so I’m glad to see you. And I’m glad you love them. That’s what we’re supposed to be doing. It’s a good thing.”
Jennifer says she’s incredibly relieved to have the adoption finalized, and the family is stronger than ever after hearing Cameron’s sweet, earnest words in court. The next morning, Cameron arrived at school to find a card signed by his entire kindergarten class to congratulate him on his huge milestone.
We agree with the judge; it’s so important to tell people we love them when we get the chance!
Watch Cameron’s impromptu speech in the video below, and don’t forget to share with a friend.
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