Adoption

We sometimes get asked if we are planning on adopting. My answer is always the same: no. I have nothing against it, it's just not for me.

My sister is going through some things with her youngest and it again highlighted how comfortable I am with not adopting. I think my niece is a great blessing to my sister and our family and I certainly don't discount how wonderful adoption can be, but I don't believe it's for everyone. I firmly believe my sister is a stronger woman than I. I don't think I could go through the emotions required for adoption. I live in a fragile emotional state so often anyway, I don't think I could deal with the inevitable heartbreak and change in situation from day to day. I like the stability in knowing where things are with our family. I like to think that I'm mature enough to realize that I couldn't go through the ups and downs and the waiting.

People usually give me the "sympathetic groan" when they find out Sammy's an only and that we have no plans to adopt. I wish they wouldn't. I wish I could adequately convey I am at peace knowing my family is complete.

Tagged

I was tagged by Susan approximately 3000 years ago. The pictures were taken Monday afternoon. I'm just now getting them up. Yikes! (see here for an explanation...)

1. My Kitchen Sink

Thankfully I'd just done the dishes!

2. Inside My Fridge

Not so lucky with this one...

3. My Favorite Shoes
This was hard. I have a lot of favorite shoes. So I went with the most comfy, always on my feet ones. Not the platform stilletos that I love...


4. My Closet
Ooooh. A preview of my bedroom!


We turned the actual closet in the room into a linen closet / laundry basket landing. It was way too small to share. So we bought two of these IKEA wardrobes for the wall instead. That, a dresser and two LARGE (as in the entire space of our king size bed) shoe holder for under the bed and most everything fits. The shoes are the real problem...

5. My Laundry Pile

I spared you the basket of whites because, well, ew. I had just put the last load on the clothesline, so other than the two blankets that need to be washed (still hanging around from the move!), laundry was done. Yay!

6. What My Kid is Doing Right Now
(also known as what my kid was doing Monday afternoon when this picture was taken!)

Insert the words "Car outside" and you have Sammy on repeat lately!

7. My Favorite Room


The original game had a "show your toilet" feature here, so I'm adopting Sharon's adaptation and going with...
8. My Most Recent Purchase
Several items:

Sidewalk chalk for Sammy


A dress (the yellow & black) and clothespins for me

9. My Fantasy Vacation
Greece. And Italy.

Seriously. I want to go there so badly!


Tuscany, Venice, Rome. I'm not really picky...

10. My Self Portrait
Ick. Ugh. Fine. You also get Sammy in the shot as a bonus.

Not what you were imagining? Sorry...

Oh! I forgot to add that I'm not tagging anyone, but if you want to play, feel free!

Finally

Yes We Can.

A Mini Shoesday Tribute to Diane

Check out the sandals! I could just die with the cute.

What Everyone Should Love

Have I mentioned that the brilliant, beautiful, Paul Weller has a new album out today? I didn't? Funny. I totally should have...

Is It Really Half Full?

We are very blessed. I realize this every day of my life. We are happy, healthy and doing our thing. Yesterday was a blissful day full of fun and playing and generally enjoying our community and life: one of those idyllic summer days that I knew would happen (or at least hoped they would!) once we moved back.

As I was watching Sammy play in the back yard yesterday my feeling of contentment was threatened, albeit briefly. As happens when I catch myself being TOO happy (is that possible?), I started to worry about what could go wrong. I don't think of myself as a pessimistic person, generally, (even though I have that trait in abundance sometimes), but when life's little stresses leave and I'm completely enjoying myself and my happy life, I worry that some unfortunate event is eminent. Unfortunately these thoughts are merely compounded when I see a lovely couple at church just starting out and hear how they have been struggling with cancer (his). Or see hundreds of other misfortunes of good people all around me. I know life will and has had it's challenges. I know that I will have days where it's difficult to breathe and live and move. I know that I will need support and help and I'll wonder what is going on and why life is so hard.

Until that happens, I'm going to try and remember my blessings. I'm going to draw on the patio with Sammy and soak up these beautiful summer days. I'm going to remind myself of our hard work to get to where we are. I'm going to remind myself that bad things HAVE happened and I survived. Most of all, I'm going to shore up my blessings and memories for the difficult times that I know will come in effort to ease the burden when it gets here. Even if just a little.