Awesome babywearing scene!

Tonight I took the littles out (Michael and Jacob aren't home from Australia yet [they'll be home late tonight!!!!] so I only have the other 2) so I could gas up the van, grab a coffee and get our mail. We were driving back from Starbucks when I spotted an awesome babywearer!!

There was a family (mom and 3 children) who looked to be of African descent (the mom seemed she might have grown up there because of some cultural things I noticed) walking on the sidewalk on the opposite side of the road... let me paint you a picture:

9ish year old boy in front carrying a box on his head. A girl that seemed a couple years younger than the boy, carrying a grocery sack. Then mom with a young child (1 or 2 y/o) in a sling on her back - mom was also carrying a grocery bag in one hand and had another sack balanced on her head! The mom was dressed in what seemed to be cultural attire (long, printed skirt and matching top, with some sort of head covering).

It truly was an awesome and moving sight. Beyond the fact that her older two seemed very well behaved and they were out on foot walking along the sidewalk of a very busy street (Academy for you locals), they were not ashamed of their culture/heritage.

As I drove away from the light, I began to ponder her uniqueness and how extremely practical those things are. Truly, it might be beneficial if we all had proper posture and stride so we could balance things on our heads! How many times have you seriously wished you had an extra arm or two? And wearing the baby, well, we all know some of the benefits to babywearing (closeness, security for baby, free hands for mom, etc.). Modesty in dress, that doesn't really need an explanation.

** I do not personally know this family and cannot attest to anything about them. My speculation of ethnic origin is based on the cultural things I noticed and the very beautiful, dark skin tone they all had. I could be COMPLETELY wrong and I am aware of that. It's just a hypothesis, OK?**