The Moments I Became Her Mother
Moment 1: The Call + Decision Ava was born on January 12, 2022. I don’t know what I was doing that day. I do know I was being sentimental, reflecting how on this day 18 years earlier (Jan 12, 2004), Herb had asked me to be his girlfriend after sliding a paper across the table at Denny’s. On the paper? A list of my attributes and his shortcomings, a page of analysis about us dating. But I know where I was the next day - January 13. I was showing off my new puppy, Ginger, to a friend who said, “You finally got your little girl!” A quick laugh turned into a reflective (short-lived) time of grieving that I would never have a little girl whose hair needed to be braided before school. Grieving that the door had closed on our baby years and adoption stories, and while I was so blessed with two sons, I would never have a daughter. Late that night (9:30 pm), a call came from our social worker. This w...
