Peace out!

On Friday Alejandro's birth mother signed the final adoption decree. That's pretty much it, folks. We still have the bureaucratic hurdles to jump, but this boy, this wonderful boy, is ours forever.

When we started this process, this means of family-building, we were admittedly naive to the tremendously complicated issues surrounding international adoption. We may never know what led Alejandro's birth mother to relinquish her parental rights. We haven't walked a single step in her shoes, so we're not going to presume to speak for her now. We can only hope for her. We hope a million things for her. Mostly we hope she is always safe and always comforted.

And beyond hoping, we have a responsibility to raise Alejandro into a happy, compassionate man who someday will understand that the world is as complicated as it is exquisite. OK, and while we're at it, we have another related responsibility...a commitment to social justice. There is no excuse for illiteracy, no excuse for poverty, no excuse for alienation or persecution. Presumably, when people have what the need, they obviously are in a better position to make choices for themselves and their families.

So, in honor of Alejandro and his birth family, in honor of the millions and millions that live lives we can't understand, in honor of the blessings many of us enjoy, please do something, anything, to promote happiness and love in your community and beyond. And if you feel like taking it a step further, allow us to introduce you to two of our favorite organizations.

Guatemalan Stove Project
http://www.guatemalastoveproject.org/Default.aspx?tabid=36

Heifer International
http://www.heifer.org/

Ooh, I'd love to hear about the organizations that are near and dear to your hearts. Post them, please!