Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Our little oddball

Being a family who has adopted, I was prepared to hear some interesting comments when we are in public. I figured it was inevitable. 

But what I didn't expect was the type of comments we're getting lately. Instead of hearing about our differences, the remarks are actually about our similarities.

A few days ago, all four of us were shopping when a store employee noticed the kids. "What big, brown eyes," he said of Luke. 

Then Clara came bounding over. "Oh, I know where she gets it from too!" he said, looking at me. "They could be twins!"


Okay, that last line might have put it over the top (although they both do have dark eyes!), but I just had to chuckle. 

Strangers just assume she takes after her Mama. And I'm flattered.


Then, yesterday, the babies and I were checking out at another store and the cashier couldn't get over Luke's hair (which is a topic for another time - people are SO excited/curious/interested in Luke's red hair!). 

After asking me several questions about it for a couple of minutes, and holding up the line, she finally says (as she motions to Clara), "Well she obviously gets her hair from you, but this guy... he's the little oddball! It's good to be different, though!"


Yes, it is. 

My hope and prayer is that our kids never get hung up on any of it - whether people point out our differences or our similarities. I hope they can take it all in stride. I hope we can joke about it and poke fun at ourselves. I hope Clara thinks nothing of someone saying how much Luke looks like me. And I hope Luke won't feel too left out with his red hair.

It's good to be different. And similar. And everything in between.

Our sweet little "oddball." I think we'll keep him ;)

Although if he's going to be fiery - like everyone's warning me comes with the color - then I'm in for it.

9 comments:

Kerry said...

That's the most hilarious thing....twins! Hahahahahah

barbie said...

twins! that's funny! i LOVE Luke's hair! I always wanted red hair, all my barbies had red hair etc..so I'm jealous! Funny thing is I do find Clara looks like you, amazing. :)

All in His Perfect Timing said...

Luke's toothy grin ... I love it!!!
Two of my three younger siblings had red, super-curly hair, which changed over time into blondish-brown. Who knows what will happen!

LifeHopes said...

I LOVE those teeth!!!!!!!
Great post!

andnotbysight said...

We got the "twins" comment a couple of times this summer--usually when the kids were wearing floppy hats. I thought it was hilarious!

Ryane said...

Such cute pics! I love that one of Luke smiling.

Anonymous said...

Ezra's hair is red too (he and Lukie are twins)! And I do have to answer queries on it from EVERYONE. Where did the red hair come from? My husband has an adopted cousin with red hair. I wonder if his mom had to answer all those questions and if it drove her crazy.
Love that they look like twins! I was visiting a friend who has a biracial (black-white) baby Ezra's age. We had them in the stroller together and an African American woman asked if they were twins! Hilarious! They did have the same chubby cheeks, button nose, cute lil' baby head. But the skin tone was a bit different. I LOVE that skin tone is apparently not what people notice first a lot of the time.

Karey said...

Thanks for your comments everyone!

Babydistrict - That's a great point! People never seem to notice C's different skin tone. Or at least it doesn't stop them from from thinking her and L (who is so white he's nearly transparent) are bio related.

We need to get our red-headed almost-birthday twins together some day!

Anonymous said...

yes! Also, no one has said anything to me about Ezra having a fiery red-headed personality. I actually thought that was because people only say that about girls (sexist!). But maybe his hair is not read enough to qualify for the red-headed stereotype...?