An Addition?

Good Morning FFFs!
It's raining here right now, but it's not freezing. Yesterday it really felt like spring. It sounds like spring now with the rain pattering on the roof and not hearing the heat running. Spring! I don't know about you all, but I'm ready for spring weather, spring flowers, spring sunshine.

I've been keeping busy this week. Worked on projects and taught my last writing class until fall. I still have to grade their papers they turned in and get the last assignments back from them, but that's not much. I have been writing. After finishing up one story, I got back to work on TCR. One of these days I'll get it finished. :)

On Sunday we had snow and since all the other families at church except one decided not to drive to church, we ate lunch and hung out at Brother's house. Got to see and hold Baby. I even went outside with the kiddos and threw snowballs with them. I didn't stay out very long because I wasn't dressed for the really cold wind. :)
Monday came and I had quite a bit of catch-up to do and I had to draw three pictures for writing class. I know, drawing pictures for writing class seems a little strange, but one of the classes had to write a story about the pictures.
Tuesday was writing class day and we had people over nearly all afternoon.
Wednesday I spent the day in front of my sewing machine. I was working on a project that had to be done as soon as possible. We also were watching Goofball, Funny Boy and Doodle Bug.
Yesterday felt like Friday. I kept thinking it was Friday and discovered that one of the ladies at JoAnns thought it was Friday and a radio announcer kept thinking it was Friday. Did any of you think it was Friday?

Biggest NEWS: My book "The Lower Lights and Other Stories" is available for FREE download from Amazon! It's only available today and tomorrow so if you want to download it for free to your kindle, get it soon.

This story was one of the assignments I had given my older girls in writing class. They needed to work on conversation, and since it is easier if you  have a topic already picked for you, I chose one. Then I decided to write the same thing. I know it's short, but enjoy.

An Addition?

    It was family time in the Brown house. The children, Carlin and Owen, never knew what was going to happen during family time. Sometimes they played games, sometimes Mom or Dad would read and sometimes they would just talk. As they hurried into the living room, they noticed Mom was looking in a folder.
    “Hi, Mom,” Carlin grinned, “what are we going to do tonight?”
    Just then Mr. Brown entered the room. “I see everyone is here. Let’s all find seats.” As he spoke he sat down in his favorite chair while the children, Carlin on the couch and Owen in a chair, waited expectantly. “I see you have the folder, Mom,” Mr. Brown smiled as he reached out for it.
    Mom nodded, her eyes twinkling as she handed it to Dad.
    “Children,” Mr. Brown began, “for some time now your mother and I have been discussing the possibilities of adoption. We’ve mentioned it to you several times, but nothing has ever seemed to happen.”
    “Dad,” Carlin leaned forward, “are we going to adopt?”
    Dad grinned. “We hope to.”
    “Oh goody! A boy? A girl? Can we get more than one? Will they be from the U. S. or from another country and how old will they be?”
    “Whoa, Carlin!” Dad laughed. “One thing at a time. We did find out last week that there is a little girl named Melissa who needs a home right now.”
    “A girl!” squealed Carlin, and bounced on the couch.
    “Oh be quiet, Car,” growled Owen, rolling his eyes. “We certainly don’t need another girl.”
    “Are you saying you don’t think we should adopt her, Owen?” Mom asked softly.
    Owen shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I just never thought much about adopting when you mentioned it before. Now . . .” His voice trailed off and, kicking off his shoes, he wiggled around in the chair until his legs were over one of the arms. It was a favorite way for the nine-year-old to sit and think.
    There was a moment of silence. Then Carlin, the eager, vivacious, seven-year-old spoke up. “Tell us more about her, Dad.”
    “Well, here’s a picture.” He pulled out a snap shot of a dark, curly-haired baby who looked to be about ten-months-old.
    “Oh, Mommy, she looks like she’s going to cry! I wish we could get her tonight! But isn’t she cute?”
    Mrs. Brown chuckled. “She sure is, honey.” Then to Mr. Brown she added, “I think Carlin’s sold.”
    “Oh, I am! I’ll share my room and my dolls and things with her. And I’ll help feed and dress her and I’ll play with her, and—” she paused to catch her breath. “When is she coming?”
    There was a moment of hesitation. Mr. Brown was looking at his son who had remained unmoved during Carlin’s excited exhibition. “Owen,” he said at last, “you haven’t said what you think of it all.”
    Owen shrugged, but didn’t say a word.
    “That doesn’t tell me anything,” Mr. Brown observed quietly.
    “Here, Owen,” Carlin bounced up from the couch with the picture in her hand, “look at how cute Mel is.”
    “You already have a nickname for her?” asked Mrs. Brown.
    “Yep.” She shoved the picture before her brother’s face.
    Pushing her hand away, Owen grumbled, “I can’t see anything when you stick it in my face like that. That’s better.”
    “Well?” Carlin persisted as her brother just looked in silence. “Isn’t she just the cutest thing? And don’t you just want to hold her so she won’t cry?”
    “No!”
    “That’s not very nice,” Carlin snapped.
    “You’re the one who asked.”
    “All right, you two, simmer down.” Mr. Brown nodded back to the couch and Carlin returned to her seat. “Okay, Owen, give us your reasons for not wanting to adopt Melissa.”
    “I don’t know if I really have any, Dad. I guess it just came as a surprise and I . . . I guess I’m just not sure. That’s all.”
    “I can understand that. This was rather a surprise. It was to your mom and me too. But Owen, God tells us in His Word to take care of the orphans and that He sets the solitary in families. Have you thought that perhaps we are the family for this little girl?”
    Owen shook his head. “I never thought of that.” With a wink he added, “But she’s a girl.”
    “Maybe we can get a boy soon so you can share your room too,” Carlin giggled.
    Everyone laughed.
    Mr. Brown looked around the room. “Are we all in agreement? Should we adopt Melissa and make her a part of our family?”
    A chorus of “Yes!” was the answer to that question and Mr. and Mrs. Brown exchanged smiles. “Then let’s all spend some time praying about it and for our new family member.”


    Only two weeks later, little Melissa came to join the Brown family. To everyone’s surprise, Mel or Melis, as everyone was soon calling her, attached herself to Owen right from the start. If she was tired or grumpy, Owen was the person she wanted. To him she clung when something frightened her, and the first baby kisses she gave were to Owen. Carlin didn’t mind too much, for Mel liked her to play with her and seemed to enjoy it when Carlin sang her to sleep each night.
    After a few weeks, no one in the Brown family could imagine life without little Melissa. And together they eagerly watched the mail for news of a little boy that needed a home.

What did you think of it?

Would you have been for or against adopting?