Hi, everyone. It's Friday, and it's NOT raining! It's not exactly super sunny out either, but I can't tell you how good it feels to see dry roads and not be ducking in and out of pouring-down rain! Plus, it helps the mood, too, ya know?
I recently joined the Adoptive Families Facebook group, and I am already making some fabulous new friends from posting and reading other people's postings. Shouting out to my new friend Angie in CA--she and her hubby are waiting parents in the domestic adoption program. I'm very excited for them both, and I just KNOW that they will be selected by a birthmother very soon and baby will come shortly thereafter. I will keep you both in my thoughts/prayers. Angie and I are looking forward to comparing notes on domestic vs. international adoption (it'll be interesting to see both perspectives!) and supporting each other as we continue on this fascinating, exciting, mysterious journey toward parenthood!
I'm so thankful for the connections I'm making. It's great to have friends to support you, but it's even better to have friends who are experiencing pretty much the same exact thing you are. Thanks to Adoptive Families for joining Facebook and making it all that much easier for us waiting parents to connect with each other.
Sending positive energy out to all my peeps who are fellow "waiters"! The weight of the wait (get it?) somehow feels lessened already!
We're heading to PA tomorrow morning for Elena's christening. Very excited and honored that my best friend Mara and her husband Ron selected me as the godmother of their third child, Elena Anne. And boy is she one cute bambino. And of course while we are at my parents' house, it goes without saying that we'll get some good visiting time in with my family, and most especially my nieces. Life is good, God/the universe has blessed us, and I feel so very grateful for it all.
Talk to you all soon,
Kathleen
Friday, June 12, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
My Friend's Trip to Russia
My friend Debbie just got back from her trip to Russia to visit her son. With Russia, you go there to accept the referral, then go home, and then you come back a few months later to pick up your child and go home for good. Long story why this is (too long to detail here).
Anyway, she and I had dinner, and the photos of him are ADORABLE. It was fascinating to hear about her experience in Russia, and the story of her long journey to get there, knowing that she had to turn around and go home without him (this time). But she has a great attitude...she just can't wait to get him home! The children's home where he lives is actually really decent looking...very clean, lots of colorful toys, a loving staff and caretakers, etc. It was good to see the kids getting such good care. They take them outside to play and everything. Definitely notches up my opinion of orphanages in general...this isn't too shabby. He looks like he's well taken care of.
It was neat to hear her referring to him as "my son this" and "my son that." Someday soon that will be us! I hope!
I recently joined Adoptive Families' Facebook page (Adoptive Families is a bimonthly magazine that we subscribe to). It's been neat chatting with fellow waiting moms. Plus I've also found some adoptive moms on a few local listserves (DC Urban Moms and DC Working Moms).
Anyway, the wait continues, but not without staying busy, that's for sure.
Even as I continue to practice yoga, I also continue to practice PATIENCE! Ha ha! Here's to that.
Kathleen
Anyway, she and I had dinner, and the photos of him are ADORABLE. It was fascinating to hear about her experience in Russia, and the story of her long journey to get there, knowing that she had to turn around and go home without him (this time). But she has a great attitude...she just can't wait to get him home! The children's home where he lives is actually really decent looking...very clean, lots of colorful toys, a loving staff and caretakers, etc. It was good to see the kids getting such good care. They take them outside to play and everything. Definitely notches up my opinion of orphanages in general...this isn't too shabby. He looks like he's well taken care of.
It was neat to hear her referring to him as "my son this" and "my son that." Someday soon that will be us! I hope!
I recently joined Adoptive Families' Facebook page (Adoptive Families is a bimonthly magazine that we subscribe to). It's been neat chatting with fellow waiting moms. Plus I've also found some adoptive moms on a few local listserves (DC Urban Moms and DC Working Moms).
Anyway, the wait continues, but not without staying busy, that's for sure.
Even as I continue to practice yoga, I also continue to practice PATIENCE! Ha ha! Here's to that.
Kathleen
Friday, June 5, 2009
Sometimes I get so tired...
...of people telling me all the negative things about parenting. Diapers, poop, sleepless nights, a life no longer your own...and the list goes on.
(sigh) What I wouldn't give for ONE poopy diaper, ONE sleepless night. I'll take the bad with the good. Just bring our kid home already!
I know people don't mean it, but it still hurts when I hear people whining and warning me about aspects of parenting that, quite frankly, I would give the world to have.
And I really, REALLY wish it would stop raining. It's making me sad and grumpy!
It's supposed to be nice tomorrow (at least here in MD). Jeff and I are going to this DanceAfrica DC festival, where he and his drumming class will be performing onstage at 12:30. It's in Northeast DC and should be fun; I went last year. Their group is really good!
(sigh) What I wouldn't give for ONE poopy diaper, ONE sleepless night. I'll take the bad with the good. Just bring our kid home already!
I know people don't mean it, but it still hurts when I hear people whining and warning me about aspects of parenting that, quite frankly, I would give the world to have.
And I really, REALLY wish it would stop raining. It's making me sad and grumpy!
It's supposed to be nice tomorrow (at least here in MD). Jeff and I are going to this DanceAfrica DC festival, where he and his drumming class will be performing onstage at 12:30. It's in Northeast DC and should be fun; I went last year. Their group is really good!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Manhattan Moon: Thoughts About Our Child's Birth Mother
I was listening to one of my favorite alt-folk artists, Lucy Kaplansky (album "Over the Hills") today in the car, and this song came on. I realized it was about her daughter's birth mother (Lucy and her husband adopted a daughter from China a few years ago). I had completely forgotten that this singer/songwriter was an adoptive parent, and it was probably no accident at all that I selected this CD to play on my way to work today. I want to talk about it.
The song is called "Manhattan Moon," and I'm including the lyrics below. Even though we don't yet know who our child is, I just want to say "thank you" to our child's birth mom, whoever she is, wherever she may be in Korea. I think of her all the time: What does she look like? What are her circumstances? What must it have been like, giving birth only to say good-bye? I think what a strong person she must be, and how hard this decision must have been for her.
I'm also thinking about our child all the time. I'm not sure how old our child is, our even if he/she is born yet (although I'm pretty sure that's already happened), but one thing I am sure of is this: We will never let our child forget the special act of love it took for her to do what she did. Here's what I'd say to her, I think:
Because of you, and your incredible, selfless love, a family is about to be created, half a world away. And Jeff and my dreams are about to come true. All because of you. We will never let our child forget who you are or what you did...all out of incredible love for him/her. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. A thousand times. I can never say it enough.
There are so many stigmas and unrealistic visions of what/who a birthmother is. I hope more people will see birthmothers as giving, loving women who are making an incredibly painful, but incredibly loving, decision to make an adoption plan for their children. They are loving beings and deserve to be recognized as such.
"Manhattan Moon"
You say you want to see the moon
Outside of our living room
Over the Manhattan sky
Like we saw last night
You don't understand where she's gone
When the morning comes
And I promise you she'll be back tonight
We'll find her and we'll say goodnight
So you look for her in the books we read
In a shadow's curve you show her to me
Then the sun goes down and she's there again
Brighter now, your brand new friend
And for me the skyline's changed
Same old buildings rearranged
The sky's a richer shade of blue
And the moon's my new friend too
I used to travel in a straight line
Now I'm walking on a road that winds
You take my hand we take our time
Oh, we take our time
The moon shines on our half of the sky
And on the half you left behind
When it's nighttime here it's morning there
But the moon's the same everywhere
I used to travel in a straight line
Now I'm walking on a road that winds
You take my hand we take our time
Oh, we take our time
While I'm singing you a lullaby
Someone's waking up on the other side
The moon's shining on her too
She'll see it and she'll think of you
You hear music in everything
The rain's a drum, the traffic sings
I listen too and I dance along
We keep on dancing when the music's gone
I used to travel in a straight line
Now I'm walking on a road that winds
You take my hand we take our time
Oh, we take our time
The song is called "Manhattan Moon," and I'm including the lyrics below. Even though we don't yet know who our child is, I just want to say "thank you" to our child's birth mom, whoever she is, wherever she may be in Korea. I think of her all the time: What does she look like? What are her circumstances? What must it have been like, giving birth only to say good-bye? I think what a strong person she must be, and how hard this decision must have been for her.
I'm also thinking about our child all the time. I'm not sure how old our child is, our even if he/she is born yet (although I'm pretty sure that's already happened), but one thing I am sure of is this: We will never let our child forget the special act of love it took for her to do what she did. Here's what I'd say to her, I think:
Because of you, and your incredible, selfless love, a family is about to be created, half a world away. And Jeff and my dreams are about to come true. All because of you. We will never let our child forget who you are or what you did...all out of incredible love for him/her. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. A thousand times. I can never say it enough.
There are so many stigmas and unrealistic visions of what/who a birthmother is. I hope more people will see birthmothers as giving, loving women who are making an incredibly painful, but incredibly loving, decision to make an adoption plan for their children. They are loving beings and deserve to be recognized as such.
"Manhattan Moon"
You say you want to see the moon
Outside of our living room
Over the Manhattan sky
Like we saw last night
You don't understand where she's gone
When the morning comes
And I promise you she'll be back tonight
We'll find her and we'll say goodnight
So you look for her in the books we read
In a shadow's curve you show her to me
Then the sun goes down and she's there again
Brighter now, your brand new friend
And for me the skyline's changed
Same old buildings rearranged
The sky's a richer shade of blue
And the moon's my new friend too
I used to travel in a straight line
Now I'm walking on a road that winds
You take my hand we take our time
Oh, we take our time
The moon shines on our half of the sky
And on the half you left behind
When it's nighttime here it's morning there
But the moon's the same everywhere
I used to travel in a straight line
Now I'm walking on a road that winds
You take my hand we take our time
Oh, we take our time
While I'm singing you a lullaby
Someone's waking up on the other side
The moon's shining on her too
She'll see it and she'll think of you
You hear music in everything
The rain's a drum, the traffic sings
I listen too and I dance along
We keep on dancing when the music's gone
I used to travel in a straight line
Now I'm walking on a road that winds
You take my hand we take our time
Oh, we take our time
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