Jessica Satterfield and her husband are raising three adopted children. The kids may not look like the parents, but Jessica explains why they’re just like any other family but also how they celebrate their differences.

It’s common for Jessica to forget that her children are adopted.

In fact, she’s sometimes surprised when she notices that she looks different than her three children. For instance, it happens when she glances in the mirror as she puts her kids to bed.

“My family doesn’t look like most. I am a white mama to three beautiful brown children.” – Jessica Satterfield.

But the people that encounter Jessica and the rest of the family always remind them that they’re different. Whenever they go to stores, restaurants or the movies, others gawk at them.

Jessica can’t do much to stop the staring. And sometimes, she can tell that people are small-minded, but at other times, she has been pleasantly surprised.

For instance, in the summer of 2019, the family was eating at a restaurant when Jessica noticed that an elderly man was staring at them. She started to get annoyed. And then the man walked up to them. Jessica braced herself for some harsh words. Bust instead, the man shook Jessica’s husband’s hand and said, “I just wanted to tell you that you have such a beautiful family.”

Luckily, most of her family’s interactions with others have been positive.

Jessica has also learned to hate the saying “love is colorblind.” Instead, thanks to her atypical family, she has realized that “love is celebrating diversity, honoring our differences, and respecting our uniqueness.”

The family’s celebration of diversity stretches to every aspect of their lives.

For example, they keep band-aids for every skin color, and their children’s books celebrate adoption and cultural diversity.

But Jessica is teaching her kids the importance of diversity for more than just their own sakes.

She knows that as they grow, they will encounter situations where others will respond negatively to their unique family. But if the children are taught why being in a family that looks a little different is fine, she knows that they will be able to educate others.

Jessica has already seen her children respond well to other children’s questions.

She once saw a little boy approach one of her children and ask, “Why is your mom white and you’re brown.” The son responded by saying, “Families don’t have to match to be a family. What makes a family is their love.”

Of course, there is still racism in the world. While America has made great leaps forward over the past 50 years, things are not equal. And Jessica is more than aware of this. But she is optimistic and also knows that most people are good at heart and would not judge her children based on the color of their skin.

Jessica’s story shows that there is no such thing as a typical family.

Every single-family is made up of unique individuals. It doesn’t matter if a family looks different on the outside. What is more important than anything is that they give each other love and support. Anybody would be lucky to be a part of a family that celebrates each person’s differences while also teaching the importance of togetherness.

If only everyone was as forward-thinking as Jessica and her family.

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Source: Inspiremore