Crazy New Idea

You know what totally crazy thing I've been thinking about a lot lately?

Adopting a baby girl from China.

This is not a new thought, but it has recently resurfaced. The other day Mr. Ashley and I were out at lunch when I said, "You know what I would like to do?"

"What?" probably thinking I wanted ice cream.

"Adopt a baby girl from China, or maybe Korea. In a few years."

"What?? Really?" he asked, appearing confused and worried.

"Yes," I answered, "I would love a little girl but I don't really want to be pregnant again."

"No?" he asked, looking a little surprised and disappointed.

"No. Not really. Ever. To get all fat again and have big leaky boobs and do the whole hospital thing and the hormonal post-partum thing? Breastfeeding again? Yeah, making babies is cool but it's really hard on me. I don't know if I want to do it again. Also, the world feels scary to me right now. I don't know if I'd want to bring new people into it."

"Oh. You really think you could adopt?"

"Yes! She would be my daughter no matter where she came from. Do you think you could?"

"Yes," he said cautiously, "I'd love her."

"I think the adoption experience would be neat. We would go to her country to get her, we would study her culture, we would all be so lucky to have each other. It would be as amazing but totally different from having our own."

Mr. Ashley looked a little worried. I think he was remembering the persistence I showed in wanting a Hedgehog. "Yeah. How much does that sort of thing cost?"

"A lot. Like $25,000 or so." I believe I saw a combination of relief and slight disappointment--or maybe it was fear that I'd find a way to make it happen. (although this may have been in my imagination, he could have been pondering his sandwich for all I know.)

"That is a lot. I don't know how we'd..."

"I know. I know. There's a tax credit. I could write a book about it. I know, I really do. It probably won't ever happen. But one day if it was possible could we consider it?"

"Could we name her Bailey Madison?"

"I'm over the middle name. I kind of like Amelia or Emilia. Or something else."

"No. You said Bailey Madison when we met and that's what I've wanted ever since."

"Yeah, but since then the name 'Madison' got popular. Your friend named his kid that."

"That's what I want. If we have a daughter, I want that to be her name."

So...we're already fighting about names. I think this is a good sign.

I also think the probability of me coming up with an extra $25,000 or so in the next decade are pretty slim, but it is fun to think about (and obsessively research...)