Getting Adopted

Growing up an only child I always longed to have sisters, a brother, and lots of pets.  I am realizing that “lots of pets” are a lot of work and although cute to have, the responsibility of taking care of them end up in my to-do list.

When I came to this county in ’91 with my mom it was just us.  We did everything together and relied on each other during the good and bad times.  Along the way in my early teens, I acquired a stepbrother and a stepsister.  Both were older than I was and we were never close.  Let me tell you that the merging of step-kids is very difficult and NOT fun (for anyone). As an adult, I’ve again acquired new step-siblings… but we are all past the age of living under the same roof; so the transition took little or no effort.

7 years ago doing a job I was great at but didn’t like I met Kay. She is the wife the Dr. my husband works for.  I instantly connected with her and soon after I met the rest of their four kids.  The girls have become my sisters over the years and Kay jokes that they adopted me as kid #5 (although I’m the oldest).

I love going to their house. It’s cozy, loving, and BUSY. So much chaos… and I LOVE it. One minute I am sitting down sipping coffee on their sofa and the next I am watching half a basketball team stroll in and a dozen college girls sit and make themselves at home.  Even my kids love going there. It’s a certain busyness we don’t get at our peaceful home; even when half the neighborhood is over in our back yard. Let me introduce you to my lovely sisters… and my little brother.

Elizabeth, Dr. Annie, Mary

Last night they came over for brick oven pizza night at the house and we had a blast -nanny Kay came instead of Mary. As I was making pizzas I was thinking about each and every one of them and why I love them so much.  They are all very different and they complete the household’s personality as a group.

Elizabeth is the smart, wacky, fun sister.  I love that I can talk business with her and she ‘gets’ it. She is currently working in my husband’s office and finishing her MBA.  In June, she starts dental school ~yay, free check ups!

Dr. Annie teaches Psychology at Loyola University New Orleans. She is quiet, goofy, and simply brilliant. She is the most passionate one of the bunch when it comes to supporting a cause.  She also does speaking arrangements for social workers and at schools on No Bullying and how to help kids cope when they are being bullied. Don’t you just love that?

Mary is my young fashionista. She is a college student at Loyola and I’m currently working with her and a small group of students in a business project.  She is very social but hard to get to know.  Good thing is… that when you are in.. you’re in.  She’s one I hope to get to know better during our trip to Europe in May.

Finally, we get to the baby of the bunch.  Joseph. He is smart, athletic, and a total cuddler. He sits on his mom’s lap on the glider chair and lets her hold him… yes, even with half the basketball team over.  He is totally the baby of the group… and he works it. He is in a serious relationship with his blackberry that often makes me second guess having him in our phone plan.

While they are all very different they love each other -a lot. I am so happy they have taken me in as big kid #5. Who knew I would finally be part of a big family in my 30s?  While we are not related at all, I love that more than once I’ve been introduced as ‘my sister’ Laura.  You can say it’s pretend, but the love in the family and how they treat me, my husband and kids is for real.  For me, getting adopted is about feeling the love and closeness to the family, being accepted for who you are… and discovering the gifts of each relationship along the way.

Have you become part of another family? Are you an only child who always wanted to have more siblings?