Adoption is interesting. As we wait for our next child, our life charges on as usual. Then my daughter does something like this, and all my thoughts about our family’s next chapter comes crashing down on me…

This is a necklace she made with her friends while I was at our mom’s group. Anya very excitedly brought it out to me, and insisted it was for her brother or sister! Who knows, maybe our son or daughter’s name begins with a J, and this is a tiny glimpse of their future relationship. Right away it brought this child to the front of my mind, and I was immediately driven to pray for them and their current caregivers even more than usual.

When we began our adoption process, Anya was 2 years old. We made sure to tell her about it right away, so that there wouldn’t be any questions if she overheard us on the phone with social workers, telling grandparents, etc. To introduce her to the idea we read, “A Mother for Choco” (affiliate link), a sweet story about a little bird who is adopted by a mother bear. We also used a globe to show her that her sibling will be coming from Bulgaria, which is far away, and explained that we will fly on an airplane to bring them home. Naturally, she didn’t really grasp the concept at first, but growing up with it as a natural part of our conversation has given her a greater understanding.

In July we had our Home Study Update, which included a second visit by our social worker. This time Anya could give her a tour of our home, and tell her what she looks forward to teaching her sibling. It was very cute (and a little nerve wracking, you never know what kids will say, ha!), to see her so excited. When we pray with her at night we also pray for “our baby in Bulgaria”, and more often she tells us she hopes they will hurry up and get here!

We are doing our best to enjoy the wait, while also praying for our family’s future. Since July, we have taken several family trips, and made some great memories! Recently Anya turned 5 and we traveled to Disneyland to celebrate. Naturally, she asks to go back to Disney everyday. The other day I told her the next time we take a Disney trip will be with her sibling. It made her very excited to have someone to show around and ride with on the rollercoasters. We will have to evaluate when we get there, but since she will be 6 or 7 when we travel to Bulgaria, I hope that she can travel with us and be a larger part of this unique process!