Parenthood............Here We Come!

We are about to embark on the journey of a lifetime. Not just any old trip or vacation that will last a few days or a week, and end with a few tanlines and pictures to show to friends. No, this is no ordinary journey. Tanlines fade, people forget about the pictures that get thrown in a box somewhere. But for us this experience will remain forever. This is going to change our lives in every way imaginable. This is the beginning of our journey to become parents. Sometime next year we will be embarking on our first overseas trip to meet our first child. This is really a huge event for us in so many ways. Neither one of us has really been anywhere before. Nor have we ever flown more than a few hours at a time. The trip from North Carolina to Vietnam will take about twenty-four hours! We will be traveling to a foreign land where we don't know anyone and don't know the language for two weeks. Then we will fly back to the states with our precious baby in our arms.

Right now we are just in the beginning stages of preparing to adopt our first child from Vietnam. Somewhere on the other side of the globe is a child who is waiting for us. Waiting for us just as we are for him/her. We have been waiting for quite some time now, and are finally getting close to realizing our dream of becoming parents..........of becoming a family. Someday soon we will be waking up in the middle of the night, tripping over toys, wiping runny noses, and chasing away the boogeyman. Going to ballgames, school plays, and baking cookies for Santa. This experience is truly going to turn our world upside down, as we have been alone for so long, but we're ready for it. Ready for whatever parenthood decides to throw our way. Bring it on!

Its All I Have Ever Wanted

I guess most little girls see themselves as being moms one day and I was definately no exception. I always wanted to be a mother for as long as I can ever remember. All I have ever wanted for myself is to have a "traditional" boring life. Have a husband, kids, dog, and a house with a picket fence. So far I have managed to get everything but the kid and the fence, and Im not losing too much sleep over that one. I have never been one that felt some need to go out and see the world, backpacking through Europe and living out of a suitcase. Im a total homebody and am just so content just to be in my house in my little space on the earth. Nor have I ever felt the desire to do anything extravagant or remotely out of the box. I never really wanted anything besides a family.

Granted, now if I ever won the lottery or somehow got a huge windfall of cash things may be a bit different. Sure, then I would pack a bag and go live like the people in the Corona commercials for a long, long while. But for me, in my life, my reality is that I am never gonna hit the lottery, never gonna be famous or anything like that. Im just gonna be Chris, living in North Carolina along with a ton of other people just like me. I am just so okay with that though. I enjoy just being another face in the crowd, living like most of us do day in and day out. I have a job I enjoy, a beautiful home, a husband who I love dearly, and some good friends and family. Who needs more, honestly? I have a good life, better than many, and Im not one to complain. I am grateful for everything I have. But you know, for everything I do have, its not enough. There is still a hole. A huge gap that I need to fill. My life just isnt going to be complete until I become a mother.