Family

I sometimes forget to write about the good things because it's the bad times I need to flush out of my system, but fear not! There definitely are good things about adoption.

A few weeks ago Emilia's Aunt passed away somewhat suddenly. It was right around Big Sis' birthday and we'd had planned to all celebrate that together so in an effort to keep things normal for my favorite newly eight-year-old, my parents and I had dinner at Em's house. Despite the tragedy and loss in the air, more abundant was the love. These people truly are my family. When they cry, I cry. When they laugh, I laugh. I am so incredibly blessed that not only did the adoptive family welcome me and my family with open arms, but also my family welcomed the adoptive family. I know and appreciate the rarity of this.

As we were leaving, I gave Big Sis a huge, per usual and said, "I'm so proud of you, my beautiful eight-year-old!" Beaming up at me, she completed the thought with "...Step-daughter". While I know she obviously isn't my step-daughter I thought it was kind of beautiful of her to say. It shows we're not related by blood but we are family through and through. She is so many things to me: a sister, a daughter, a niece, a sister to my daughter... It's so difficult to put adoption things into logical terms, as open adoption has only been around a few decades and no vocabulary has been standardized. Somehow this wonderful little girl always knows exactly what to say to me. She is incredible and has been since the first moment I met her. Words may fail,  but this love that binds us goes beyond anything I could've hoped for when looking at that little "+" on the pregnancy test over three years ago (!!).