Living the Dream…

On Friday, I took the kids to the King Center downtown…mixing it up a little bit–because you can do that when you are the teacher:). (When you are the teacher–you can also declare NO HOMEWORK…afternoons reserved for family basketball HORSE games and such too…we have a strict NO HOMEWORK policy at our house…one of the many advantages of homeschool I’ll say!) Here’s our little Friday field trip…

I was a little nervous about this–because with our community that we do life with…my older two seriously think that every family adopts, has siblings that all look different and this is just the way it is and probably has always been. Although we’ve talked to them here and there about American history–in school we’ve been doing ancient history. They (especially my oldest little guy) were in a bit of shock hearing how it truly was–especially in the South when their Nana and Papa were children. The King Center is truly set up well–and the way many of their things cater to children is so cool. (AND–it’s absolutely free to visit!)

And THEN…came a little short video playing out the fight for freedom for African Americans in our nation…

There were a few images in the video that were hard to see–and because of my littles ages I often shelter them from much–but those few images I felt I couldn’t exactly cover their eyes up in good conscience. Martin Luther King Jr.’s children saw so much worse IN PERSON…and they lost their father for the sake of freedom–my kids needed to see and understand that the freedoms we now have in order to be a transracial family came at a price.

Parker asked “Mom, are you telling me that people might have not liked us having a brother with brown skin back when Nana and Papa were little? THAT’S CRAZY!”

It is true. Things have changed–but being just 50 years ago–there are still things that need to change. Go into the smaller towns of South Georgia–hear the music stop when we walk into the grocery…while African Americans are completely welcome there–transracial families they aren’t so sure about…and you do get stares. We are so used to life in the city where transracial families are every where…very thankful for this normal for sure.

Parker and Laney got to pretend they were on a Freedom walk at the museum…

Then we headed over to the burial site and memorial…

We went to the church where Dr.King preached–and just sat taking it all in…

Standing there in the place where Martin Luther King Jr. preached at Ebenezar Baptist–this mom just had to smile. He had a dream that white kids and black kids would hold hands and being to see each other as brothers and sisters. You know he has to be smiling in heaven seeing actual brothers and sisters holding hands of all color–who can’t imagine life any other way…who judge one another by the content of their character rather than by the color of their skin–and who think the thought of anything different is absolutely crazy. He was preaching this as a DREAM–DREAMING BIG…wonder what he would have said if you told him in 50 years families with children of all colors would be coming through his church to learn about him and honor his life and fight for freedom. I think it’s really cool when you think about it!!!

THEN…we decided to just make a day of it and go to the home he grew up in…

Last but not least–we went to the gift shop that helps keep all of these tours and museums FREE. (If you visit Atlanta ever–you must stop here…it is so inspirational!) We totally made up for the free part with a set of magnetic African American doll dress up kit, children’s books, bracelets and some of the little toys that kids played with in Martin’s childhood days. We are suckers when it comes to gift shops on field trips:).

THAT was our FRIDAY!

I still have to catch up from Saturday…an action packed day!!! We had 2 soccer games back to back–went to a pumpkin patch–went on a hayride–went to a corn maze…

And THEN…we drove to the airport (actually sped to the airport from North Georgia!) to see TETIANA come home with her forever family!!! MORE pics to come with that. BUT until then here is a pretty amazing pic to hold you over. They walked out–and I was holding the kids back to give them a moment…but Isaac got too excited and broke free! I love that he insisted on being the first one to greet her. It was a moment we’ll all never forget!

Here’s a sneak peak…(normally kids coming home are so nervous and timid at the airport because they no NO ONE waiting on them here…but this girl–she was praising the Lord and overcome with such emotion as she arrived…SUCH a sweet moment!)

Her forever family–(with 2 big brothers to look after her!)…

SUCH a sweet weekend!!!