On Monday I went to a baby shower here at work. A co-worker of mine and his wife adopted a little special needs boy from New York. He's a little Chinese boy. This is the second special needs child they've adopted and I'm so tickled for their family. As we were sitting there oohing and aaahing over the baby another co-worker that had been invited to the baby shower stopped by to visit. Now he didn't know that James and Stephanie had adopted a little Chinese boy nor did he actually know that they had adopted. The invitation just stated that we were having a baby shower for James and Stephanie. So you see Gary look at baby Samuel and then look at James and Stephanie and then look at Samuel again. It was obvious that he was confused. So Danny (who has two children from Korea) leaned over and whispered in his ear that the baby was adopted. Gary responds and says oh I thought maybe he was one of Tina's kids. I know she has a couple of "rentals". Rentals! He called my kids rentals! The only thing I could do at the time was sort of laugh at him for his ignorance and turn around. After I left the shower it continued to eat at me that someone would call my kids "rentals". My kids nor anyone else's children are "rentals". They are a Blessing and a Gift from God! I consider myself to be blessed with four children and consider each of my children a Gift from God. Children are not rented, you do not purchase them or put them on a lease program. They are a life long commitment that each parent should take seriously no matter how they enter into your family. I've told a few people about this comment and several have stated how can someone be so ignorant. You wouldn't believe the stupid things an adoptive parent hears from time to time. But it is my job as a mom to educate others on the importance of thinking before you speak and understanding that a "child" is a "child" and that All Children are God's Children. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we become Children of the most High. He graphs us into His kingdom through adoption. What a great gift Christ has given us. Should we not in return open our homes and our hearts to the orphaned children of the world? God does not call us "rentals". He calls us "My children". Can you think of a greater gift?
Tina (Bless mother)
