To my youngest child

the prince that I chose
You came to me at age four, and I was 54, a mother to three grown children.
Choosing you was a decision I made from deep within my heart
I saw you, fell in love and chose you
With each day I got to know you better.
You were a beautiful-looking boy
with a damaged soul, anxious and confused.
Your siblings and I enveloped you in warmth and love,
not to mention my extended family that immediately accepted you as one of our own.
You came from a small family, a mother, a father, and a brother
But very soon, you learned all about grandparents, uncles, aunts, and grandchildren.
It even confused you sometimes.
As time went on, you grew up, grew strong, and grew stable.
You always gave me lots of love and hugs, and you made my life complete.
You arrived through Orr Shalom foster care,
a beautiful gem of a boy.
As you grow up, I am filled with pride,
I am in awe of you and your resilience,
of how you understand your situation and how you overcome your fears.
Only six years have gone by, and we still have a lot ahead of us,
I believe that we will succeed.
I am writing these lines so that in the future,
you will be able to say confidently
that you grew up in the right place,
that you will never forget me.
Because I will never forget you
I hope that you will leave for high school and the military from my home,
because you are one of my own.
I hope that I will get to know your children
and that they will call me Grandma.
I am always complimented for choosing you,
and for giving you love and warmth.
That is all fine and good.
But the best will be when you read this letter
and you agree that it is all true.
When you tell me that I succeeded,
to be your second mother
and that it’s fun for you to be part of my family.

Yours forever,

Mali