Brian's Request

A year ago, my sister, Kathi, told my nephew Brian (then 6) that we had started the adoption process. He got very excited. She asked him if he remembered what that meant, since it had been a couple of months since she had explained adoption to him. He said, "Yes! It means they are getting a baby!" She told him that it might not be a baby, it might be an older child. His excitement kicked into high gear. Here were his suggestions, in his own words:

"I want a 6 year old, like I'm 6, with the same kind of hair like me and who likes to do the same things as me. I'll teach him how to do some of my tough moves and cool tricks, and teach him what you can do in the United States of America. I can teach him English words. I can teach him how to be a 6 year old in the United States of America. I want a boy that's really nice and has a very good smile like me. One that can wrestle with me, and one that likes me."

"What will you do if it's a girl?" Kathi asked.

He gasped, slightly horrified at this possible turn of events. This time, after much thought, he replied,

"If it was a nice girl, I'd probably play with her a little bit."