Sucker Punch

A few days ago, I placed requests at the library for several books recommended to my by our adoption agency for transracial adoptions. I ran by the library yesterday to pick up the books. I walked over to the hold section, found my books, and headed to the checkout lane to have them scanned. I walked up to the open line and set my books down on the counter. I smiled and said hello to the dark skinned lady working the counter. She returned my smile and hello then scanned my first book, looked at the title (I'm Chocolate, You're Vanilla: Raising Healthy Black and Biracial Children in a Race-Conscious World), looked up at me, looked back at the title, raised her eyebrows at me, then set the book aside to scan the next book. She grabbed the next book, scanned it, looked at the title (Does Anybody Else Look Like Me? A Parent's Guide to Raising Multiracial Children), looked back up at me, raised her eyebrows at me, let out a sigh, and set the book aside to scan my final book (a fictional young adult book.) I don't know for sure what she was thinking, (and maybe I'm just being sensitive) but her looks at me seemed awfully loaded. I could feel the judgement rolling off of her and onto me. I hope that my face did not turn red, but I certainly felt the heat in the my cheeks. I didn't know whether to explain myself, cry, or start laughing uncomfortably. Until she gave me those loaded looks, I hadn't even thought about the chances my book choices would result in the first, of I'm sure many, experiences where I feel judged for choosing to adopt outside our race. I grabbed my books, exited the library, and quickly called my Sister-From-Another-Mister, Stephanie. She was quick to tell me not to hold onto any anger towards this woman. I know she's right. The responses we get from other people about our choices actually mean very little to me. I feel completely at peace knowing that God has chosen us to parent the baby He will bring to us, regardless of race, and that's the only thing that matters.

So, if you have an positive opinion about our choice and direction to growing our family, we really appreciate your support. If you have a negative opinion, I DO NOT CARE & YOUR OPINION DOES NOT MATTER.