Here is what happened at the park last night

I have this thing about kids.  I care a lot about them - about everyone of them.  I love them dearly and I pray for them every single night and many times throughout the day.  I pray for the kids I know and the kids I don't know and the orphans all over the world and the kids in sex trafficking in many countries and the kids who don't have parents that love them - that are abused or neglected.

I pray and I pray and I know that is the best thing I can do but sometimes I have to go further.  You see when I literally see something in front of me I can't get it out of my mind.  If I hear a story of abuse and neglect it literally haunts me.  It is why I want to foster to adopt or just adopt.

Now you know the background, here is what happened last night.

We went to the park for my dad's birthday.  We were going to have desserts and play and take a walk.  But when we got there another family was at picnic table a little ways away from us.

It started with the woman screaming at a man.  Then the man screamed back at her things like, "Go cry you big baby.  Let me see the tears.  Just go away and cry."  This was a grown woman mind you.  He just kept yelling at her.  She was concerned her baby had been in his car seat much of the day because she had been at work.

She walked away to watch her other kids play.  She had a 3 and 5 year old.  I decided to engage her in conversation and I just started by saying, "Are you okay?"  She then told me she had a long day at work and her dad made them all come to the park.  I asked her if her dad lived with her.  She said he did not but he butted into her marriage all the time. 


Anyway my husband played frisbee with her son and we talked with her for a little while just being nice. I have this tactic when things like this go on - because I just fear they are going to start beating their children in front of us.  So I just stare them down.  I know its not a good tactic but I can't help it.  I need to know they are going to be okay even though I know I can't know that.

So I did that.  I stared at him while he was yelling.  Once the little girl fell off the bench of the table and hit her head and she started crying and they all just sat their and kept eating and I got up to walk over there and my husband stopped me.

Meanwhile the "grandpa" of these kids just kept yelling at them and telling them they couldn't play anymore and he just kept yelling and yelling and yelling.

Well, before they left the kids ran to play some more.  I thought they had permission but apparently not because he (the grandpa mind you not the parents) came over and spanked them right in front of us.  He spanked the boy several times and I saw the little girl up there and knew she was next, so of course I walked over there because yes I was going to stop him, but by the time I got over there he only spanked her once.  So I walked back and inside I was furious and I knew I was going to say something.

I waited and debated but I couldn't stop myself.  As they were getting in the car I walked up to them.  I told him that he was being really mean and that he shouldn't yell so much at the kids.  He said, "You want me to get my belt out and use that on them?"  He then said they wouldn't listen to him.

I told him NO!  I knew they they need discipline but they don't need screamed at.

He told me it was none of my business.  I then pointed to my table and said, "The whole park can hear you.  Our table is right there and you made it my business."

There was some other things said and he did call me Lady at least.  I ended with telling he that he did not need to be so harsh.

As they were pulling away the daughter was waving at me.   I think she wanted to hug me.  I definitely wanted to hug her.

And now I just pray for them.  My brother was there and he told me he thought that was awesome.  My husband (who is very used to me confronting people) told me I needed to think about not doing that again because if they would have tried to hit me then he would have had to come over there and hit them and then he would probably have to go to jail.

So yep, I need to think about that.  This is honestly why I try to avoid situations like this - meaning going out into public because I know its everywhere and I can't stop myself from saying something.  I try to be nice but I know at some point I will probably get shot and then my kids would be motherless.

I'm praying about what I should do but I can't just walk away.  I just can't do that.

Which is why I confronted some stranger at the park last night.