In our home we try to have conversations about adoption, color and differences. I like to make sure I keep the topic open and comfortable so we have casual talks about it. _
Today I asked Zoe how she was feeling lately about adoption.
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She said "I feel good wif adoption cause I want a brofer." That made me giggle.
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I asked her how she was feeling about HER adoption.
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Zoe said: "Oh I feelin good and happy a lot. I not sad or fussy all de week."
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Me: "That is great but do you have any sad feelings ever about it?"
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Zoe: "I am tinkin all de time if I need to talk to my mom in Guatemala on de phone. I tink a LOT cause it make me sad."
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(I have given her the choice of me trying to make contact with her Guatemala mommy while I am in the country. We have also told her to think and pray about whether she would be ready to talk to her Guatemala mommy on the phone.)
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Me: "It makes you sad to think about your Guatemala mommy?"
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Zoe: "No, I tink it make me sad if talk wif her with de phone."
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Zoe: "No, I tink it make me sad if talk wif her with de phone."
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Me: "Ohhh.. yes it will probably be hard. It doesn't mean it's bad though. You keep thinking about whether your heart is ready. That is a big decision."
Me: "Ohhh.. yes it will probably be hard. It doesn't mean it's bad though. You keep thinking about whether your heart is ready. That is a big decision."
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Zoe: "Yeah!"
Zoe: "Yeah!"
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Me: "Do you have lots of friends that are different colors or are they all the same?"
Me: "Do you have lots of friends that are different colors or are they all the same?"
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Zoe: "My friend is all different colors! I haf a one friend that she is like me but more darker fan me. I haf a friend is same as me. I haf one friend is like.....more morning."
Zoe: "My friend is all different colors! I haf a one friend that she is like me but more darker fan me. I haf a friend is same as me. I haf one friend is like.....more morning."
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Me: "You mean she is lighter?"
Me: "You mean she is lighter?"
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Zoe: "Yes LIGHTER!"
Zoe: "Yes LIGHTER!"
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Me: (giggling inside) "That's great. So you have lots of different colors of friends."
Me: (giggling inside) "That's great. So you have lots of different colors of friends."
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Zoe: "Yes, but I don't know any of dem names."
Zoe: "Yes, but I don't know any of dem names."
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Me: (giggling again cause she is just as bad as me about names) "How do you feel about your skin? Does it ever bother you that it is different than mommy and daddys?"
Me: (giggling again cause she is just as bad as me about names) "How do you feel about your skin? Does it ever bother you that it is different than mommy and daddys?"
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Zoe: "NOOO! I like dis color cause it match all of my clothes and de nail stuff dat is red. It is dark and beautiful."
Zoe: "NOOO! I like dis color cause it match all of my clothes and de nail stuff dat is red. It is dark and beautiful."
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Me: (now BEAMING inside) "You are right. You DO have beautiful skin. So many people that look like me want to be darker like you."
Me: (now BEAMING inside) "You are right. You DO have beautiful skin. So many people that look like me want to be darker like you."
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Zoe: "Yes, you are LAYING in de sun like dis all day and try to be dis color."
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Me: (now laughing out loud!) "That is so true baby."
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Zoe: "I don't lay in de sun. It hot! You haf more question mommy?"
Zoe: "I don't lay in de sun. It hot! You haf more question mommy?"
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Me: "Nope. Do you have anything else you wanna tell me?"
Me: "Nope. Do you have anything else you wanna tell me?"
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Zoe: "No. I gonna go now wit KK to Guatmala and Afwica."
Zoe: "No. I gonna go now wit KK to Guatmala and Afwica."
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Me: "OK! Have fun."
Me: "OK! Have fun."
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Zoe: "OK! Bye Momma."
Zoe: "OK! Bye Momma."