We Were There For It!

This is Abeba (Ave' on the days she's feeling sassy!) and her Mommy and my dear friend Gayla. Gayla and I found each other here. On our blogs. Waiting for our children in Ethiopia over a year ago. But while we were connecting here over the Internet, our children were connecting across the world in the same orphanage. We were excited to learn that we would travel the same time and that we lived only an hour away from each other. Gayla and I met in person for the first time at dinner and then a month later standing in line for our embassy dates holding our children in Addis.

Imagine our surprise to learn that her daughter and my son and daughter were really good friends. But when we spent time together, we soon learned that my son was hopelessly devoted to Abeba. He would sing her name, ask me when we were going to see her and where she was.

A few weeks ago, the Gower fam drove to OKC to hang out with us. We went to dinner and then to cupcakes. Alazar was devoted to hanging out with Abeba at every minute. As we were leaving, he stared at me and said "Mommy, I kiss Abeba?". I told him that he would have to ask permission from Abeba's mommy. Gayla and I were almost in tears as we watched my son lean in and kiss Abeba. It was the cutest thing I've ever seen in my life.

While he will be embarrassed a few years from now that his mom watched his first kiss, it will always be a highlight of being a part of my son's life and I am so excited that we were there for it.