Babies, Babies Everywhere!

Two of my oldest friends are going through the adoption process. This stirs up an incredible amount of emotions inside of me. Pure joy for two families to grow, excitement seeing people I love make decisions to reach outside of themselves to help a child in need, great sadness that one of them is adopting because she was told she couldn't have kids, and a real fear/anticipation that someday I might be in their very same position. Mondo and I have talked a bit about kids, and what we think our future might look like. Adoption is definitely an option, one that both of us feel pretty strongly about. It's a pretty safe assumption that adoption is in our future, whether we have our own children or not.

When I first found out about Lara and Jon's decision to adopt an Ethiopian baby, I was overcome by a sudden urge to have kids. Now, now, don't get all hyped up thinking I'm pregnant or that I will be anytime soon. Mondo and I are in a place where we know we want kids, and we know we are not in any way, shape or form ready for them now. For example, I picked my nose the other day and wiped it on my sweatpants. Mondo went on to rest his hand on that particular spot a little later on, only to discover the booger I had placed there earlier. I was then coached on the appropriate locations to wipe a booger (on the inside of the bottom of the pant leg is Mondo's first choice). I don't even know where I'm supposed to wipe my boogers! How on earth can I possibly be responsible for someone else's well-being?!?

Back to the urge to pro-create.

Reading about Lara's life on her blog, which is inundated with adorable stories of her 4 year old Cade, and her sweet little one Ellie Jean (sidenote: they are a farming family, and Ellie Jean is possibly the cutest name for a farmer's daughter!) and she weaves incredible stories of their lives, making parenting seem not only rewarding, but fun and exciting! Every now and then she's got a post that makes the idea of having kids seem absolutely ridiculous, ie: the time Cade pooped himself at a church picnic. But now she's started blogging about the adoption process and what that's been like for her family. And it's truly moving.

All that to be said, for those of you who doubted the fact I'd ever have kids, probably because for the last 25 years I've been saying things like "Kids are scary! I'm never having any!" or "Gross. Kids.Are.Gross." know this, my heart has changed. Someday, Mondo and I will be parents. And God help the little one. Hopefully it will know where to wipe boogers.