Cj was still napping when I went to pick Sam up from school yesterday, so unlike most days when she beats me to his classroom, running in with her arms up ready for a hug from her big brother, I was alone.

Here's the conversation that followed on the drive home:

"So, where is Cj, Mom?" Sam asks.

"Sleeping," I answer. "She went down late for her nap, so didn't wake up in time to come with me."

"When I get bigger," he says after a moment's pondering, "I will hold Cj's hand and take her to school, just like some of the big brothers do with kids in my class."

"That will be so nice, Sam!" I say. "I'm sure Cj will like that very much. You are such a wonderful big brother."

"Yes. I am," he says. "And she's a wonderful baby sister, too."

"Yes, we're very lucky to have her, aren't we?"

"We sure are," he agrees wholeheartedly. "If Cj wasn't in our family, I wouldn't have anyone to play with."

"That's true. You and your sister to love to play together, don't you."

"Yes," he says, then pauses again for thought. "And if I didn't have a baby sister I would be so lonely somedays. I would be the only children in our whole house."

When I think back to the days when we deliberated over whether or not to pursue a second adoption, I remember well the parts of the discussion that centered on the importance of a sibling relationship. Not only did we feel that a brother or sister would make it less likely our precious boy wouldn't grow up to be too precious, we also knew that Sam's life would be made so much richer by sharing his childhood, and his parents, with another child.

It was no small decision, however, to add an infant to the family with me gazing down the barrel of fifty-four. We looked long and hard at my energy levels, examining the thought that, where I might have plenty of ooomp for one child, would another, and an infant at that, dump me over the side of the I-can-do-this Mothering Boat.

And what if we ended up with two kids that were chalk and cheese? That grated on each other, annoyed the begeezus out of each other, or plain and simply didn't get on? Or if Sam resented the intrusion and competition a sibling can represent and carried that into any future relationship?

The decision finally made, we hoped for compatibility, but hardly dared to dream that our kids would bond, mesh and meld as completely as Sam and Cj have, much less so completely adore each other as they do. He's her hero. She's his biggest fan. She's his darling charge. He worships the ground her tiny feet tread. His first question in the morning is, "Where's Cj?" Her first look-around is always to find him.

They're starting now to argue, to tussle over toys, each giving as good as they get, instantly remorseful if tears result ... okay, almost instantly, and sometimes only with prodding (forgive a mom her wishful thinking, and a bit of waxing poetically) ... but there is always a genuine concern for the welfare of the other.

It's turned out better than we allowed ourselves to wish, and now that it's 56 I'm looking at, I'm very glad we did this while I was still young enough to be a new mom again.

The photo is a shot of Sam explaining fruit bats to his sister. She seems to enjoy his lessons on wildlife, and he certainly loves having a student.


For more Love Thursday thoughts see Kelly's Foster Adopt Blog, Lisa's Guatemala Blog, and a special one I did last week for a very special person.