Judged By The Company You Keep...

If this old saying is really true, than by association with these special friends, our stature in life has significantly increased. We received amazing news today that our friends here in Tel Aviv finally received their long awaited delivery from the stork; a handsome 17 month old little boy from Guatemala.

Our friends already had two beautiful girls and wanted to adopt one more child to make their family complete. Their adoption process was long, arduous, and heart wrenching. It was a game of hurry up and wait. It was endless forms, Government bureaucracy, little to non-existent communication, and a whole lot of tears (for them and for their friends).

DNA alone does not a parent make! It's horrifying to watch the news or read the paper these days and see the ghastly things that parents, caregivers, strangers do to children. Anyone can have a child, just check out the teenage pregnancy rates in the United States. But to adopt... well for that you must be screened, scoured, poked, prodded, and have your entire life checked out and approved by some Government Shmo who needs to make sure that he stamped the correct paper and signed his name on the dotted line.

Our friends loved their little boy from the moment they received the e-mail he was born. We all fell in love when we saw his two month old photo of chubby cheeks, out of control hair, and smiling face. For the past 17 months we've all watched him grow. Through the delays, the red tape, and the tears they persevered. Today they increased their home by two more feet.

It's a good thing that little boy can already walk. Once he meets his sisters, his grandparents, and heads back to Israel, his feet will never touch the floor. I can guarantee that none of us are going to let go. He's finally made their house a home.