My life does not revolve around race. In fact, unless I am intentionally creating something for this website, race plays a minor role in my regular life. Occasionally, when myself or my family meets new people, I can feel the surprise or curiousity at the fact I have an interracial family. I sense some people are waiting for me to offer some guarded secret about how difficult it is for us or how different we manage our life. Sorry. It is not that deep.

It seems so strange to me that people who only stay around people just like themselves, perceive race, religion, or partner preference as something that changes the game of life. Humans are universal. Families are universal. Marriages work or don’t work for the same reasons. We don’t stop and ponder how, as an interracial family, should we plan our vacation or celebrate one of our children’s accomplishments.

I was once asked, years ago, what kind of food we eat. Let’s see, we had tacos on Monday, spaghetti on Tuesday, hamburgers on Wednesday, teriyaki chicken on Thursday and pizza on Friday. We are a typical American family. Our teen daughters fight over clothes and whine about the youngest being the favorite. My husband takes care of the yard work and the car and I get left with the house. We like to take our kids to the movies at least once a month. I take excessive pictures of every event our family has. We worry our kids aren’t ready to be the adults they almost or already are. Time is moving very quickly and I panic at the thought the kids will all be 18 and older in 3 years.

Race doesn’t matter when we are arguing over which TV to buy or which restaurant to go to. Race doesn’t come into question when I fuss at the girls for wearing to much eye makeup or tear up watching my son struggle in social situations. I don’t think of my husband’s love for me through race. He is hard working, trustworthy, romantic, funny, intelligent, dependable, uber handsome and a gift given to me.

We don’t teach our children to assume every look at them comes from racism. We teach them to never let other people define them. We teach them to respect themselves and do what you love.

Marriage is about commitment, compromise, trust, support, and love.

Families are about roots, your home base, memories, lessons, and love.

We are special, but not for they reasons those people stare.