I am IN LOVE...

... with a child that I haven't yet met!  I am completely and totally, head over heals, IN LOVE with a child who has most likely not even been born yet!  While I may not physically feel this child moving inside my belly, I certainly (and without a doubt) feel this child growing inside my heart!  I have a desire and a longing for this child that I cannot begin to put into words.  This child is all that I think about; my first thought each morning and my last thought each night.  I dream about my baby.  Every decision that I make, I make with this child in mind... even the smallest decisions.  I am IN LOVE!

This is WHY I am writing this blog in the first place.  Yes, I want to share the story of our adoption journey with our family and friends and this is a very efficient way to do that.  And yes, I have come to realize that this is a very therapeutic way for this waiting mommy-to-be to share my thoughts, feelings, hopes, and desires and to share our excitement with you in this journey.  Let me be clear, though.  I am NOT a writer.  I am not a novelist, although I do have a secret dream to write a children's book or two (I suppose it isn't such a secret now.  Is it?  HA!).  I don't even like to journal!  The extent of my daily writing comes from lesson planning and updating my Facebook statuses.  The TRUE reason that I am writing this blog is for MY BABY!  You see, this is not Tyler and Leslie Cherry's story.  This is the prologue to OUR PRECIOUS BABY'S story!  I am writing this blog for MY BABY!  My hope is to make a book out of this (I'm pretty sure that I saw a way to do that on Pinterest or something. Ha Ha!) and to give it to my child as a gift so that he or she will never have any question just how much we love him or her...  even before we ever met!  I am IN LOVE!

This is a necklace (created by Kate Clayton at The Adopt Shoppe)  that I purchased from another adoptive mother.  Now if you see me wearing it, you will know exactly what it means.

I am a children's book fanatic!  I am an elementary teacher and I LOVE children's books!  I spend WAY more of my personal money than I probably should on children's books for my classroom.  When I see them, I can't help myself!  Today, I bought a new children's book for MY BABY!!  And you know... when you buy a child his or her first Curious George book, you MUST buy the stuffed animals that go with it!  I am IN LOVE!

Here is Baby Cherry's VERY FIRST Curious George book accompanied by his or her VERY FIRST stuffed animals!

OH... AND WE HAVE MORE REALLY BIG NEWS!!

(Technically, it was yesterday!  It was already past midnight when I published this post.  Oh well!)

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!  We have MUCH to celebrate!!  :0)
Love,
Leslie and Tyler
(and Maggie & Lucy too!)