Adoption Day

Today marks 1 year since Ezra's adoption was finalized in court. To celebrate, we gathered with close friends for dinner and cake.

The invite

A special cake... Made by our friends at Bloom

So happy about his party, hasn't even noticed his friends smooching in the corner!

With our lovely nanny

Friends

With Mama

1 Year Ago Today

One year ago today we woke up with a great deal of anticipation. Anticipation about what the day would bring... what the week would bring... how our lives were about to change.

One year ago today we went to the hospital, dressed our newborn baby boy, gave a long embrace to M {holding back the tears until my complete breakdown in the car} and brought him to his new home. It was a special day I want to preserve forever. In retrospect, I see now that I was in "auto" mode that day... so overwhelmed at the emotion, so afraid that something was going to go wrong, and just the newness of it all that I just walked through the motions, unable to fully grasp what was happening.

Everyone tells you to appreciate the moment... that your children are going to grow up so fast. I'm not sure I truly understood what that meant until now (though perhaps I will continue to learn that as I get older). I can't believe it's been a year. Ezra is walking, learning to talk, and developing his own little personality. It's like a push and pull between not wanting him to grow up but also looking forward to seeing who he becomes.

Even with all the waiting, the process and the anticipation, I'm not sure I really could have anticipated the joy that has been Ezra. Nor do I think I anticipated all the work that parenthood really is (all worth it of course). Adoption, parenthood... it's such an education journey... and on so many levels. It's humbling to think of all that Genilson and I have learned since we started the process 21 months ago... about ourselves, about family, about our relationship. And it's even more humbling to think of all the learning that's still to come.

Happy Birthday Ezra. You are a gift.

Finality

Last June, Ezra entered our hearts and became a beloved member of our family. Last Monday, March 7, what we already knew in our hearts became "official" on paper.

Early Monday morning we, along with several members of the extended family, squeezed into the judge's chambers for a very special occasion... Ezra's adoption finalization. The formality of finalization is short and sweet, but is significant all the same. We agreed to love and parent Ezra, the judge agreed that being placed in our family is in Ezra's best interest, everyone signed, Ezra gave a clap (no, really), and it was official. Yay!

Thanks for following. x

A new chapter

Clearly, motherhood has been busy! It's been months since my last post.

Ezra will be 8 months next week. 8 months... I can't believe it. He just started crawling a couple of weeks ago, and is now climbing on absolutely everything.

Ezra {7 months}

{Ezra, 6 months) / Photo Courtesy of Jeremy Maz Photography

{Ezra, 6 months} / Photo Courtesy of Jeremy Maz Photography

I had hoped I would be able to keep up with blogging over the last couple of months, but clearly the reality that I haven't blogged since September has demonstrated that perhaps the busyness of being a new mother has trumped blogging lately.

I've gone back and forth on whether to continue, or whether to stop my little blogging conversation here. After all, the "process" of adopting has practically come to a close with finalization hopefully being in a couple of weeks... but at the same time a new adventure - in fact the real adventure - of parenting, of family life, has just begun... perhaps even more so considering we're about to move back to Cambodia in April.

And I love blogging. So I'm hoping to find some more time and to renew my commitment here.

I love being a mom. I love being an adoptive mom. I also love my family, my husband, my job, my opportunities to travel. So I think it's time to expand my conversation here a bit further into my life... my international, activist, analytic, admittedly crazy life. After all, being Ezra's mom certainly correlates with these aspects of life too.

Thus, here starts a new chapter of {blessed} to adopt.

3 months

Here is our handsome little Ezra at 3 months.



Since placement we have had two post-placement visits with our dear social worker, R (same one who did our home study, which has been great), and we hope to finalize early next year. In the meantime, Ezra continues to grow (and grow and grow), and we love him more dearly every single day.

I promise {to you and to myself} that one day I will have time to blog again. x

Family Shower

Captured moments from a family shower last weekend...