So, what do the kids think?

Okay, one of the questions we're repeatedly getting from folks we share our adoption news with is, "So, what do the kids think?" First of all, it's great to know that so many people are concerned about our children and their emotional needs! Secondly, that makes me want to laugh. This is because, quite frankly, the kids have been a major driving force in getting us to this point. They have been ready for a baby WAY longer than we have. In fact, for several years my standard response when one of them asked if we could have a baby was, "IF we ever have another baby, it will come from somewhere across the big waters because it doesn't have a mommy or daddy." That was my stall tactic. I guess the jokes on me because now God has made it remarkably clear to us that we need to cross that big water and get that baby- HA!


So, for those of you who want to know what the kids are thinking, here are a few anecdotes of baby conversations at our house:


Abby, our 9 year old has been most persistent. Another family in our homeschool co-op recently brought home 3 siblings from Ethiopia and she has been deeply affected by their story. Anytime she has a chance to hear any detail of their journey, her ears are peeled. In fact, when we were leaving co-op the other day she said to me, "Mom, during lunch time I wanted to play, but I was torn. Whenever Ms. Mestas and Ellie start talking about Ethiopia, I just can't stop listening, it's so fascinating." God is certainly doing a work in her heart.


She was also the straw that broke the camel's back a couple of weeks ago. When she entered the kitchen and found her Daddy weeping at a Focus on the Family broadcast on adoption she said, "Dad, can't you see God is telling us to adopt a baby and you're being disobedient." How do you respond to that? Especially when you know she's right!?!


Elizabeth, our 7 year old wrote this on the prayer request card at church about 6 months ago, "I wut a bthr bekos my buthr is lonley all he has is 3 sitrs and 1 uf him." Translate, "I want a brother because my brother is lonely, all he has is 3 sisters and 1 of him." Okay, here's a confession- the reason I can recall the exact inaccurate spelling is because I highjacked the prayer card. I was not yet ready to have the pastors of my church praying for a brother. Oh ye of little faith!


Isaac, our 5 year old son became open to the idea of adoption about 9 months ago. We were driving down the road and we had a conversation that went something like this:

Isaac: "Mommy, if we ever have a brother, will he have black skin or white skin?"

Me: "Well, if he comes from my tummy, he'll have white skin"

Isaac:"How do you know?"

Me:"Because Daddy and I both have white skin."

Isaac: "Well then how did the K family get a baby with brown skin."

Me:"Well, remember, they adopted Baby E."

Isaac:"Oh" (long pause) "then why don't we adopt a brother!"

Me:"Because God hasn't told us to adopt a baby brother."

Isaac:"Well, can we ask God if he wants us to adopt a baby brother?"

Me:"How about we put it in the prayer jar?"

So, we wrote on a prayer jar slip, Does God want us to have a baby brother? Anytime it's Isaac's turn to pick a request out of the jar, he digs around in the hopes of pulling that one out.


Lily, our youngest who just turned 4 last week asked for two things for Christmas this year. A Hello Kitty cash register, and a brown baby. She had no idea that God was turning our hearts toward Ethiopia!

Don't get me wrong, we know they have challenges and adjustements ahead of them, but I think they "get it" as well as we could ever expect them to at this early stage of the game!