I couldn't believe it. My sister was adopted.
"Your mom was doing volunteer work in the adoption agency," dad explained, "She loved helping in any way she could. Well just six days after we were married she came home and her eyes were shinning I knew she was excited about something. She started telling me about this beautiful 3 day old baby in the orphanage and I could tell how much she had fallen in love with that infant. I said, "you want her don't you","
That actually was believable to me. My dad could read my mother like a picture book. He could read everyone like that.
"Your mother was speechless for a moment and then said, 'I couldn't help it. I adored her from the moment I saw her.'. I said I would like to meet the child. She squealed with delight and I do mean squealed."
My mom had an almost child like innocence about her. She was always laughing and smiling so I could honestly believe that one.
"I did caution your mom that the agency has strict policies and adoption would be quite a long process. The minute I saw Caroline I fell in love. When I held her I felt like I was holding my own baby. We were allowed to foster her for 7 months before we had officially adopted her. By the end of the year she was officially ours."
I held up a hand. I had a question.
"Was it hard for you being the only man of the house," I asked.
Dad laughed.
"I didn't see myself as the only man of the house," he said putting a hand on my shoulder, "I was a husband and a father. The way I see it I am 1/4th of a whole. Before you were born I was 1/3rd of a whole."