The Filling of a Clean and Quiet House - Malibu Barbie

Over the past ten years, my parents have adopted six children. Every week, I'm going to try and introduce you to one of my siblings. Last week we met Thor, and I promised to introduce you to Malibu Barbie.

Malibu Barbie and her biological sister Hello Kitty came to live with our family in October of 2000. Malibu Barbie had just turned two. Unlike Thor, the girls had lived with their biological mother for a time before being removed by social services and didn't come straight to our house but instead went to a different foster home.

On the day they arrived, I came home from classes and asked if social services had dropped off the new girls yet, and my parents said yes, they had. They were in the TV room. I opened the door, realized that social services had brought boys instead of girls but couldn't stay too long with them because the smell of soap was overwhelming. It burned the eyes even.

As it turned out, the previous foster home was a very poor family of three. They couldn't afford to buy new clothes for the girls, so they had dressed them in their 8 year old son's hand-me-downs. Also, the son was the only one in the home who could speak English. As for the soap smell, the best we can figure is that they washed the girls hair with soap so they wouldn't smell bad when social services moved them.

Malibu Barbie and her sister lived with us for a little over a year and then they went home to live with their biological mom. That's how foster care is supposed to work. Kids are supposed to eventually go home with their parents. However, it rarely seems to happen.

After a month of being home with their mom, Malibu Barbie's mother called my mother and said she couldn't do it. She couldn't take care of her girls, and she felt they would have a better life if my parents adopted them. Would my mother promise to take them in and raise them if she signed over her parental rights?

In July of 2002, a month shy of her fourth birthday Malibu Barbie officially joined our family. This is her with our grandparents at the after-adoption party.

Are you are curious as to why an eleven year old could earn a title like Malibu Barbie? It's because she is pretty, well-meaning, oblivious and air-headed. Seriously, she could walk into a wall while looking right at it. She's currently sporting a cast on her leg because she went swimming and thought it would be fun to jump off a bridge. Result: broken ankle.

Even for all her foolishness, her heart is so very willing to do good. Even as a two year old child, when she first came to my parents house, she would pass her food to her sister. Why? Because it had been her experience that there wouldn't be enough food to go around so she made sure her sister had enough first.

Malibu Barbie has been living with our family for nine years, and it is that sweetness and goodness of heart that gives us the hope that she'll survive her own obliviousness and make it to adulthood, because what a beautiful adult she'll be. Don't you think?

Shall me make this official? Internet buddies, Malibu Barbie. Malibue Barbie, Internet buddies. (she's super excited to met you. Will you sign her cast?)

Next week we'll officially meet Hello Kitty.