Page 129 of Chasing Phoenix
Little Remy Diane Phoenix.
I changed my name to Phoenix when Leo and I were married in a small courthouse with only Rune, Gage, Cole, Ski, Miss Dianna, and Natasha present. It was perfect. The people who mean the most to us. I held no connection to the last name Rowan, and I was happy to take my beautiful bride's name.
Today, we are accepting our third child into our home. This one is a particularly difficult case for Leo. Callahan is five years old and was taken from his father for significant abuse. He has scars not all that different from Leo, and I knew as soon as she saw him that he also would not be a foster. And I was right. She spent ten minutes with him when he first came to us five months ago and looked at me and said, “He’s ours, Ev.”
And she was right.
It has been a process getting him fully adopted into our family, but the time has finally come. As of this morning, he officially becomes Callahan James Phoenix.
And boy, is Rune excited to have a brother. He was excited about Remy, but she was a baby. With Callahan, it was an instant connection.Even with a five-year age gap, the two boys have been inseparable.
We had fears that Rune would feel left out or unloved with bringing new children into our family. We had to make sure we spoke with him and we made these decisions together. Even though he was only eight years old when we decided to foster, his opinions and feelings were the ones that mattered most to Leo and me.
But like his dad, he wanted a big family too. My boy through and through.
Our little family is waiting at home for us to return with Callahan. We planned a birthday party for him, even though it’s not his actual birthday. Itisthe day of his re-birth. The day he leaves the ashes of his past behind and becomes a Phoenix.
As I look to Leo, who has tears in her eyes as the judge slams his gavel down, officially making Callahan ours, I can’t help but feel so fucking proud of her.
She has taken her trauma and her past and done something incredible with it, using it to help and provide a safe and understanding space for our children. And even though she is mine, now and forever, I will never stop chasing her. Chasing my pretty bird. My phoenix.
