Several of you probably remember the wonderful, affirming discovery we made last June at our garage sale--that perhaps the only other family in our entire metro area who have adopted from Thailand happen to live right behind us. It still makes me smile. I love thinking about how God orchestrated our decision to buy this house--before we knew we would adopt, and long before we met the F family. They have 2 biological sons and 2 daughters adopted from Thailand. We've become friends and had a great dinner at their home where we ate Thai food and watched the videos of the days they met their daughters in Bangkok. So, so special!
Well, recently, Mrs. F and I realized we might be able to help each other out a bit with childcare. So a couple times we've met their two older kids (son, 6 and daughter, 10) at the bus stop and they came to hang out at our house for an hour or two. At one point, I was just sitting on the couch coloring with M, their daughter who just turned 10, while her bro was playing in the other room. We talked about the manicure she got for her birthday (alternating purple and blue with glitter) and her new baby brother. I refrained from quizzing her about her thoughts on her adoption, but I couldn't help but feel encouraged by her. She is a beautiful, happy, kind, funny, well-adjusted kid. She's got a bit of bossy and bit of protectiveness like all older sisters do. She's just normal! Her mom has told me that she doesn't mind telling people that she's adopted or talking about it, so maybe I'll bring it up at some point, but for now, just sitting with Miss M, I felt a peace that our son or daughter can/will have a great childhood that is not defined by their adoption or inter racial family. It's an important part of her story, but it's not the WHOLE story.
Can't wait to introduce M to our Peanut. I think she'll make a great babysitter!
2 comments:
I love your comment at the end, that our kiddos don't need to be defined by adoption- they're regular people like everyone else, made in the image of God, gifted with a complex personality and a life story written by their Creator including many different chapters. Adoption is a special and wonderful thing, and a unique part of their story, but that's not the summary of who they are. While adoption will always be a unique and treasured aspect of our daughter's story, nevertheless she's our true daughter no more or less than our biological child is our true son. We won't be "that family" with the special/different adopted kid who really doesn't "belong" to them. We'll just be a family. Period. Christ makes no distinctions about what races, cultures, tribes, tongues, and nations make up His family. Why should we?
Oh dear, sorry for the long comment. :)
I smile too with you (: Love you !!!!
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