Conversations and thoughts swimming in my head

Today I decided, based on a request to go to Lifeway, to take all of the kids out for a few errands today.

I had two shockingly similar conversations today.

Convo 1 – At Lifeway

Your kids are very well behaved, do you run a day care?
They are all mine.
You are very blessed!
Thank you!
What do you do in your free time?
I take care of these guys.
I bet you don’t have much free time.
They do keep me pretty busy.
Thank you for coming today. Have a wonderful day.
Thank you, say bye everyone.

Convo 2 – At Kohl’s

Do you run a day care?
No, they are all mine
You are very blessed.
Thank you!
You have your hands full, how many children do you have?
8
I bet they keep you busy
They do
Are you a foster home?
They are adopted
Oh, that’s wonderful. Do you go do church.
We do
Where do you attend
Topeka Gospel Chapel
That’s great. Thank you for coming in today
You have a wonderful day.
You too, come back again.

It blesses my heart to have conversations with people about my children, but it always makes me wonder why people always assume that they actually belong to someone else. I realize they have different skin color than I do, but really how many day cares actually take 8 children to the store? I know that I would not be brave enough to take 8 children who don’t belong to me to the store… and to expect them to behave!

My children behave in the store because I expect them to, and they know there will be consequences if they don’t. I love knowing that I can go out with a 5 year old, two 4 year olds, a 3 year old and an 18 month old, with the help of my older children and not have any problems.

I just wish my children could 100% be recognized as mine… and now that those words have escaped my finger… I’m realizing I’m wrong… my children are God’s, and He has given them to me for a time… but selfishly, I want that authority to be recognized and not questioned. This is a dream that will probably never be a reality until we all reach Glory.