Turkey Day... one day late.

So I am cooking turkey the day after thanksgiving. What bennies does this offer other than having, this morning, paid no more that $0.75 for any one dinner ingredient thanks to day after sales?
Well, it means I get to eat with more members of my clan. My mom arrived late last night from China, so we can enjoy our feast and celebrate her return.
Missing from our table are my dad, still in China, and my brother ands his wife who managed to get out of Mumbai a few days ahead of the massacre, thank God.
Adding to our fun blend, we did have the boys momma, Laura, her hubby and their baby over for dessert last night after they ate turkey at Rod's parents place.
We are not the most traditional family, but we take our happiness where we find it and the blend improves all of our lives.
We continue to work on our homestudy, and who knows... maybe by next Thanksgiving we will have one extra family member... For today I am simply THANKFUL for the family I have.

Home Study Begins...

Well, we met our delightful social worker and began our home study this weekend. She was at our house for FOUR hours!!!! I don't know if that is normal, or if it is excessive, but she was so kind and willing to answer so many questions that it just wen on for ages.
She seemed to like the house, she was great with the dogs and she was totally in love with our boys... who wouldn't be?!? They are fantastic... not that I am biased or anything!
So now we just have a mountain of paperwork to get through before we officially begin our wait.
We are enrolling in a dual program in which we will be eligible for domestic or overseas children so we won't know until we have a referral from one source or the other where our baby will come from. I am at peace with this mystery and am ready to begin our adventure!!!

an update on the last post. Matt's student who presented about adoption with both of her mothers, caused such a sensation that she got to give a talk to the PTA about her presentation last night!!! We were all there to support this amazing young girl. I feel so blessed to see such a wonderful outcome for an adoptee all grown up and ready to go out into the world. It helps me feel very, very optimistic for our baby's future as a happy well adjusted soul, at peace with being adopted.

One Amazing Student

I had the great privilege last night of hearing one of Matt's 12th grade students give a presentation about being adopted. Her Birth mother sat on her left and her Mom sat on her right. She spoke about her own experiences and conflicts and she asked some very serious questions of the women that can both, in one sense or the other, claim her.

I have to admit that I cried through a lot of it. It was tense, it was moving, it was honest and at times surreal. But I also have to admit to having learned a lot about me.

I saw myself in the Mom's role and I empathized with her points of view and difficulty relinquishing control. I simply doubt my ability to do it with that much grace.

I also learned from this incredible threesome that honesty is the best gift a child can get.
I knew this from living with and loving Maris and Seth. The foundation of truth telling is one of the things that makes us a functioning blended family.

It re-confirmed to Matt and I that when and where ever we are blessed with our next child we will do anything in our power to keep them connected to their roots.

A child can love two cultures, two countries, two pasts and as I saw last night, two mothers. I hope to be brave enough one day to let my little one grow in the knowledge and love of all of the people that make their life a possibility.

long overdue update

My word!!! This fall has be a chaotic surprise and has left us little time to think or write. There has been a lot of stress on our little blended clan (well mostly on Matt and I, hopefully we kept it from spilling over on the kids too much!) We have between the two of us had a 1 broken bone, two unrelated surgeries, what is apparently a normal amount of financial panic and deep concerns over the long term financial picture.
Blessedly, as often happens in our life, our family and our community supported us through the whole tempest, and we are now cautiously thinking that we may be able to greet this new day with all of our hopes and dreams intact!
Our financial roller coaster lead us to purchase a home, (my home that I grew up in). Meeting after meeting with mortgage brokers has made it possible for us to secure a monthly payment we can live with an amazingly still allow us to pursue our dream of expanding our family. In our dark hours this fall we felt that health and money would prevent us from being able to add another person to our blend for many years.
Our health, God willing, appears to be intact and we are VERY CAUTIOUSLY optimistic about beginning a home study with an agency based right here in our neighborhood.
Our amazing boys are finished with their fall sports, and have made the transition to their new grades without any trouble. Maris ending his first quarter as a high school freshman, and super soccer player, with almost ALL 'A's. Seth, who is also an excellent student, went right the way through to the second round of the championships with his football team, again playing alongside boys in his weight class who are two to three years older than him!
Today our clouds have cleared and our future seems bright as a blended family of four as we trudge the road to happy destiny together :)