Almost seven years ago our wonderful caseworker advised us to practice telling our baby his adoption story.  She told us how we were writing it at the time (anxiously waiting for hope that we would soon be given the most amazing gift imaginable).  She advised us that we practice telling him when he was an infant so that when he was old enough to know the story we had worked out the kinks, worked through the feelings and wordsmithed it until we had the perfect story of our son.  We decided that we would take this advice to heart and start telling our first son his stories.  Since he was unable to talk, and also unable to give us his opinion of our storytelling abilities, we felt this went rather well.  I found that this was a wonderful way to keep memories alive in my mind.  I would even remember details in the retelling that I hadn't initially noted.  Once Caleb came along and his story began to take shape.  I worried about every word, about every feeling that I was trying to convey.  I must have rewritten "his story" a million times.  It did eventually work into the story that I wanted him to never forget.  One of these days, when I have some spare time, I will add pictures and bind it into an actual book for him.  I just retold this story for the qazillionth time tonight (he only requests it when he is tired :0).  It never ceases to amaze me what a miracle he is, let alone that he is one of many in my life.  Kamden's and Garett's "stories" are no less miraculous.  Thank you Sharon for that wonderful advice so long ago.  You've created a wonderful tradition in our family and memories that I'll never forget the details to.  Hopefully you've also added to the self-esteam of my beautiful children by making them feel important and understanding their true value to me.