Is she adopted? The little girl has to be yours!

Scott, Cecilia and I just returned from 3 days in St. Louis. Scott and I were invited there to attend Purina Feeds, VIP tour. I had FF miles so booked Cecilia a flight as well. Cecilia is a typical 3 year old. She was wildly busy, sometime bratty but in general, a very engaging and talkative little girl. We were the only people with a young child so I was very self conscience about how she was "behaving." Many people approached us with comments and questions.

A waitress we had at dinner said, "I know this is a very personal question and you dont have to feel obligated to answer, but did you adopt your little girl?" Turns out she was adopted, too and always like to see families that adopt. She had a wonderful experience. Her blond hair, blue eyed parents adopted her at 17 months. She is bi-racial and recounted all the rude comments people have made to them over the years. A black women who was sure they abducted her. The white kids on the school bus who called her "nigger-baby" and that her mother was a "nigger-lover" (she had no idea what a nigger was). She would also like to adopt because of "what her parents did for her." I wanted to tell her it isn't what her parents did for her... it is what she did for them.

One woman came over and showed me a picture of her granddaughter who she thought looked just like Cecilia. Turns out they were missionaries in Honduras and her daughter married a Honduran man. A man asked me at the ball game... Where did you adopt her from? Turns out his 5 year old daughter was also adopted from Guatemala. A man at lunch yesterday stumped me with "Is she an orphan?" I started to say yes, but then thought about it. Isnt an orphan someone who parents are deceased? Then we got into a conversation about the surrounding issues of her adoption. What is people's business? What a'int?

In general, I have gotten so much better at dealing with inquiries about Cecilia. We are very honest about her being adopted. I never want it to be a source of shame. She is now starting to talk about "When I was in Guatemala..." and by the way, she says Guatemala PERFECTLY!

The other day at a picnic, a few people were watching Cecilia in her flutter of activity. One of them approached me and said, "Is she yours?" I said, "Yep." He replied, "I knew it! With those dark brown eyes and dark hair, I knew she had to belong to you." I almost told them she was adopted but stopped and thought... of course she has my eyes and hair... she does!