Some of life’s happiest moments actually take place inside a courtroom hearing. That was the case Wednesday morning as the Kyle family gathered inside the courtroom of Probate Judge Charles Woodruff to finalize the adoption of their son, Brentley Keith.
The family of Michael and Talitha Kyle were all smiles as they arrived at the Limestone County Courthouse Annex in their matching purple and black shirts that read “Adoption Day- Kyle- April 5, 2023.”
Brentley was placed with the Kyles by Limestone County Department of Human Resources when he was just two days old. Today, he was called the “Star of the day.”
When asked by Judge Woodruff how long they had been the foster parents to Brentley, the Kyles said in unison, “Seventeen months and one day.” The touching moment was one of many during the short but heartwarming court proceeding attended by grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, and sisters of the newest member of the Kyle family.
“I am just making official what y’all have been doing for seventeen months,” Judge Woodruff said with a smile before granting the adoption. The jubilant family reaction to those words were followed by Brentley raising his hands and saying “Momma.”
As the family wiped away tears of joy, Judge Woodruff handed his gavel to Brentley to bang, symbolizing the end of the hearing and the beginning of his life as the official son of Michael and Talitha.
The judge presented Brentley with a brand new backpack with his new initials “BKK” embroidered on the front. The backpack, which came with a soft fleece blanket and teddy bear, was provided by Jockey’s Jockey Being Family Program. Jockey also provided embroidered backpacks to Brentley’s sister and two brothers.
When asked to describe the importance of the day, Michael said, “Finalization — to finally have him become ours.” Talitha was too overcome with emotions and excitement to put into words just how much she had waited for this day to finally come.
Brentley’s Paw Paw, Gary Cooley, has big plans for the future with his grandson.
“I am excited. He’s mine now,” Cooley said. “I hope to teach him to play ball, ride a bicycle, fish — just whatever he wants to do, we’ll do, except get in trouble.”
Joy Rhodes-Watkins, a retired DHR case worker who worked with the Kyles, presented the Kyles with a gift commemorating the milestone dates in Brentley’s journey to adoption. The Kyles described her simply as “The best.”
She said, “It’s wonderful because it doesn’t always happen, so when you see the possibility and it becomes a reality, it is so sweet. It’s so sweet. He is with the perfect [family] — if I could put all my foster kids with them, I would. They are what foster parents are supposed to be.”