Tuesday, March 08, 2011

Joys of adoption

For the last few months, I've had a button on my blog linking to my good friend's adoption profile. They've been trying to adopt a baby for a while now, and after a few birth moms chose them and then changed their minds (because they'd also "chosen" a few other couples), I finally got news yesterday that Rachel and Ryan will be parents this August! Wahoo!!!
I wanted to be sure and announce the great news before I take down the button... eventually.
After my parents adopted my brother, Daniel, I remember them saying to each other, "Hey, this is great! Why didn't we do this with the other four?!?!"
(As one of those other four, I am certainly glad they did not.)
Although they were mostly giddy about the fact that Daniel was already potty-trained, verbal, and sleeping through the night (as most 7-year-olds are), we were also excited to find that he was a perfect match-- or even a missing piece-- of our family. I wonder sometimes why part of our family was born 12,000 miles away from the other parts, but I'm very thankful that we somehow all came together.

Chinese word of the day:
When we adopted Daniel, he was fluent in Chinese-- or so they say. I think I've only ever heard him say a tiny handful of Chinese words; he was pretty much silent until he learned how to say what he wanted in English. It didn't take him long.
But one time he taught us a very important Chinese word. It was while our family was gathered together for our evening prayer. Alex ever-so-reverently knelt on the carpet, rested his elbows on the floor, and stuck his butt straight up into the air. He called it kneeling, but we told him he looked like a stink bug.
Or as you might say it in Chinese:
放屁虫
fang4 pi4 chong2
(Literally "fart bug")
And if I never had a little brother teaching me Chinese, I may never have learned this important vocabulary.
I hope Rachel and Ryan have some amazing, life-changing experiences from their little fang pi chong when he/she comes in August!

6 comments:

Becky said...

Hey I just learned a new word! (That story is hilarious.) Congrats to your friends. That is so cool. P.S. Are you still in DC in September?

Lisa~ said...

I'm SURE we were just kidding around when we said that about you 4! I think we learned other important vocabulary from Daniel. (I don't know how to spell them.) We love Daniel, and are glad we adopted him, even though HE'S being a fang pi chong right now! He'll outgrow it. ;-)

Cherisse said...

Haha, that's funny. The other other night Ryan 放屁了, then mo giggled and said, "Dad you sound like a 喇叭!" We had a good laugh, especially since momo had that stored somewhere in his little brain. :)

Sarah McK said...

I love this post! You're awesome!

Rachel said...

Love you, Chelsea!!

Evan and Holly said...

I think this is so funny. I didn't know that you had an adopted Chinese brother. That is way cool. I feel like I don't know you at all :) I'm very excited about their adoption. I saw their button go up on yours and Merry's blog at the same time that my friend's started their second adoption process, and when my friend's got their baby about 5 months ago, I was sad for your friends. So I am glad that everything is working out. I think adoption is the most amazing precious gift.

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Stuff I wouldn't mind getting for Christmas

  • Twin-sized sheet sets for Penny and Naomi (matching? flowered or something pretty, not characters)
  • Scrapbook pages
  • Fun refrigerator magnets
  • Fisher Price Little People Pirate Ship (for Penny.... though I would play with it too.)
  • Cute Stationary-- I currently write letters on notebook paper ripped from the notebook
  • Boy toys for William, age 9 months-18 months or so