Last Christmas, Michael gave me a journal for our son to let me know that he was ready to move forward with our adoption.  Over the last year, I have been writing as we work our way through the adoption process and some day this will allow our son to experience his journey to us.  This is my latest entry:

My dearest baby boy,

With every day that passes, we are one day closer to you.  One year ago we decided to pursue adoption and now as we start our waiting period there are a few things that I want to tell you.  Even though your father and I will do our best, we will not be perfect parents and we will make mistakes.  However, we will always try to be the parents that you deserve.  Here is what I promise that I will strive to do as your mother.

1. We will laugh and get messy- This world can be a tough place to live, but most things in life don't matter in light of eternity.  I want you to laugh...every day...and experience true joy from the big and the little things in life.  I want to allow you to get messy and enjoy all of the adventures that you will have as a little boy.  I also promise to get messy with you and never pass up an opportunity for a new adventure. 

2. We will eat dinner as a family every night even when it is just the two of us-  I want to know everything about your life.  By the time that you come home, I will have spent nearly three years dreaming about you and I don't want to miss out on the chance to learn about your hopes and dreams.  I will be there to answer your questions and to wipe your tears.  I want you to always feel that you can talk to me about anything, but also to know that sometimes just being together is enough.

3. We will do everything in our power to serve others- People matter and helping other people matters.  As a family we will reach out to people who are hurting.  We will spend time in our community and around the world giving to people who need help.  We will invite families who are new or feeling lonely over for dinner in our community.  We will help with our money and with our time.  We will give more than we get.  We will do all of this because Christ first loved us.  World change...even in small steps...is how our family will roll. 

4. We will make Ethiopian culture a part of our home- I will learn how to make injera and wot and all other kinds of Ethiopian foods.  We will welcome people to our home with coffee.  We will celebrate Genna and Nukutatash and just as your father and I made new traditions of the ones that we celebrated when we were little, your culture will become part of our family. It doesn't matter that these are traditions that you will be too little to remember. Your history will be a part of the future that the three of us will share. 

5. We will give you the freedom to discover what it is that you love- I can't wait to see who you are going to become.  We will teach you that it is important to stick with something once you make a commitment, but once that been carried through it is okay to try new things and discover your own path.  God has something amazing planned for your life and as long as you trust in Him the little details aren't important.  Whether you play sports, or are involved in the arts, decide to pursue a graduate degree at a University, or attend a trade school, we want you to do the things that you love and we will always be there to cheer you on and support you. 

6. I will love your father forever- I don't make this promise to you lightly just as I didn't on my wedding day.  This is a promise that many people don't keep and that makes it even more important.  I don't want you to ever worry about facing a life split between two families.  In loving your father and working to make our marriage stronger with each passing day, I am also loving you.  I will love your father forever and I know that this is possible because of the final thing that I promise to you...

7. We will strive to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength- There is only one reason that I can sit here and write these promises to you...it is because I know that all things are possible with Christ.  We will be a family that serves the Lord.  We will go to church.  We will have times of family devotions.  We will go to Christian Rock concerts and worship together.  We will pray together.  We are able to bring you into our family because Christ died on the cross to make us his sons and daughters.  We have all been adopted. I will love God and make my relationship with Him the most important thing in my life and He will give me the strength to keep these promises to you. 

I love you always and forever,
Mommy