'This kind of excitement can only mean one thing'

Wednesday, April 5:

My friend and former co-worker e-mailed me a video of her new baby, whom she and her husband flew to China last week to adopt! Yay! The little girl is so beautiful and seems so happy.

Which reminds me, I forgot to mention that a couple Saturdays ago, I met with this friend and another co-worker (who was actually our boss) for lunch. Our boss had adopted a girl from China about six years ago, and she came along, as well as her adopted brother of the same age, who is from the states. Confusing enough?

So there we all were in the restaurant, saying hi and congratulating my friend on her then-upcoming adoption and trip to China.

"I don't want to take away from your big event and your exciting news," I said, reaching into my bag, "but I have some exciting news, too."

I showed them the ultrasound, and they literally squealed. Now we were all going to be mothers.

My boss friend enjoyed telling her children what an ultrasound was and explained that's what they, too, looked like before they were born.

After we calmed down a little, a woman in a flowered dress one table back came over.

"I'm a neonatal nurse," she said, "and I know this kind of excitement can only mean one thing." She smiled.

My boss spoke up. "She's expecting a baby," she said, indicating me, "and she's going to China next week to adopt a baby," she said, talking about our other friend.

The neonatal nurse congratulated us then, and again as she and her friend left the restaurant later.

It was great to see my old friends again, and fun to see how happy they are with their children.

That makes three couples I know personally to adopt children from China -- one of my older brothers will be next, sometime soon.