Sometimes You Just Have to Laugh

When you are a foster parent and well, for me now...as an adoptive parent...there are often times when you have the opportunity to experience life differently. Let's just say that life is rarely boring and I'm ok with that.

I learned an important lesson from a good friend and fellow foster mom...there are times when it is vitally important to portray to a child that "Things are the way they are and it is ok...this is the way we do life and there is nothing wrong with it."

That is what we embraced again today as we headed off for a visit at the adult detention center.

I chuckled to myself as I informed the mom sitting next to me about how these things work....setting up the phone account...what you can and cannot bring into the visits...why this location was better than the other, etc. 

We were somewhere new, but I had done my research and had previous experience. Who knew I would become an expert in jail visitation? Not I.

And Anthony? He's asking more questions, but all in all...he talks about this as if it is normal because 'it is what it is.' We care about his birth mom very much and want him to know and feel that.

So we go...and we sit and wait. We aren't allowed to take anything in with us so we practice all of the games we can think of that don't involve any materials:

I Spy
Thumb War
Alphabet Game

And a host of other random games that Anthony did an AMAZING job implementing during the visit. Did I mention you are allowed to bring your ID? There was a time in the visit when my little man was getting bored so I broke out my driver's license and we took turns blowing it across the table. Talk about being forced to think outside the box!

Anyway...let me get to the funny part. We met up with Lee and David for dinner after the visit. At the end of our meal, David comes over to give me a hug, but Anthony intercepts him and tries to steal his turn first. David loudly announces, "Anthony, that's not fair. You were with mommy all day at the jail and I didn't see her so I need a turn for a hug."

I turned to see these older ladies sitting next to us....boy did they give ME a stare!

I waited until we left the restaurant before I started cracking up.

Sometimes you just have to laugh.