The strangest conversation...

As I was leaving Costco today with Paige in tow I stopped to answer my phone. When I hung up a lady sitting there asked if she was my daughter or if she was adopted. I answered that she was my daughter and yes she was adopted. I was already a little bit bugged by this lady but I gave her the benefit of the doubt and allowed the conversation to continue. She mentioned that she had been to an agency to talk about adoption and that she couldn't believe how much it cost! Yes it is expensive. What she said next was what really floored me though. "Wow! Is that ever a money maker for the government! They are making money and then on top of it sending their children here for us to raise!" I am not a quick thinker and just stood there speechless. I'm glad that I did because she continued to tell me that they had lost a child to cancer four years ago and she really wanted to adopt. I had to assume she is just very uneducated about adoption, and went ahead and attempted to educate her a little about different options available. In the end I walked away though just shaking my head and kicking myself at the same time. Many people don't get it, but I sure hope before they actually adopt that they get a little information. I was kicking myself a bit too though because it was another reminder that I am still not prepared for these encounters. It needs to be my number one priority to protect Paige from comments that are negative and secondly I need to set an example for all my children as to how to reply. Guess I'd better get practicing!