Making it Real

You know, ever since we agreed to this adoption there have been lots of things to do. There is paperwork, sharing the news and of course steady and fervent prayer. Through the flurry of all of this, it all seems so far away. Then, yesterday, reality. It dawned on me that our little Nate will be hovering around three before we bring him home. In other words, he will have decent language skills. Well, good Haitian Creole language skills. Well, I only took one year of high school French which I did as a senior to frankly, get out of gym class. A story for another time.

Anyway, I found myself in Borders yesterday. I bought a French/English picture dictionary. It seems like such a small thing. A necessary thing really, but it's Nate's. The first thing that belongs to my baby under my roof. In a lot of ways it made it tangible. As I was pouring over it trying to remember how to pronounce things in French, I am really much better at Spanish, the doorbell rang. It was my friend and neighbor. She brought a gift for Zachary. It was an adoption Teddy bear put out by the company she works for. The proceeds go to an adoption charity. She wanted Zachary to have something to snuggle with until Nate comes home. Zachary has been asking a lot about Nate and it was as if she met his need to be close to his brother. I knew then, that God too had carved a little space in his heart for little Nate.

I remember buying Zachary's first toy. I felt a little silly picking up a toddler toy at Target with no baby in my cart and no gift registry in my hand, but to this day that rattling monkey reminds me of our time apart where I was ever so impatiently waiting.

Probably the best part of my day yesterday wa s Zumba. I go with my church friends. When we talked about Nate my good friend Linda just laughed and said she knew the waiting would be over quicker than we think. Oh, how I hope she's right. Somehow I just think so.