* Obviously I’m SO looking forward to getting our referral and seeing a photo of our baby. I absolutely cannot wait to catch the first glimpse of our little one. I do wonder where I’ll be, what I will think when I first see his face, if I’ll cry, if Mark and I will remember or be patient enough to get the footage on video, and if I’ll miss the phone call from Kim or Chandra telling us “We have a referral for you.” (Mark thinks I will miss this call FOR SURE because he says I never remember to turn my phone off silent.)
*I’m excited to go to Africa. Now, I know that Ethiopia is not a “vacation hot spot” for many, but from what I’ve read, the experience of going to a country that is so beautiful yet is so devastated is a very unique, humbling and enlightening experience. I think going to Africa would be amazing to begin with, but to go there and know I am bringing my child back home with me tops that even more.
*I’m so looking forward to seeing Mark as a Dad. He loves kids, and every time I see him with our nieces and nephews it makes my heart smile. He will be wonderful and I just can’t wait to see it for myself.
*I’m excited to spend more time at home, playing with my son and at least attempting to make dinner some nights for my husband. Yay for the future possibility of part-time work!
*I’m looking forward to seeing how our experience may help others discover and follow through with the adoption process. I’m amazed already at how many people have opened their hearts up to me about their desire to adopt. When we started all of this I thought we were a little strange for wanting to adopt first rather than having biological children like most of the other people we know, but now that I’ve talked to so many others I see that it’s not strange at all, I’m just fortunate enough to be able to actually do it.
*I can’t wait to teach our son about Jesus. I can’t wait to see the little art projects from church, read the bible with him and hear the verses he’ll learn about in the youth programs. I’m hopeful that after we’ve lead him in the direction of following Christ that he will make the choice to continue to do so for the rest of his life. In all reality, Mark and I have never been people who believe in pushing others to follow our beliefs, but I do hope that the example Mark and I will set in our home, and the way we will teach about Jesus, will lead him to take comfort and guidance from Christ throughout his life. (Most people don’t know this, but Mark reads the bible every morning with his coffee, I can’t wait to see if our son does the same thing someday because that’s what his Dad does.)
*I can’t wait to do “Mom Things” like walk to the park with a stroller, pick up juice boxes at the grocery store, wipe off sticky fingers, fold little shirts and socks and just have that “Parent Child Love” that so many people talk about. I really want to know what that’s like.
*I don't really look forward to this, but I do wonder how people we love will react when we get home. I wonder if our friends and family will forever see us as “different", or if it will just eventually become normal to them for us to look the way that we will. I think I will wonder if they will constantly be telling other people who see pictures of us, “This is Mark and Amy Post, and that’s their little boy...” followed with the statement: “...he’s adopted, obviously.” (I don’t know if this makes sense for those not in my shoes, but I'm not sure if I like this statement or dislike it. It's strange.)
*I’m going to love being able to start celebrating another culture in our home. Sometimes I feel like I get so stuck in my usual life. You know, living in a West Michigan suburb with my white friends and our pools and golf courses? It sometimes seems like I live in a big white bubble when I think about it. I’m thrilled to start finding unique ways to celebrate our child’s history. It will also allow us to teach others about our unique family and how it makes us so very special. I was even thinking when he gets old enough that he starts reading; we’ll learn pieces of Amharic together. (The language spoken in Ethiopia) Maybe learn the definition and how to pronounce a word each week. Stuff like that.
*Lastly, I just sincerely cannot wait to hold my son for the first time, kiss his forehead and thank God for the blessing this will be on our lives forever.
