Madeline's Protest

We were getting ready for an appointment this morning when I noticed Madeline, all of 4 ½ years old, moving her guitar and keyboard into her sister’s room (not yet adopted from China but we are anxiously waiting). Madeline is very eager to be a big sister and is frustrated that the adoption has been taking so long. In fact, on a side note, she is already planning and praying for the adoption of her brother. Well I was busy getting both of us ready and asked her what she was doing, without really listening for a response. When she came into the bathroom to brush her teeth I said to her so you are having a party in your sister’s room? And she said, “no, I’m having a protest.” Thinking she had the word wrong I again said, you mean a party? And again she said, “no I’m having a protest that china is taking so long!” I then asked her if she knew what protest meant and she quickly and with confidence replied, “it is when you are mad and you want people to listen to you”