The Looks

  One of my favorite...and sometimes least favorite things about having a seven year old is the looks people give. We receive all kinds of them. Most of the looks start after we are called mom and dad. These are some of the obvious.
•Look 1: "They don't look old enough to have a seven year old."
•Look 2: "They must be older than they look."
•Look 3: "They had to have that kid when they were 14."
•Look 4: "That's a young family."
•Look 5: "They must be siblings."
  Honestly, I have a love/hate relationship with these looks. I love the looks that make people question because it gives me a chance to explain what led us to foster/adoption. It gives me a window to share about what God is doing in our lives. I love the looks because it's a reminder to me of how this is totally a God thing. When people don't understand or can't rationalize in their head "why or what" God tends to receive more glory.
  I also love the looks because it humors me. It humors me to watch people torment themselves trying to guess the age we are now or the age we were when we had him. It humors me because people get themselves in a tiz because they don't know what is going on.
  But on some days, it doesn't humor me and I don't love those looks. The looks don't humor me on a day that starts with forgetting his backpack and having to turn around, then stressing at work, then getting home to find the meat you planed on cooking still frozen and having to get back out to go get something for dinner which makes the bedtime routine start a little later.

  On a day like this, the last thing I want to do is explain why I'm 20 and have a seven year old. On a day like this, I want to blurt out "It's really none of your concern.", "I'm 31!" or "I had him when I was 13. We are living off of your tax dollars and I don't have a job." I always end up saying the nice one...and as soon as I do, the bad day kind of slips away and I'm reminded of how blessed I am. I also gain some relief in telling them so they don't have to worry themselves to death.

  Some people are more than "lookers." We have had several people brave enough to actually ask us how old we are. We haven't had anyone ask rudely so I have grown a respect for these people. They are usually the ones who respond with "That is so awesome!"
  The looks and questions are something we knew we would get and for the most part, they are kind of fun. And now that it's been about two months, we hardly notice. And when we do..we just smile. :)

-Makayla

This is M posing like a manikin in the mall.