To look at our son, you wouldn't think he was ours: he is dark-skinned with huge, obsidian eyes and a shock of thick, wavy blue-black hair; however, Krithi Rama is much our child as are our other two children, Taborah Giselle and Brighton Rene'.

We adopted Krithi when he was six months old. He came to us from faraway India, a scared, malnourished orphan who didn't have a family--or a home--until we came to his rescue.

He's been with us ever since. Krithi is now four years old. He's matured from a scared infant to a loveable little preschooler who loves all that life has to offer.

It seems funny now, but it seems that he's been with us forever.

Somehow we can't imagine our family without Krithi: he's made a huge mark upon our hearts, and he's very much loved by us, his parents (Jeb and Kathy) and his big sisters.

Krithi is our second adopted child. Our daughter Taborah came to us from Israel when she was six. She's now eight, a very well-adjusted, happy little third-grader who's doing extremely well in school.

Of course, at first, Brighton, our "home-grown" child, was intensely jealous; as she got used to having two new siblings in her life, love soon took over, and now she enjoys playing with them, showing them the joys of childhood, being a protective big sister to them.

Due to his upbringing, Krithi does have some developmental delays. He's learning to talk more in English, and he's been receiving therapy; he has some mild cerebral palsy that's affected his ability to speak clearly.

He is in a preschool-age therapy program to help with balance and to sharpen his social, developmental skills. So far it seems to be helping wonders: he's nearly right on target with his peers, when a year and a half ago, he could barely sit up, let alone, say one word.

It's been nothing short of incredible. Krithi is exceedingly bright; we feel he may be gifted somehow. Even with his delays, he knows his colors, his animals, who his family members are. He loves therapy: he sees it as a new opportunity to play; he doesn't see it as work.

We plan on enrolling our son in kindergarten come fall time. Of course, there will be questions regarding his looks, his heritage; we are more than ready to explain to others about his adoption, his early life with us, how blessed we are to have Krithi in our lives. We are not embarrassed by his "dark looks"; he is our son, and that should be the thing that people see first.

People should learn to overlook his disabilities, see the happy, joyful little boy we see every day. He is a little ham; nothing daunts him; he is one of the most fearless little guys we have ever known!

All families should have a Krithi in their lives; I know our Krithi has been nothing but a miracle to our family!!