On Little Ys and Big Whys

Picture me, down a long hall in a dark room, surrounded by 4 little sleeping faces. Shouldn't be too hard. Got the pic? Ok good. Sleeping might be the only thing these faces have in common besides being in this place at this time. Jessie* and Jolene* are sisters but a shared last name is where the similarities end for these two. Jessie is a vivacious and sweet one year old who loves to be hugged and held. This place and our sister home not an hour away are pretty much the only homes she has ever known. Jolene is a different story. At two she is one of our naughtier kids. It doesn't bother her to pinch or hit or hurt someone else anytime she wants. You can literally watch her face soften as she drifts off to sleep but a troubled look still creases her face in slumber. Apparently she comes by it honestly. 1-year-old Yo* is a spoiled, charming little boy with a silly grin and wonderful hugs. His favorite people are Mama and Papa and often it takes one of them to quiet him down before he sleeps. And then there is almost-3-year-old Sammy*. She was a sweet little girl who only stayed a few days but apparently had been here before. A quiet child, she often sat on your lap or played peacefully by herself. Or with Landon* who made fast friends with her when he tirelessly pushed her in the swing for an amazingly long time. Darling little Sammy who understood way too much for her age, who cried and wrapped her arms around me when I told her she was leaving us.
 How do one and two year olds know enough to understand about their hard lives? Why do they have to understand that much? Why do they're lives have to be this hard? Why do these kids have to be here with 11 mothers instead of just 1?Why did I get so privileged to be able to have a wonderful childhood with loving parents who took care of me? Why, why, why???
 Why can't life ever supply answers to the questions it makes us ask?

*not their real names