I remember as a child getting my father a really cool $5 tie or some other cool trinket I made at school that really served no other purpose then to say what you don’t say the rest of the year. Thanks. Now the role has been reversed and I am on the receiving end of the “great one day only gifts.”

I think back to when our first child was born. We found out about her two weeks before she was born. We were very happy to have her come into our lives. As new adoptive parents, we celebrated with a burrito at the burrito as big as your head place. We sat there eating our burritos at midnight on a Wednesday night, marveling that we were really going to be parents. How many new parents get to do that on the day their child is born? Although we read the books and watched the videos, nothing prepares you for parenthood more than the real deal. We thought she was the happiest baby that parents could have.

When we got a call that Macey’s birthmother was pregnant again we wondered if lighting could strike twice. What would the second child be like?

Because we survived the first child pretty well, how hard could a second one be? When we get the official word that Jane has asked us to adopt this baby, we were overjoyed. This placement was unexpected, and we were concerned on how we would finance the adoption.

However, as I was leaving the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the qualifications for the Indianapolis 500, Hallmark was hosting a Daddy of All Dance Offs dance contest for Fathers Day and I was picked as one of the finalists. I won the contest in Indianapolis and took home one thousand dollars. I also won a trip to New York City to dance in the finals against three other dads and a chance at five thousand dollars. What an impact that would make for the adoption fund!

The fact that I couldn’t dance never entered my mind.

I remember calling my dad to set the story straight about me being in a dancing contest before my brothers could. I was convinced I was going to win the contest competing against three other dads who competitively dance. The dancing gods were not on my side and I came in last place. The amount I won between the both contests, however, was the exact amount we needed for our adoption finalization costs. Because Hallmark took such good care of us, I feel guilty if now if our kids make a homemade card.

Junior will always be known as the baby that daddy danced for.

Junior was born a week after we got home from the dance contest, a week after Father’s Day. This placement was not as easy as the first one. We kept praying that everything would work out and eventually it all did and he came home with us. In the past year, Junior has been a joy to our lives. We were surprised to see that a baby could actually be happier than Macey!

Both kids have their days. Some bad, but most of them are pretty good. Everyday I tell them how much I love them even though they are probably tired of hearing it. They may tire of hearing it, but I will never tire of saying it.

Leilan Mc is married to Michelle Mc, and is dad to their two fabulous kids through open, domestic adoption. He has hung up his dancing shoes, and prefers to pull both kids in the bike trailer for exercise.