Once and For All ...

Inspired by a conversation Ari had today ... and an ensuing convo on Facebook ... I want to address once and for all questions we get asked on a regular basis by strangers (yes strangers) at parks, malls, grocery stores, what have you, when we're out with the boys.

• Yes they are darker than us.
  
• And no (when one of us is out alone with them), my husband (or Ari's wife) is not black - they were adopted.
• No, it wasn't our choice, we are infertile, so ...
• No, we can't have 'biological' children, although
• Yes, we do have kids of our own. you're looking at them.
• Yes, they are 'real brothers'. They are also biological brothers.
  
• I will not tell you the story of their bio parents other than 'they made the right call' - that's not my story to share, even if I thought you were entitled to it.
• They were adopted from Canada ...
• Through the public system, and
• No, it did not take forever.
• And might I add, on behalf of all parents in general and adoptive parents specifically ...
• That the simple fact of me having children does not entitle you to my life story, but since we're going there -
• Why is your three year old still drinking out of a baby bottle,
• Or five year old still sucking on a pacifier?
• Why aren't you breast feeding?
• Yeah ... we are a family, just as real as yours, we're doing just fine, and we are now moving on. Thank you.

End rant.