Come In Close For This

Did you know that I actually have like seven kids?

My four boys.

Lila's three kids.

That equals seven.

Did you know that they don't all have the same skin color?

Did you think I cared?

Did you think that any of them even notice?

They don't. And, frankly, neither should you.

Come in close for this, Friends.

I am going to tell you of a couple of incidents that made Mama Lila and Mama Heidi not so happy.

Lila was at the store with her three and Colton. 

A man walked up to my Colton and asked him if he was okay because he was with black people.

Colton didn't even understand the question.

At all.

Why on this planet earth would anyone feel that this was even an appropriate question?!?!

Ja'Mari and Mia grabbed him and told him, "It's okay, we are still family."

WARNING: Language

Lila said to the person, "Listen, Fucker. Don't ever come up on my kid like that again."

The person said, "YOUR kid?"
She said, "That's right. MY kid. You can either walk away or I can meet you in the parking lot."

It never matters where I am when I have all of the kids, people ALWAYS find it appropriate and necessary to make some sort of comment. 

"Are they ALL yours?"

Yup.

"ALL of them??"

"YES ALL of them."

Listen, Friends.

There is NEVER a reason to ask these questions.

I have raised my children to be color blind. 

They see no difference between them and anyone else.

When the kids get out of the car in the morning, they all get told that I love them and I always hear from ALL of them, "Love you Mom."

We are all in this together. 

So, stop it.

Bring on the LOOOOOVE

Valentines is a tough holiday. You never know quite how to feel or quite what to say to people. For most of my life, I have hated Valentines Day... with a passion. I hated handing out Valentines in school, I hated that I never once got asked to a Valentines dance or prom, I hated that everyone seemed to get a Valentine... everyone but me... the list goes on and on. But, I LOVE getting Valentines from my kids and for my kids! Braxton woke me up today, wrapped his arms around me and said, "Happy Valentines Day Mama. I love you more than anything." Done. I'm sold. Is that not the best? It is. For those who are divorced, single, widowed, married but miserable, married but lonely, single and lonely, or just plain sad - remember that Valentines isn't just about being someone's Valentine. It's about love, and everyone is loved. Everyone. Remember to take a moment to ask Heavenly Father to be able to feel His love. It's there. I set up a Valentines gift for my kiddos this morning. They'll take their Valentines to school today and pass them out, and they'll come home all sugared up with lots of candy. Jackson will give his sweet "girlfriend" a ridiculously huge teddy bear with a candy bar. He'll have butterflies in his tummy. My sweet dad will give my sweet step-mom flowers. My mom's boyfriend will give her something special. The day will go on and then tomorrow it will be over. Just remember that YOU are loved just as much as the next person.