One Year Ago Today

One year ago today we were rushing to finish things up to work and make it to the Mortgage Source to close on the purchase of our first home.

Purchasing your first home is a BIG deal, a very BIG deal.

But with where we were heading the next day, we could have cared less.

Our appointment began at four and seemed to drag on forever. All the while we signed paper after paper, looking at each other with excitement and a lot of restlessness to finish things up so we could get home and finish packing.

The ladies at the Mortgage Source mistook our excitement and restlessness for the purchasing of our new home. Little did they know.....

With the purchase of our first home finalized, we headed home and began the frenzy of packing.

We couldn't eat, finish a sentence, or sit in silence before we erupted with emotion.

Thankfully we have beautiful friends who took us with all of our emotion, wrapped their arms around us, and helped us to sense some peace and calmness for the journey we were about to embark on.

Our brand new basement tenants -Mike and Melissa - (who had been living there for two years, but were just inherited with the purchase of our home) made us a beautiful journal with the map of Ethiopia and Africa. Inside they wrote,

"Made to document your journey to Ethiopia and parenthood, and any other changes that may present themselves. We look forward to your return."

So after all the bags were packed we got in the car and drove to Fort Collins to stay with our good friend Chelsea. Even after a glass of wine and great conversation with an old friend, my mind remained restless and anxious in anticipation for what the days would bring.

So I took up the journal recently gifted to us and wrote. I wrote a letter to my son, pouring out the endless thoughts and emotions I was experiencing. Below are some of those thoughts.

"Dearest M...

Today we woke up to attend our last day of work before departing for Ethiopia to meet you, our son, for the first time. I have been waking up with butterflies in my stomach for the excitement and anticipation I feel to see you for the first time. To hold you for the first time. To love on you for the first time.

I wonder if you will recognize us. If you will know how excited we are to have you as our son. If you will know that we love you so much. I hope that you know. I hope that you ALWAYS know.

We left school to sign the closing papers on the house. It was very important for your Abat to provide a home for you. He worked very hard to finalize things so that the house we brought you home to would really be ours, not someone else's home. All through the signing our thoughts were on coming to you.

As soon as we finished closing we returned home to finalize packing. A few people stopped by to pray with us and send us off with a blessing. We also ran to purchase a gift for your birth father and a few more things for the orphanage.

We were so tired from today's events that we practically fell into bed, but soon the sun will rise again and bring us the day that we leave for you. Soon baby soon we will wrap our arms around you and we can't wait!"