Edmund notices a lot. And he noticed as I was advocating for children to be adopted and fostered. His cousins were foster cousin and now adopted cousins. He loves them.
Many of his friends, thanks to our amazing adoption group are adopted. Some of our adoptive friends are in the adoption process right now and he asks questions as he hears pieces of conversations.
We read a lot and books are a great way to educate. I choose social justice books, or books that talk about hard things in a way that is good for children. He understood about us adopting Emma, about getting a sister, but now he is understanding about orphans.
I asked him what he thought about having another brother or sister. His answer has always been yes. And then he usually lists how many he wants. My favorite answer was that he wanted "another sister and another brother so that the brothers can handle the sisters. Because having sisters is a lot of work."
We prayed together almost every morning that if it was God's will that our family's hearts would be open to adopting.
The day I called our home study agency to talk about starting the home study process again he overheard me and he said, "Is it possible? Can we adopt??"
He was overjoyed and came running over to Emma and hugged her tight saying, "We're going to adopt from China again!" Then he had to ask if we would be able to have the noodle soup he loved in China. haha! So when he tells people we are adopting he says we are going to China to get another brother or sister AND eat noodle soup. He has serious love of this tomato, egg, noodle soup.
The last week of January at breakfast we were talking to Emma about why we were adopting. "We're going to give a baby who doesn't have a mom or dad--or brother or sister a family." And Edmund pipped up and said, "That's why I'm adopting!"
He has such a big heart. He knows why he is adopting. He claims this process as his.
This last week I was talking to Matthew about the changes that have happened in China since we adopted Emma and the differences in the process. Edmund interrupted with horror in his voice, "We can't adopt?!" I reassured him that we would still be able to, but the process was just different.
He can't wait to go back to China. To ride the airplane, to eat noodle soup, to ride the bullet train. He is ready to bring home his brother or sister but knows it is a long wait. He told us recently that he wants a brother or sister "just my age." So when I am on advocacy sites he points to a picture and says, "Are they four and a half?" Last week he was just playing and then he turned to Matthew and said, "Can you show me some four and a half year olds?" It made me laugh. I tell him that we will just take whatever file China gives us. He is okay with that too.
I am ridiculously proud of Edmund. Our adoption and medical care of Emma hasn't been an easy or smooth road, but his heart has been moved for orphans and he is ready to be a big brother again.
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