In just about 48 hours, my husband and I will be on our way to Ethiopia to get our new son, Bekalu, who is 5 years old. We are so excited! We found him as a waiting child back at the end of September, and are thrilled that our time to be together is finally here.

As I think about traveling to Africa and getting to spend a week living my son's first life with him, I am so grateful for the opportunity. I want to be like a sponge, and soak up as much Ethiopia as I can. I want to smell the smells, taste the tastes, see the sights and hear the sounds. I want to meet people, and just experience as much as I can. Since we decided to adopt Bekalu, I have been reading as much as I can about Ethiopia. I've read about the culture, the people, the food, the language, the history, etc. I have learned a lot, and feel pretty well educated, and yet I know that it won't be until I get to be there and experience it first hand, that I will really know where my sweet boy is coming from.

I feel strongly that whenever possible, adoptive parents should travel to meet their children. Some international programs require travel, while others allow an escort. Ethiopia is one of the countries that allows an escort. At first we thought about taking that option. It certainly would be easier...but then we decided for our son's sake, it would be best for at least one of us to go. So we decided Josh would travel alone. It was a logical decision! We have eight young children at home, one of which is chronically ill and fairly high maintenance. For both of us to get away would be almost impossible.

But the more I read about the program, and how they have you stay with your child at the orphanage and have that week to get to know each other and bond, and learn the schedule and live their life with them....the more I felt that this was too important for a mom to miss. So we made the impossible possible....we found a way for us both to get to go to Ethiopia to get Bekalu together.

With previous adoptions, I made two trips to Vietnam alone, to get our daughter. I loved the country and the culture and it was an amazing journey. I saw the crib my daughter laid in for the first 3 1/2 months of her life. I met the nannies that had cared for her. I saw the many other babies. I looked at young women on the street and could imagine what her birth mother looked like. I road on a motor bike...ate pho on street corner and got to experience Vietnam in my own little way. I knew where my daugther was from.

With our next daughter, we took advantage of the escort option. It was cheaper and much easier with four young kids at home. We went and got our beautiful little girl at the airport. Although she had no trouble bonding with us and everything went amazingly smoothly, I have not been able to help but feel like we missed out. I have watched videos of Korea and read books on Korea and all sorts of other things, but I can't honestly say that I have experienced Korea or that I "know" what it is like. I love the Korean culture and people as much as I love Vietnam, but I really desire that first-hand experience that I missed.

I am excited to add another culture to our Irish-Polish-European-Vietnamese-Korean-African American family. I am excited to have that connection with another country, culture and people. I know that even though events at the White House have gone off with less planning than this trip is requiring, that all of the work is well worth the experience Josh and I will have together, bringing our son home from Ethiopia.

I encourage anyone adopting internationally to travel if at all possible. It may not be easy (but take it to heart that if I can do it, just about anyone can!!) :) It will put you past your comfort zone. It will be exciting and nerve-wracking all at the same time. People will think you are crazy. But what a wonderful thing to be able to look at your child and truly "know" where they came from.