One Year Ago Today, My Life Changed Forever

It was January 2, 2009. I was settling in for another day at work. I had been playing e-mail tag with Megan, my adoption coordinator, since Christmas Eve. She just wanted to touch base to see how my wait was going. I emailed her again and got a response that said, 'Give me a call. If I'm in a meeting, have them interrupt me'.

I thought it was a bit strange, but I did as she asked. I called WACAP and asked for Megan. They did have to interrupt her because she was on another call. When we finally got to talk, she asked how I was doing. My response - 'I'm fine, but I'm not a big fan of this waiting thing'. Megan responded by saying 'Well, you don't have to wait any more'. It took a few minutes before that phrase managed to sink in. This was it, I was about to become a mom. Until that moment, the idea had been just that - an idea. Something I'd been thinking about forever - but seemed like it would never actually happen. Then Megan said, 'I have your referral. It's a little boy, his name is Abayneh Melaku.'

There was a 6 week old boy from Bahir Dar, Ethiopia that needed a mommy - and in a weird game of family tag - someone had just told me "you're it".

I don't even remember much about the conversation. All that kept going through my head was "I have a little boy". As Megan was rattling off information that I should have been listening to - I was busy texting my parents to let them know they were going to have a grandson. Megan said she'd e-mail me pictures and information about the baby and we'd touch base later.

So I waited. When the e-mail finally came, I was actually nervous to open it. Would I cry? How would I feel? Am I crazy? So I clicked on that first picture, looked into the biggest brown eyes of my little boy, and felt.... fear. Am I really ready to take care of this terrified looking little guy? Does he deserve someone else who actually knows what she's doing? Deep down, I knew the answer - and at that first glance - I knew that boy was meant to be mine.

It turns out, my completed dossier had arrived in Ethiopia on October 17th - exactly 3 weeks before little Abayneh was born. Perfect timing.

I met him in person just over 4 months later. He didn't cry, he just looked at me, grabbed my finger and smiled. He was finally in his mommy's arms. When we were in Ethiopia, I found out his name Abayneh Melaku literally means "mightier than the mighty who will be worshipped" - oh how fitting that name turned out to be.

My boy has been home for just over 7 months, and that terrified looking 2 month old baby has become one very rambunctious 13 month old toddler. We've had some tough times, including a bout with croup, swine flu, and some breathing issues. But the good times far outweigh those. He has a giggle that's infectious, the goofiest camera face you've ever seen, and a temper that rivals anything my family has ever displayed. And I love him more each day.

On December 30th, we headed back to court to re-finalize the adoption here in the United States - and Abayneh Melaku is now officially Keagan Abayneh Brown.

I can't wait to see what he has in store for me next.