Feet--A Bonding Tool

Who could have ever guessed that smelly feet could be a tool for better bonding? But, it's true! Bless those stinky beautiful feet! If you've learned anything about Thai culture they consider the feet to be the most lowly part of the body, practically profane. The head is the most blessed part of the body. That's why people shouldn't point at things with their feet and you're not to step over people's feet. Before we picked up Penny I wondered how this aspect of her culture would affect things. Would she hate for me to touch her feet? Turns out I had plenty of opportunity to touch her feet right after coming home. We discovered that the thing she got on her foot while in Bangkok was a plantar's wart. So, I spent a few weeks treating that until it cleared up. Guess what?! She loves going barefoot outside and low and behold another plantar's wart has popped up. It is quite painful for her. She really is enjoying all of the attention she is getting from me when I play "doctor" to treat this menace on her foot. She told me that one of the nannies at the orphanage would never help her with something like that. She would just say, "Go to the doctor!" And now Penny keeps putting her feet up in front of me, wanting me to plant kisses on her toes. It brings the biggest smile and hugs out of her whenever I do it. I told her that even Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. She had this really contemplative look on her face like, "Wow!" I'm sure that communicated love in his culture as it would in Thailand. She also asked me to give her a foot massage the other night. Hey, I don't mind the stinky feet. It's one more way to communicate to our daughter that she is unconditionally loved forever. Bring on the smelly feet!