The Siblings are Waiting too...

Since we started paperchasing in September of '05, this is the 4th school year now that we have been talking about and waiting for Meili. The last two years, the kids came home from their first days back at school reporting that they had received lots of questions about Meili and when she would finally be coming home from teachers and classmates. I was just thinking last week that the kids hadn't talked about being asked lots of questions yet this year when Audrey came home from school with a story that made me want to laugh and cry at the same time-

There is a little girl (1st grader but the size of a preschooler) from the Philippines that rides the bus with Audrey. This little girl has attached herself to Audrey-sits by her on the bus to and from school, asks Audrey to walk her to her class, and holds her hand as they walk. Audrey just loves it.

Apparently, one day last week on their walk from the bus to the little girl's class, Audrey was stopped by 6 different adults at 6 different points along the way who accosted her with congratulations on FINALLY BRINGING HER LITTLE SISTER HOME FROM CHINA!!! Poor Audrey didn't know what to say and the little girl must have thought the world had gone mad thinking she was the sister of this blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl. It was very sweet, though, for her former teachers and aides to show such enthusiasm.

Audrey had a good laugh when telling the story but I could tell that she was sad to still be waiting for a little sister after all of this time. There have been lots of questions that begin with 'when' and 'why' in our house this week and when her three brothers are getting on her nerves, Audrey will look at me with very sad eyes and say, "When am I going to have a little sister?"

I spend a lot of time putting my own feelings about the wait in check (primarily by griping about it on this blog.) So, this was a good reminder that I need to remember that the kids are waiting too. When she finally does come home, Meili is going to be one lucky little girl to have 4 older siblings who have been making room for her in their lives and in their hearts for such a long time.