While I am still here in Ethiopia, and everything is fresh in my mind and I am not being pulled away from writing by laundry or dishes or the other things I “should” do once the kids are in bed for the night, I want to share some of my feelings from this trip.

Do you know when you have a long wait for something…and you imagine it and build it up in your mind over and over…and then it finally happens and you realize that “reality” didn’t live up to what you had conjured up in your head?

Well, that didn’t happen for me.

I had eight long months from the day I met Belane until I held her in my arms again…eight months to think about her, imagine our reunion and be amazed at the connection we had at that first all-to-short meeting. And after eight months of imagining and dreaming about being with her again, reality is even better than I had thought about and dreamt about.

Belane ran out of the front door of AHOPE into my arms, and she has amazed me ever since with her bravery and her love and her amazing little spirit.

So many people here have pointed out our bond…I hear things like, “She loves you so much,” and “she knows you are her mother” whenever we go out.

She is fun. She loves to tickle and tumble and chase and tease.

She is sweet. She is full of kisses and snuggles and cuddles and “I luff you’s”.

She is beautiful. Inside and out.

She is stubborn, in a good way. She knows what she wants. She can be easily persuaded on most things, but on the very important things, like being held instead of walking…she holds firm.

She is smart. She is learning English really fast, and does such a good job communicating with me. She doesn’t miss a thing. She is a very clever little girl!

She is girlie!!! She loves dresses and tights and hair bows and fancy hats and lip gloss and moisturizer…she loves it all. She loves yellow and pink, will tolerate purple…is not a fan of green in any way.

She is tough. She has been through so much in her short little life…it amazes me at how openly she is still able to love…how willingly she came to me and accepted me as Mom.

She is a joy. She is eating well and sleeping well and is just a joy to be around. Living alone with a toddler in a hotel room for two weeks without a break could be rough going with many kids (especially newly adopted ones), and she has been so much fun to be with. She makes me smile a lot.

She is mine. I don’t know how to describe it, but I knew she was mine the day I saw her, and we picked up right where we left off. This child fits into my heart in such a special way…(all of my children do in their own special way). When she wraps her arms around my neck, or rests her head on my shoulder or plants her lips on my cheek…it is as if it has always been that way…familiar and comforting and “right”.

She is wonderful…and having her with me is so much better than I ever could have hoped.


One last nag...if you are reading this, and haven't yet left a message on this post for Belane...please go and do it. To all of you who have, thanks so much for helping me create such a special keepsake for my daughter.