9 Months ago......

Elise Jolea is 9 months old today! I say it every month, but holy cow is she growing fast! In the last week she has learned to wave (mostly at herself in the mirror), clap her hands, and get into anything and everything that's less than 3 feet from the floor. Life around the Linn house is more fun and busy every day. :)

Nine months ago I was 10 days overdue, uncomfortable, and slightly annoyed at my sister Jessica's excitement day after day about the baby. I know the Bushes and the Linns were all very excited to meet our baby girl, but nobody was as excited as Jessica. At the time I thought she was just crazy. She was crazy enough to call every day, drive past the hospital looking for our car, wake up in the night wondering if we were in labor, and drop by in those last few days with treats to brighten my day.

Now the tables are turned. Jess and Paul are on their way back from Ethiopia right now. Their plane took off about an hour ago, and I can think of little else than the little boy sitting between then in seat E, on his way to a whole new life with the Hoekstras. And I might be going a little crazy. Crazy enough to check my email almost hourly, constantly figure out what time it is in Ethiopia, and look at Felmeta's pictures over and over again. I just can't wait to meet their newest son.

Turns out neither one of us is crazy. Sisters are just like this. It's in our going crazy that we show each other how much we love them.

I can't wait until tomorrow. I can't wait to see them walking up the gate, probably tired, holding on to the newest Hoekstra. I can't wait to see this boy from halfway around the world make his place in the Hoekstra family.

Finally, I can't wait to see what the next nine months will hold. In 9 months Elise will probably be talking. And I bet that she'll be able to talk about her cousin, Felmeta, who looks nothing like her but is as much a part of our family as she is.