I couldn't even imagine

I know there are children out there who have had little to nothing in their lives, but I always hate to hear such sad stories. Today Natalie went to a birthday party of a little boy in her class. He'll be 9 on Tuesday and in 9 years this was the first birthday party he's ever had. And it was a bowling party to boot. You see just five months ago this wonderful woman and her husband became foster parents to two little boys both the same ages as my girls. As a matter of fact they are all extremely close in age. Natalie's birthday is just 14 days after her friend's birthday and Kaitlyn's birthday is just 11 days before this boys little brother's 6th birthday. These boys have had such a rough life to start out with. Seeing my own two who are the same ages as these boys I just can't imagine how these parents could never have done anything like throwing a birthday party for their little boys. These boys have experienced nothing in their lives. Nothing good anyways. Thank God there are people in this world who truly care for children and can open their homes to them. This wonderful woman and her husband are trying to adopt these two boys. The stories that I've heard about these boys parents has me wondering how anyone could possibly ever think that these little boys would actually benefit from having any sort of relationship with their birth parents. Both parents are in jail and they actually have to bring the boys to jail to visit their parents. What a thing for a 9 and 6 year old to have to experience. I'm so glad that Natalie is sensitive and caring enough to reach out to this little boy and be his friend. She was the only one from her class to show up at his birthday party. She really likes this little boy and I really think it's wonderful that she can see that he's a good kid despite some of his behavior. He does have behavioral issues understandably. Natalie tries to help him to behave better though and I think she really looks out for him. So I'm proud of her for not caring what her friends might think about her being friends with him.

We stayed at the bowling alley to bowl ourselves during the party. During the middle of our second game they actually moved us to a lane closer to the party. We were able to see the little boy open the gift that Natalie got him (a remote control car) and the look on his face was so worth it. A remote control car made this little boys day. How awesome is that? I can't tell you how many children's birthday parties I have been to where the kids are just tearing through the presents and barely look at what they got. I must admit my own children are like that. Spoiled as they are. So it's rare to see this kind of reaction to a gift. I hope the rest of this little boys birthdays are as wonderful as this very first birthday celebration has been for him. Such a shame that it took this long to have this special feeling on his special day.