January 6, 2009

Adopted!

I have three siblings who are adopted from Korea, including my sister Amy, who has been visiting for the past 2 weeks. I don't even think about the physical differences between me and my sister, but I am reminded of them when people cock their heads and wrinkle their foreheads when I introduce Amy as my sister.

On Friday, my sister and I took the crew to the mall in an attempt to do the impossible: buy my daughter a pair of jeans. While I rocked in the fetal position in the corner of the girls' dressing room in J.C. Penney, my sister took Kellen and Cortlen to Bath and Body Works, where she challenged them to slather their bodies with over 50 different samples of scented lotion. At some point during the activity, a store clerk approached Cortlen and asked if he needed any help. Holding up a tube of Country Apple, my son replied, "This lotion is making me hungry. I want it."

The store clerk looked at Kellen and Cortlen and then at Amy.

"Why don't you ask your...um..er.." The store clerk struggled to find the right relationship between an Asian woman and two nearly albino boys.

"Mother!" my sister helped. She pointed to the boys and smiled. "They're adopted," she explained.

27 comments

Sandi said...

I have one adopted brother and one biological brother. An old boyfriend once looked at all of us and said to my brother, "you don't look anything like Sandi and Andrew. What, are you adopted."

"Yes" we all answered in unison.

He was majorly embarassed.

Mrs. Booms said...

Love it.

Kami said...

AWESOME.

Jennifer said...

Love it! Shared genes or not, your sister has the same wit as you!

Anonymous said...

We get that as well...my sister is Asian and I am blonde with blue eyes. lol My dad gets lots of looks when he introduces us as sisters. lol

Shosh said...

LOL! Sounds like your sister should start a blog of her own :)

Melisa said...

My blonde haired brother has foster Latino boy and a black baby they adopted last month. They can probably get away passing off David as theirs, since his wife is Latina, but I'm sure the baby will get plenty of questions. But we don't care. He is our family and we adore him.

Beth said...

Now that is a perfect comeback!

Mrs H. said...

Loved the story, and the comeback! I have very dark hair, brown eyes & somewhat olive skintone, but both my boys were born were BLONDE, blonde hair, and the prettiest, blue/green eyes...My mother-in-law, jokingly liked to refer to me as their "spanish nanny"!

Love your blog! Your stories are all too familiar even though my boys are teen-agers now!

Lara

Liz said...

Geez... and growing up I was the 'mailman's kid' b/c I was the only one in the family with blonde hair and blue eyes..
Crazy!

JackieMacD said...

Well you know we get the same thing in our house! And I know what you mean about not noticing the difference. Brady and Jacob see Lucy as their sister and treat her like any other brothers. (which isn't great at times!)

I love the comeback. I've considered asking people which position they were in when they conceived as a response to the questions about Lucy's adoption. Is that wrong?

Nikki said...

I love her!! That was great - and you can tell those boys love their Aunt! :)

Stephanie said...

It's easy to see you're sisters. Both lovely, and both sassy.

Bugs said...

Yes, I see the same wit in you sister!

I also have adopted siblings, both black. My non-biological father is Italian with a fairly dark complexion. My five biological siblings all pretty much look like my mom and so people assume that the ‘dark ones’ all belong together. It’s pretty funny to hear that most people think blacks and Italians look alike. But we are a family! You gotta love it!

Malea said...

I'm adopted. My sister and I say that she looks like her dad, and I look like my mom. Here's a song clip from the song "Sisters" that I think of often:

All kinds of weather, we stick together
The same in the rain and sun
Two different faces, but in tight places
We think and we act as one

Mary said...

My neighbor adopted an African-American baby 3 years ago. Imagine the looks she got when she was nursing him!

Unknown said...

Oh she is your sister!!! She has that familial quick whit.... I love it.
Great story

Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

your sister has the same sense of humor you do! I love it!

Hope said...

My Uncle married my Japanese/American (she doesn't speak a word of Japanese. I have known her my whole life. I was dating a Japanese/American guy, and he met my Aunt and Uncle and when we were walking away he says, "So you are related?" and I said "Oh, my aunt and my mom are sisters". I am full blown caucasian and he didn't buy it. So I had to tell him it was my mom's brother. I never looked at them as an "inter racial" couple, ever.

Hope said...

I have a Japanese/American Aunt, I forgot to type that. My 7 year old was asking me a question.

Beth said...

Great comeback!

My brother was adopted. For some reason, my sister and I were always so jealous about that.

Esther said...

Priceless. LOL!

Maree said...

LOVE IT! I can tell that she must share your sense of humor. That was a great retort. I'd love to be that fast thinking!

Dolly said...

My sister and I are adopted also. We have six "white" brothers and one "blond" sister. She use to tell her teacher at school, that she was half-white and half Eskimo (just like her sisters!). The teacher called home to ask my mom-ha! :)

Mindy and Lola said...

Thats funny... I went to my cousins out of town wedding with my older brother and 3 month old. During one of the many gatherings someone assumed he was my husband. Needless to say he has been my second husband ever since! lol!

Anonymous said...

That is TOO funny. Great comeback! We have a lot of adopted members in our family and we certainly get baffled looks from strangers. LOL.