Almost, Almost...

First off, HI to Gladney Families! I just learned that I am now posted on the site with all of the other awesome blogs that I have been following for a few weeks now, since I learned of them. I am so excited to be among the group and thrilled for all of you, wherever you are in your journey, and have shed more than a few tears of happiness for you already. :) I hope to get to know you and share experiences. All of your stories are individual and unique and yet we all share a common bond that is so amazing! I'm in awe of it every day.

We are adopting an infant of either gender from Ethiopia. My husband, Anil, and I live in Santa Monica, CA with our dog, Georgie, who you will come to know well through this blog. This will be our first human baby, although G is if you ask anyone likely to be considered our first child, also adopted at 4 mos. old from The Lange Foundation.

And in other news...

I almost changed my blog title today. My friend Julie pointed out to me that I'm going to be a Mom in a very short time (wow, really???) and at that point, she wondered if I would keep the title or change it. That got me to thinking - she's right. Once I AM a Mom, I don't want anyone to think that I am only 'almost'.

See for me, Almost has a good meaning. My BFF Shannon and I are big into the idea of all of us being almost lots of things. We love being almost anything, almost lots of things, almost everything.

But I am also concerned that in this particular instance, with all of the stigmas attached to adoption, that if I leave my title "Almost Mom" once we have our child, people might get the idea that I am somehow saying that I'm not a 'real' mom to a 'real' kid, all the way, completely and totally. And then I got to thinking...what makes a Mom a real life, certified, bonafide Mom...

Well, I remember being asked that around Mother's Day every year as a kid, and what I remember writing are things like "she loves me unconditionally, she feeds me my favorite foods, she makes me feel better when I'm sad, she fixes my booboos and makes me feel safe and sound." The pic below is of my real mom. What made her that were the above mentioned things and so much more. I am excited to join the ranks, and I think I can fit the bill.

And let's not forget the greatest Almost Dad there ever was...that's my hubby, Anil. He is just about as real as real gets, and seeing the excitement in his eyes, hearing it in his voice and watching him go through this process along side of me, is probably the most unbelievably surreal experience I have ever had. The joy that I feel in his joy is inexplicable.

I decided to keep the blog title for now, because it signifies our journey, our quest, our way. And down the road, there will hopefully be a redirect to REAL 'RENTS. Woohoo!