They did what!?!? and "My mommy loves me."

Rough day yesterday. Blessing likes to take things that don't belong to her - especially from Ben.

I don't want to sound like a mom who justifies her child's bad behavior, but I do look at this as I would a four year old taking something rather than an eight year old taking something. Nevertheless, stealing is serious and needed to be addressed.

I really couldn't be sure that I was getting through to Blessing, because she went into the Liberian pout mode where she would neither look at me or respond to my questions.

I put her in time out in her room while I tried to figure out how to handle the situation.

Theo seemed very upset with Blessing and kept telling me that Blessing was very rude and that she acted like this at the foster home all the time. So, I thought maybe there might be a more familiar way to get through to Blessing and I asked Theo what the foster mothers at the home would do when Blessing behaved this way. His response:

"They would beat her."

I did not ask for details or clarification and I wonder if the horror showed on my face when I answered, "well, I am NOT going to beat her!"

I went in to talk to Blessing a little later and told her what Theo had said and asked her if it were true. She nodded affirmatively with big brown eyes. I hugged her and told her that I would never hurt her and that I loved her very much. We went and ate dinner and curled up on the couch to watch American Idol as a family. She fell asleep sucking her thumb and I carried her up to bed.

When I tucked her in she woke up a little. I kissed her goodnight and said, "Hey Blessing, Guess what?"

"My mommy loves me," she answered and closed her eyes.

Yes, my sweet girl Mommy does.