2008 - A Retrospective

I know I usually avoid the year end rehashes - and this isn't going to be a rehash, per se - but as I find myself facing the first birthday of our little boy I also find myself amazed at the changes that can take place in one year.

Last year at this time, Tim and I were frantically trying to get everything ready for our trip, all the while focusing on trying to leave some room in our heart for the possibility that the adoption would fall through. I'm fairly certain neither of us actually succeeded at that last part - and thankfully we didn't need to see how we would cope in that situation.

Meeting Joshua's birth mother was an amazing gift. She seemed to be a wonderful young lady and I have been thinking about her a lot this past week, hoping and praying that as we approach the 1 year anniversary of her incredible decision that she is well. I can only imagine - and poorly at that - what she must be going through. I hope, however, that the majority of her thoughts and feelings are positive and that she knows in her heart how very grateful we are to her for our son and how very much we love him. I don't think I have the words to explain how awed - on a daily basis - by her selflessness and generosity I am.

And now my little boy has grown from tiny newborn to toddling babbler. I love to sit and watch him process things as he plays with his toys - but there's little chance to sit and observe, because he wants you involved and brings you books and trucks and any other thing he can get his hands on to let you know that it's time to play, so let's get to it! And so we play. And maybe the floors aren't vacuumed or mopped as often as they should be, and maybe the laundry piles up a little higher than it used to, but in the grand scheme of things the floors and the laundry will always be there and the time to roll the firetruck across the floor is only now.

2008 was, in a word, amazing. I suspect 2009 will be much the same...I can't wait to see what wonders it holds.