Dear Audience of One

Photo by • Happy Batatinha •

On Friday, we received the child history that we have been waiting for.

The next item we need to cross off our adoption to-do list is a "welcome book" that introduces our little guy to his new home. So, this evening, I sat down like a child in art class, carefully cutting and pasting photos into a book. You'll have to use your imagination for the accompanying illustrations, but here is what the book contains.

It says:

Page 1: Welcome.
Page 2: This is your new house.
Page 3: We will be your mom and dad. (We love you!)
Page 4: This is the kitchen. (We saved a chair for you.)
Page 5: This will be your bedroom.
Page 6: We will read many books.
Page 7: This is the family room. (We can't wait for you to join us!)
Page 8: These will be your grandparents. (They love you!)
Page 9: These are your aunts and uncles. (They love you!)
Page 10: You have lots of cousins! (They love you!)
Page 11: Your cousins will be some of your very best friends!
Page 12: We will do many wonderful things together. (Your dad will help you pick pumpkins.)
Page 13: We will meet many wonderful people! (Your mom will help you make friends.)
Page 14: We will travel to many wonderful places! (Your cousins will teach you fun things!)
Page 15: We will spend time with nice people. (Your grandma and great grandma will kiss you . . . a lot!)
Page 16: We will celebrate many special holidays from the U.S. and Thailand.
Page 17: But best of all . . .

Page 18: We will love you for the rest of our lives.


Friends, I love caring for my home. But I really love that soon enough I will have one more occupant to clean up after . . .