"Sometimes being a big brother is even better than
being a super hero." ~Marc Brown
My parents had four children, two boys and two girls, and I am the oldest. Therefore, I never had the blessing of a big brother to look after me and protect me. Don't get me wrong, my younger brothers are AWESOME...I am so thankful for them and love them so much! But now that I'm a parent of two boys and two girls, I realize how great it would've been to have a big brother.One of my greatest concerns about adoption was how it would affect our three biological children. Would they love their little sister? Would they accept her even though she looks very different from them? Would they know they are loved just as much as their little sister? And the questions in my heart went on and on and on...
Since I have a sister, I felt pretty certain that Shelby would bond well with Jenna. She'd been wanting to have a little sister for so long and couldn't contain her excitement when we told her we were adopting a little girl from China. Fast forward over a year to when Shelby went to China and WOW...these girls bonded right away. Praise the Lord!
But how would Nathan and Andrew feel about another girl in the house?
Nathan is my competitive, adventurous boy. He's a thinker and not as emotional, usually keeping his feelings inside unless I'm able to pull them out. When I asked Nathan about how he felt about adoption soon before leaving for China, he opened up a little by saying "It's going to change everything." I listened to what he had to say and then shared that some things would certainly change but not everything, including my love for him.
Andrew is my strong-willed but very lovable boy. He's a bundle of energy and makes me laugh every day. And no matter what, he'll always be my baby boy. I was concerned that he would he feel "dethroned" or loved less since he was no longer the baby of the family. During our adoption process, Andrew often prayed for Jenna and talked about how he couldn't wait to have her home with us. But I often wondered if his four-year-old mind understood what it meant to have a little sister.
Once again, God has done exceedingly more than I could have ever asked or imagined (Ephesians 3:20).
Five months home and I can confidently say that Nathan and Andrew absolutely love and adore their new little sis!
Now don't get me wrong...there are still arguments and sibling rivalry, particularly between Andrew and Jenna. He's only five years old and likes to aggravate his three year old sister...that's pretty normal behavior for any little boy. But by and large, I'm continually amazed at how much Nathan and Andrew love Jenna. And it's pretty obvious that the feelings are mutual...Jenna adores them! She calls Nathan "Dan" (probably trying to say "Than") and Andrew is "Drew." Jenna loves playing with her big brothers, often following them outside to jump on the trampoline, upstairs to their room to play with Nerf guns, or snuggling on the sofa to watch her favorite movie, "Frozen."
And of course, Nathan, Andrew, and Jenna all love Shelby ("Be" is what Jenna calls her). I pray these four are always the best of friends!
Nathan, our adoption of Jenna hasn't changed everything, but it certainly has changed us!
Lord, I feel so blessed to be the mother of four amazing children. Thank you for the love they have for one another now...I pray it continues to grow throughout their lives. Help me to nurture and love them in a way that glorifies You. Thank you for answering my prayers, changing us, and continuing to work miracles! AMEN.
