Sunglasses

I know I've posted this before, but I tend to be repetitive sometimes :) and I just can't stop thinking about it:  SUNGLASSES...

 

After the rains ended, we ventured out to the same parks again to get exercise and give Emily another chance to be outside (which is all she ever wants), and we were literally swarmed by people trying to see her, touch her -  or her hair, or take a picture with her.  At one point, I counted 15 people in a circle around us as some girls were hovering around Emily's stroller.  Few people speak English here, but they know enough English to say "beautiful baby" or to say "picture please."  (A few even asked us to be in pictures with them, prompting us to wonder where we might now be posted and whether we're tagged in some way like "gross sweaty Americans").  Many people see her and yell out "hello baby!" and give her huge smiles or try to offer her food or candy.  I have never been a person who stands out enough to warrant stares, so this is really overwhelming.  Totally blatant staring and mouths open and awestruck looks and pointing and gesturing at us and at Emily as she rolls by in the stroller or in my arms -- IF the sunglasses are on.  But, if she takes them off (which she sometimes does), then it's just stares.  No pictures.  No comments about her being so cute or beautiful.  No effort to touch her.  No smiles and waves.  A few people will give us nice looks to convey that they think we must be kind people to adopt an orphan.  Others look/stare in a negative way.  I just cannot get over the fact that her wearing sunglasses means the difference between being swarmed by people calling her a "beautiful baby" or being an outcast. 

 

I just see total preciousness either way and a little girl entirely deserving of love.