Today though, it is a different kind of expression of love that has me smiling. It is the love and pride my child has in who she is and where she comes from. Last week, Bereket decided she wanted to tell her adoption story to her classmates during sharing time. She wanted to share her precious photo albums and talk about Ethiopia and the important people in her life there. Bereket's teacher reached out to us first for our blessing and so that we could guide her in preparation. We were a little uncertain if Bereket was ready for this, but in the end it is her story and her decision who she shares it with.
If I was to tell the story of my own childhood, it might include the wonderful box of chocolates my father gifted me with every Valentine's Day. He never missed giving my sister and I each our own giant, heart-shaped box. We would cut into each chocolate with a knife, trying to find the caramel ones. The candies with pink and orange filling were always the last to go. My parents have now passed on the tradition to their grandchildren. We enjoyed going out to dinner with my parents last weekend and Dad did not forget that special heart-shaped gift for Bereket.
