In years past, the days leading up to Valentine's Day were a countdown to one of the most precious moments of my life. All I could think about was how V-day was the anniversary of packing up our belongings and passports, saying goodbye to our baby girl, and traveling to another continent to meet our first son.
In years past, we've celebrated February 17th with a vengeance. We've gone out for Ethiopian food, gotten out the pictures and told Isaac the story he loves to hear about how he met me, puked on me, and I fell in love with him. He loves to hear about the nanny's that cared for him. He loves to hear about how he came to be a part of our family.
And then enter 2013.
The sixth anniversary of bringing Isaac home.
And guess what? Valentine's Day came and went. February 17th came and went. And me? I completely and utterly forgot the significance of this week. And at first when I realized my mistake, I felt like crap. Because that's what mother's do when they forget significant things in the lives of their family.
And then I laughed.
Because I completely understand why I forgot.
I forgot for the same reason I sometimes tell women who are pregnant with their third that I carried three babies so I know what they're going through...... I forgot in the same way I forget and will think, Isaac got his curly hair from my dad. Or wonder if he gets his aptitude for math from Todd? I forgot in the same way I forget when I tell people he acts just like I do; you know, a little bit blondeish.....
Because, more times than not, I forget that Isaac didn't come from within me. I forget that his genetic makeup is not a combination of Todd's and mine. I forget hat he was not only not a part of my body, but that we were actually separated by half a world until he was 9 months old.
Simply put, he fits so seamlessly into our lives and our family that sometimes the most significant event seems insignificant because because our family just is. Does that make sense?
But then I remembered. And we thoroughly enjoyed our trip down memory lane. And I love looking back at pictures and remembering how scared I was to get on that plane. How worried I was that my love for him would feel different than my love for my biological child. How worried I was that he wouldn't fit in? How wrong I was.
Because dude fits.
And even though I may forget significant events, I will never forget his significance!
He changed our lives and made our family whole.
So Happy Forever Family Week to my Isaac!
You are one amazing, significant little man!!
