"I miss my China momma."

On the way to school this morning, the girls and I had this conversation:

Shea:  I miss my China momma.

Me:  Really?  I am sure you do.  I am so sorry.

Shea:  Well, I am not sure I miss her.....I just think about her....a lot.

Me:  Of course.  Whatcha thinking?

Shea:  Not sure.

Me:  When you think about your first momma, maybe you can pray for her also.

Shea:  Pray for what?

Me:   mmmmmm, pray that Jesus is watching over her.  Keeping her safe and protected.

Shea:  Safe and protected from what?

Me:   (Now I'm thinking.....I should not have said that.)  Just safe and protected, like how I pray that Jesus    
         keeps you safe and protected as you go through your day.

Avery:  I miss my China momma, too!

Me:  I am sure you do, Sweetie.

Avery:  Where is she?

Me:  In China.

Avery:  What is she doing?

Me:  Not sure.

Avery:  Oh.

Shea:   I mean, I really miss my foster momma.  She is the one who took care of me.....before you.

Me:  Yep.  She did.

Shea:  She had to take really good care of me because of my cleft palate.

Me:  Yes, she is amazing.

Avery:  I miss my foster momma.

Me:  You didn't have one.  (insert smile and small giggle)  You lived in an orphanage until we adopted you.
        Nannies took care of you.

Shea:  You didn't have a foster mother because you didn't have a special need like me.

          Ummmm, pause.....not sure what to say here...

Shea:  But you are still special, Avery!

(Way to go, Shea!)

And then, our conversation ended.
Just ended.

I had tears in my eyes.

The girls.
They started singing with the radio........
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By the way, it's so true.....
The best, most important, serious, inspiring, conversations with your kids,
seems to occur in the car.....
on short trips to school, the store, the library, etc.
Usually, these talks are unexpected.
They always catch me by surprise.
I think I am getting better at navigating through them. (?)
Oh, these chats, are for the most part - brief.
But, so powerful.
They often render me reeling with lots of emotion and much reflecting.
My girls, well....
They seem to be so matter of fact.  So casual.  So.....natural to be asking these questions.
I guess this is their norm. (?)  This is their 'casual' every day regular stuff. (?)
Maybe on some days....
Today being one of them.

This is who they are.
Children with great loss.
Children who have several mothers.....important women in their lives.....past and present.
Children with the ability to accept and move on....for now.
Children who can still love freely.
Children who know they are greatly treasured and loved.
Children who can feel confident in expressing themselves.
My children.
My regular, every day children who have some not so regular, every day stuff to think about and deal with.
My children.
My amazing children.
My children who have the grace and dignity to embrace their past, enjoy their present, and wait as their future on folds.

What a future it will be!!!!