"Congratulations on your baby"

These are the words I have been hearing over and over. People passing by or in the grocery store always admire such a little tiny baby and their last words are always "congratulations". I find myself frozen in awkwardness over hearing those words and trying to think of a way to respond. "Thank you", I guess is ok, but for what, I did not birth her and those words sort of imply ownership. "She's not mine, she's a foster child", is another response and yet people are taken back by those words and the awkwardness continues. It is strange, even a little weird caring for someone else's newborn. She is sweet and she is so little and I would love to claim her but it just doesn't feel right. I can snuggle her, kiss on her soft cheeks and reassure her over and over that she is loved but there is this distance between us...she is not mine, she belongs to someone else. I often find my self wondering if that will change. I took her to a visit with her Mom yesterday and it was nice to see her Mom touch her hands so tenderly and yet so sad to take the baby from her arms 2hours later. She is a child of God and regardless of her living situation, He is taking care of her, but there is very little "congratulations" involved with this story.