Becoming Cooper...

22 years before the picture below was taken, my paternal grandmother traveled with her son to pick up his new baby. My dad had received a phone call that a baby girl was available in Chile...my mother was not home at the time. From what I understand it was a "need an answer right now" type situation and naturally my excited dad (without much thinking) said YES!


There was not much time before I came to my new country, my new family, my new home! So my brother and mom stayed home and awaited my arrival while my grandma and my dad came to fetch me.


My grandma Cooper was the first woman in my new family to hold me :) This is always a bond that I have always treasured with my dear grams...Pictured below are Aaron, Myself, Grandma Cooper and Grandpa Cooper- may he REST IN PEACE :(





After I arrived home the whole court adoption process started. Apparently you do all the home studies, get approved, organize lawyers in BOTH countries, pick up your baby and THEN petition to the courts. The whole thing seems odd to me to be honest. I wonder if they consider the interest of the baby if the judge were to deny the petition? Take the baby from the original family, send it off with a prospective adoptive family- "hoping for the best"...but what if "the best" does not happen? What a devistating loss for the prospective parents and yet ANOTHER loss for the innocent infant.


ANYWAYS....here is how I came about! Below, I have posted my adoption petition...to officially become Rachel Cooper....

Petition For Adoption

To The Honorable, The Judges of Said Court:

Comes now your petitioners, Rebecca S. Cooper and Gary D. Cooper, by and through their attorney, Leslie Scott Auerbach, and respectfully represents unto this Honorable Court as follows:

1. That your petitioners reside at....(Address in which I am not posting).

2. That your petitioner Gary D. Cooper is an adult, white male, and is currently employed as an executive for his own corportation.

3. That your petitioner Rebecca S. Cooper is an adult, white female, and is not eomployed.

4. That your petitioners were married on (Date in which I am not posting).

5. That your petitioners have one other child, Aaron, who was adopted by the parties and finalized in 1981.

6. That the adoptee herein is a female infant, born July 2, 1983 in Chile (South America). The biological mother of the adoptee voluntarily consented to the guardianship and adoption of the adoptee by your petitioners by personally appearing in the Second Court of Minors on July 18, 1983.

7. The adoptee had been placed with foster parents since the adoptees birth and until the adoptee was placed in the care and custody of your petitioners, which occurred on August 1, 1983.

8. The name and location of the biological father is unknown, the adoptee being the product of rape.

9. That the petitioners were awarded temporary guardianship if the adoptee by the Second Court of Minors in Santiago on the 22nd of July 1983. The petitioners are finacially able and willing to provide for the support, welfare, and education of the said adoptee. They are of good moral character and are qualified persons to have the care, custody and control of the said adoptee, and the petitioners further desire to adopt the said adoptee as their own child, to make the child their heir at law, and to have conferred upon the said adoptee the same status as if she had been born unto the said petitioners.

Wherefore, your petitioners pray:

1. That the petition be granted and a decree be issued establishing the adoption of the said adoptee by your petitioners Gary D. Cooper and Rebecca S. Cooper, and making her their child. The same as if she had been born unto them.

2. That the adoptees name be changed to Rachel Ellen Cooper.

3. And for such other and further relief as to which this Court may seem fit and just.

Everything was signed and approved. And then I became the second little established Cooper. My parents had two children of their own...and we grew! and we GREW! and we GREW!

Aaron and I were both converted to Judiasm as infants. We were both BLESSED to have traveled to Israel twice in our lives thus far....Below we are pictured standing infront of the Western Wall in Israel. I was 8 in this picture and Aaron was 11 :)

We were both Bar and Bat Mitzvah'd at the age of 13...For those of your who aren't familiar with the Jewish religion, A Bar Mitzvah is the Jewish right of passage into adulthood. (BAT Mitzvah is for women, while the BAR Mitzvah is for men)....Pictured below is me reading from the torah, at my Bat Mitzvah...age 13 :)

And then the "COOPERS" split up. Our parents divorced when I was 15 and Aaron was 18. BLAHHHHH.

My dad remarried and there became a new "Mrs. Cooper." I didn't really like that at all but what was I to do. Nothing but TRY to embrace my new family that came with my fathers new wife.

My husband, son, fathers wife, myself and my dad are pictured below.

My mom changed her name...back to her maiden name. I HATED the fact that she had a different last name then me. I did not like the separation of our family in the first place but the different last name thing REALLY threw me off guard...it made us REALLY seperate :(

Luckily, my mom found herself in a happy relationship years later :) My mom, brother and my moms boyfriend are pictured below...

I will be back soon to talk about "Returning Sarria"...which is almost as odd as "Becoming Cooper."

I used to think I needed all the answers...I used to think people owed me some type of explanation. I have come to LEARN that all of that is not my problem. I have come to a place where my parents history is just that...their HISTORY--- long gone.

Despite any abnormalties, THIS is my life. THIS is what I have grown to somewhat understand. Although I am NOT alright with my families disconnections and imperfections, after 10 long years I am proud to say we can all sit connected together around a dinner table...putting aside the breaks between us.

Espero que duerma bien = I hope that you sleep well :)

And to you all...A GOODNIGHT!!!!!!!!!!