My name is Colby Shane Bryant.  I am twelve years old.  I live in Naples, Florida, with my mom, dad, older sister Olivia (she's fourteen), and my two brothers, Richard (ten) and Travis (six).

We just got Travis; my mom and dad adopted him only a few months ago.  We are still getting used to having him around.  He's not a bad kid, as far as brothers go; however, he still doesn't speak English that good, and he seems much younger; at times he acts like a baby.

Travis looks different from us because for one thing he's Vietnamese.  He was born in a country called Vietnam.  Mom and dad adopted him because he needed a home, a family, he could call his own.  He was an orphan.  Nobody wanted him because he is handicapped.  He walks on crutches and wears braces on his legs.

He was very sad; at times he still is.  He can't get used to his new home here; it makes for some very stressful times, especially if he talks his Vietnamese talk.  We don't understand him; we often have to play guessing games as to what he wants.

Add the fact that he had a harelip (since fixed); he has speech problems, of which he goes to therapy.  He also has therapy for his legs.  It seems he's always going to the doctor's or therapy for one thing or another.

I sometimes get jealous because all the attention is focused on Travis instead of on me or my other brother and sister; I know right now it's necessary; however, I can't help wishing that we were the center of attention or that my parents should have never adopted Travis.

I wish we could go back to the way things were before Travis came because things didn't seem so confusing or hectic.

Now, I love my brother, don't get me wrong; however, Travis can be a pain in the butt sometimes, especially when he doesn't talk English.  It's very frustrating trying to figure out what he wants or what he's trying to say.

I just wonder what's going to happen come Saturday.  This will be the first time we've taken Travis out (other than to doctors or therapy); I wonder what he will do when the fireworks go off; I wonder if he will think they are bombs; they'll probably scare him halfway to death!

Well, I gotta run; my sister Olivia is up, and she sounds like she's picked off about something.  Pretty soon everyone else will be awake, too.  *sigh*  I can tell you this much:  life around the Bryant house is never dull, especially since Travis came!!

Bye for now; this is Colby Shane Bryant signing off!  I will write in here another time!

~Colby S. Bryant, age 12.