my wish...

the day that we left for ethiopia to meet ruby for the first time one of my dear friends slipped me a letter for us to read on our way. i know this friend. well. i know what magic she weaves with words and i knew that if i opened that envelope i would probably not stop crying for weeks (i might have been feeling the tiniest bit emotional). well, eventually my curiosity got the best of me and i opened the envelope. i read half the letter. had a good cry. put it away. a few hours later i read the second half of the letter. cried some more and went to put it away for good when i realized that there was a second page and a photo of our front door(?). knowing better, but being too curious to resist i peaked through my tears at the second page and read through the first stanza of a poem to our ruby. well, needless to say that in my state the tears were a'flowin' and i finished just the first stanza knowing better than to continue. somewhere over the Mediterranean i got my nerve up to read the second stanza and so, this reading small bits at a time continued for...well, quite a long time...in fact, i think we were halfway through the trip before i had read the entire thing. however, once we were back home and i had a few good nights sleep i was able to read through ruby's poem without shedding a single tear and with such great anticipation of her homecoming! i had been planning on sharing it as my final post on this blog once she was home with us...however, i just can't do it. i can't wait. i love this poem and right now it is the words to my wish. so in the spirit of impatience i'm sharing it right here and right now. maybe somebody else can write me a poem to close out with;-)

anyway, here it is...

Ruby Of Our Hearts

"Welcome"

Says the door

The room is pink with polka dots

This home, it's yours.

Laughter is the language here

You'll learn it soon and fluently

You're home, for good, for better.

Forever.

It's good you're here,

We've been waiting for you.

Knock Knock, says the door.

There's a line to meet you.

Ruby of our hearts,

So lovely, so happy!! to meet you.

Welcome home, welcome in.

What's your favorite color?

We watch you tiptoe first,

Then run, then dance.

And wherever you go,

You trip over love.

It's hard sometimes

When things toss and turn

And a place looks different

Than before.

But there's time, you see

Forever, actually

For it to feel like home

There's no place like it.

Ruby of our hearts...

A wish no longer,

In its place - a daughter, a sister

Dear Ruby, Welcome home.

thank you for this gift, heather, we love you!!