Thankful November, Day 30: You start where you are.

This is my last Thankful November Post. I am glad I tried the challenge, but there were days when I was a fish out of water, desperately flailing around, trying to find something to write. Today I have a lot to say, so please be patient- I will come back to gratitude.

This morning was a good morning. The girls were up in time, both in good moods, and dressed without any hassle. GB took care of Ellie, Hope started breakfast. When they were both done eating, Hope went to finish last night's HW and GB had a couple of more invitations to fill out. I was sitting between them. Hope needed continual help, because the HW was way beyond her current capabilities (but that is another post). GB said something about one of her classmates being adopted. Hope said, "He can't be adopted. He's white." GB looked at Hope like she was from another planet and repeated "He is adopted. He is white." Hope got the look*out*your*stupid look on her face and insistently said "Only brown kids get adopted". GB told her again "J is white and he was adopted." Hopes arms were crossed and her chin jutted out. I quickly sent GB to watch some TV before the bus. I helped Hope finish her HW and just as she was done, she looked at me and said "Only brown babies get adopted, because nobody wants them. White babies stay with their Mommys".  All I said to her was I wanted to adopt her, not just any baby, and it was time to go.

After the kids were one the bus, I came back in and realized today was easy. I am grateful that God has given me a chance to change this child's self image and broaden her knowledge base. It is my job to expose her to the many non-brown kids who have been adopted. I can't help wondering, though, where she got these ideas from.