Brotherly love

For the two years we journeyed through the adoption paperwork and waiting, we wondered how Adrianna would adjust to the big sister role.  Almost five years with Mom and Dad to yourself is a long time for a kid to get used to being the only child.  Thankfully, God has been preparing that little girl for great things.

Just last week, Adrianna and I had a precious chat at her grandparents' house.  "Hey Beautiful," I told her as she walked by.  "Did you know that you're beautiful?" I asked her.  "Yes.  You always tell me that!"  I picked her up, so that I could look at her in the eyes.  "Did you know what makes you beautiful?"  "Umm..."  "It's God shining through you," I explained.

She looked at me seriously, considering what I said, and exploded with words, "I've asked Jesus into my heart like 16 times -- sometimes in my bed and this one time during room time..."  "You know what?"  I asked her.  "What?"  "He never says, 'No' when you ask Him that.  He will always come."  Adrianna's grandma overheard what was being said, and piped in, "That's right.  If you ask Him, He comes in."

I continued, "And you know what else?  I've seen Him working in you.  That's how I know He's living in your heart."  Adrianna looked a little surprised.  "I've seen how you want to worship Him.  And pray to Him.  And how you're working to be obedient to Mom and Dad."  Grandma chimed in again, "And how you are so generous to the people you care about."  I finished, "Those are ways we can tell He's working in your heart."  Adrianna walked away, beaming.

And God has been teaching Adrianna how to be a sister.  Scott and I have been daily amazed at Adrianna's care for Abel, right from his first day home.  She shares her extra snacks with him.  She gets his shoes on every morning, even when he squirms and tries to get away.  She runs after him when he tries to wander into the street.  She makes pictures for him, and shares them with him, even though he just chews on them or crumples them up.  She gives her stickers from the doctor's office to him, instead of keeping them for herself.  Adrianna simply overflows with love for her little brother.  

And so, last Thursday, when our social worker came to visit for her first home report (we have to complete four in our first year home), and suggested that we try having Adrianna stay in Abel's room at night to keep him company, Adrianna positively leaped for the idea.  After discussing it with Scott, we agreed to try it for a night, to see what happened.  I gave Adrianna a run-down on what to do if Abel cried and what to do if she woke up before he did.

Scott and I gave hugs and kisses to both kids, and slid out the door -- instead of one of us staying until Abel was asleep, as we had been doing.  Instantly, Abel cried, and then we heard, "It's okay, Abel.  I'm here."  And he quieted down immediately.  We didn't hear another sound until the next morning, when Scott and I awoke to, "Abel, say 'Anna'."  "An-na," replied a little voice.  What a happy sound to wake to!

We are now on night five of our trial run.  And things still seem to be going well.  My mother-in-law even reported that when she babysat the other night, Abel cried out after being in bed (asleep?) for almost an hour.  Julie could hear through the monitor, "It's okay, Abel, I'm here."  And he stopped crying.

Last night, when rain and thunder were pounding outside Adrianna's and Abel's window, we heard Adrianna singing to him, "Rain, rain, go away, little Abel wants to play."

We have some concern that we're asking too much of Adrianna, expecting her to be the comforter and company for her little brother every night.  But every night she asks, "Do I get to sleep in Abel's room again??"

So for now, we'll continue letting the siblings bond over sleep and company.