Tuesday, February 15, 2011

The Bond of Brotherhood.....






Growing up as an only child, I obviously never knew what it was like to have a sibling. I had some close friends and cousins, but never someone who was always there, all the time. Trust me, this was okay with me then, (I told my parents that I liked everything just the way it was when asked if I wanted a brother or sister) and really, I am okay with it now as well. The only thing I wonder about is the sibling bond.

However, after watching Caleb and Noah over the last couple of months, I been given a small glimpse into the bond of brotherhood, and maybe I understand it- just a little bit. I have to believe that this bond of brotherhood is even more special and unique, seeing as Caleb and Noah have only known each other for a short 10 weeks or so, and have no biological relation. And yet, they share something that is even more special. They were both chosen. They were both sought out. They were both loved long before they knew there was a family that was praying every night for them to come home soon. Maybe that is where this amazing, supernatural bond of brotherhood comes from. It is as real as anything I have ever seen.

Caleb and Noah's love is obvious for each other. They choose to sit beside each other at preschool choir and choose to play with each other during Sunday School- they do not want to be seperated. They are best friends. At the McDonald's Play Place (which has quickly become a favorite destination), they won't venture into the brightly colored tunnels without one another. And just yesterday, while Noah was at preschool and Caleb was at home with me, Caleb told me several times that he loved Noah and wanted him to come home. These guys love each other dearly. They fight with lots of passion too, but at the end of the day, they are two peas in a pod, two special boys who by God's soveriegn will ended up in our home- how blessed are we??!!!
Now that Noah is home, the number one question we get in public is, "Are they brothers?" Well, I of course know what people mean when they ask that question. People want to know if Caleb and Noah are biological brothers. I usually say "no", and explain that they were both adopted from Ethiopia, and get a chance to talk about adoption, which is always a good thing. I have been tempted to just say "yes" and go on. I did that once to the sweet lady who works in the children's section of the library, and I still feel guilty about it, because I know what she was really asking :)

But the truth is they are as real of brothers as they could possibly be, and the bond of brotherhood in our home is strong. God has answered so many prayers over the last several weeks and has shown himself so faithful in the life of our family that
all we can do is praise him and thank him for his great love and mercy.

2 comments:

Lib said...

I love this post, Rebecca. What a beautiful testimony to the wisdom of God, the miracle of adoption and the power of love.

Unknown said...

They are TRULY PRECIOUS BROTHERS!