i made a man cry

we were on the flight home from ethiopia. somewhere during that 17 hours, levi needed {one of many} diaper changes.

there was ALWAYS a line for the bathroom?? but it was a good excuse to stand up. i didn't mind waiting.

i was standing there. holding him in my arms. waiting.

a clean-cut man gets in line behind me. not super young. not super old.

he starts talking to me. he was very kind. he mentions a wife at one point, so it wasn't "weird" or anything.

he begins to ask "the questions" that i've come very used to answering,

"how old is he?"
"where is he from?"
i mention lincoln is on the plane with my husband...that we are bringing 2 new sons home.
"oh! are they brothers?"
no. but from the same orphanage.
he asks about "their stories"...if their parents are still alive?
and i tell him the answer i tell most people - the truth, but without ALL the details...that they both lived in the orphanage almost their whole lives. that all the children in their orphanage are abandoned and we don't know a lot of details.

he tears up.
and turns his back.
and can't speak.
he is BROKEN by my son's stories. a stranger. 

it totally took me off-guard! i've answered those questions so many times. i answer them without emotion now. not because their isn't emotion...but because i normally can't GO THERE in whatever situation i am in.

i've thought of that man often. thankful for his heart. i don't wish everyone reacted that way...i wouldn't know how to handle it! but, it meant a lot to have someone - even a stranger - validate the fact that this story is not all beautiful. it's horrific and hard, too.

and all while flying way high up in the air in the middle of the night on a 17 hour flight...