Open your Mouth

This is Joseph. I know, right? Basically I told his foster mom that she wasn't getting him back. He is the most delightful, happy child. We got to watch him for a few hours this weekend while his foster parents went to a training class.

I decided to run to CostCo so I took him and Mace. They were both darling the whole time. I mean, come on, free samples every 3 minutes soothe any child into retail submission. So CostCo was crazy busy, as it always is, and I stopped a moment in an aisle and slathered this gem of a child with kisses.

About five minutes later we were standing in front of Beverly. She was a spunky African-American woman handing out samples of red velvet cake. I know, right? She abruptly asks me, "Is this your child?" She was kind of abrasive so my first thought was, "Crap, this is his biological grandma or something. Here comes an ugly throw down."

I looked really confused because Mason is my child, Joseph isn't but when I have a foster child I consider them "mine" for all intense purposes. So, I'm thinking all this and she asks, "Is he yours or are you fostering him?"

I tell her I am fostering him.

And then the floodgates open..."Well, I just want to thank you for what you are doing. Because this is not my child but he is my race. And somebody needs to take care of this child and I thank you for doing it. I saw you over there kissing on him and I just want to thank you."

I actually got a little teary as I thanked her and told her it was our pleasure to do what we do. I moved on behind her so she could continue handing out her samples while I fed the boys.

About 45 seconds later she stopped serving people (and there was a long line, remember it's red velvet...) and turned around to face me with her cakey knife in her hand...

"I mean I just really appreciate you and I just want to thank you and praise you for what you are doing. Somebody needs to take care of these children!"

She was so gracious. I thanked her again for her kindness. We now had an audience of about 10 people listening to all this. I was getting embarrassed.

But I will say this. Parenting is often a thankless job. There are definitely rewarding moments, it seems they are often life events. It was wonderful to hear from a stranger their gratitude for what Carlos and I do. When you parent your own children you ARE great. But, for me, parenting a stranger's child feels very divine. It really feels like God's work... to love and care for a stranger I suppose. I know I need to feel this way about my own children too because they are all the same.

I was on cloud nine though because little miss Beverly opened her mouth to a stranger simply to say "thank you for you". It was something so small and simple but it cheered me through and through.