Happy Anniversary!

A year ago today, I started this blog. It was a bit terrifying for me, because it meant opening my life up to more people than I would generally be comfortable with. 

Etsy-Avett Brothers print

My decision to start blogging was in large part to keep my friends up to date on my current adoption. However, I also wanted to raise awareness about the adoption process. It is frustrating (for lack of a better word) that there are so many children without families, that adoption still has negative connotations attached to it, that adoption takes so long,  and that in a world where people are out buying smart phones, data plans, and multiple homes...they feel they wouldn't be able to afford to adopt. 

http://www.theshortandthesweetofit.com/2013/08/happiness.html

 (Adoption isn't for everyone, but please don't use the 'we can't afford to...'  as a reason if your lifestyle shows otherwise.)

I wanted to show people what a real family formed through adoption looks like (at least this one).

Family

That adopting as a single person is possible.  That we aren't perfect, but we're doing okay. That people can afford to adopt. That my real kids in this real family are awesome, and that there are other just as awesome kids waiting out there for someone to bring them into their new family.

Thanks for stopping by on this one year blog-iversary. 

I have some ideas for new things to add in year two. I've been pinning like crazy to make sure I don't forget my bright ideas. The Etsy store will be open soon (I hope, I'm just working on a couple more items.) Plus, Baby B will be coming home this year for sure. I'm also hoping to finish my book very soon.

What would you like me to cover in year two?

Click the banner above to vote for Just B. @Top Mommy Blogs! You can vote once a day.

Just B...

...Late

Now just let me explain.

I am notoriously late with delivering birthday cards. I will find the perfect card months ahead of time, and then lose it by the time the birthday comes. Everyone in my family knows that my card will usually be late. 

Christmas cards . I will order them early, even get them all addressed and then forget to mail them so...yep you got it, late.

My 'Just B' post this time around...late.

The old me would have felt guilty about getting behind on things, so I would keep busy doing stuff to avoid what I had gotten behind on.Then, I would have gotten further behind, which would mean more avoidance activities...etc., etc., etc. You get the picture.

Do I condone never even trying to be on time? No, of course not. But, if I am late, I can't beat myself up about it anymore. Sometimes, it will happen. I am trying to get better with my lateness. I have started to keep those early purchased birthday cards in my car glove compartment so that I don't lose them. 

For those times when I am late, I've decided that my late card (or letter) is just extending the celebration of the birthday or holiday that it was originally intended for. At least I hope that's how my family and friends feel.

You'll have to excuse me now, I have some thank yous and cards that I need to mail. (They were supposed to have been mailed in June.)

Click the banner above to vote for Just B. @Top Mommy Blogs! You can vote once a day.

Summer Priorities

If I wasn't so A.D.D. I would get so much more done! My list of projects for the summer has not gotten much smaller. I keep getting more ideas for projects I want to start, faster than I can finish all of the other projects. 

Plus, Little Man and I have to enjoy the beautiful weather and long days while we can. 

Case in point. Yesterday, we went canoeing and fishing. What should I have been doing? Cleaning out stuff in our house before Baby B comes home.

But instead...

The waterlilies were gorgeous! It made me think of Monet's Waterlilies. In fact, I think I feel another project coming on...Oh well.

I still think that I made the right choice.

Click the banner above to vote for Just B. @Top Mommy Blogs! You can vote once a day.

Toddlers

When Baby B comes home, she will be a toddler, not a baby. Little Man was nearing three when he came home to stay forever, yet he still felt so tiny to me. Baby B is even younger and it's a little intimidating to think about. We will be jumping head first into toddler tantrums, potty training, and language issues. 

This past weekend I was looking through my adoption books to see what I might want to reread to since I have some time before she comes home. They're kind of like the 'What to Expect When You're Expecting' toddler version.

 

 

Toddler Adoption: The Weaver's Craft               Parenting Your Internationally Adopted Child

                     

             

  Inside Transracial Adoption                                                                             The Connected Child

I also need to start working again on my Creole. Hopefully, I will be able to learn enough to help Baby B's adjustment and head some tantrums off at the pass. I really like this language series of books and CDs. Unfortunately, I need to start some intense studying to be able to really speak and understand the language. My high school French is helping me some (I hope).

                              

 This should keep me busy.

Click the banner above to vote for Just B. @Top Mommy Blogs! You can vote once a day.

Dear Friends (and Strangers)...

I know that you're just trying to be helpful. You want to find a husband for me, and a dad for my kids. While I can only speak for myself, I thought I'd let you in on a few things to say (and not to say) to a single parent.

 I'll let you guess which is which.

You must be sooooo lonely. Isn't it hard to meet someone? We should get our kids together for a play date! You're such a catch, how come no one has snatched you up? You are doing a great job with your kids. It must be hard on your kids to not have a dad. How do you do it? You're smart not having a man around to stress you out. Why aren't you married? If you ever need a sitter, let me know. Wouldn't you like to be married? Have you tried online dating? What's wrong with you?  I know this nice guy...    

                     

Dating is tricky.When you add being a parent and dating? Yikes! Working with children for all of these years, I have watched kids deal with the fallout of their parents failed romances. When things don't work out, kids feel like it's their fault, whether that is true or not. For me, right now, it's just not worth it to put my kids  through that. They come first. 

99.9% of the time, I am completely content with my decision (that is unless I watch a Hallmark movie, or do something really crazy like listen to my old Michael Buble CDs). I haven't completely given up on dating. I'm just putting it on hold until for awhile. 

So, if you've found someone that you think is just perfect for me, feel free to have him give me a call...in sixteen years when Baby B is graduating from high school. ;)

I am a single parent. Would I like to be married to Mr.Wonderful one day? Of course. Would I like my children to have a father? If he's the right one, absolutely.  Maybe one day.

I can see it now...

We'll walk down the aisle wearing matching leisure suits. At the reception, our grandkids will play together. We will enjoy the company of our family and friends, dance, and shoot off fireworks. It's going to be quite the celebration.

 Let me know if you want to be invited.

Click the banner above to vote for Just B. @Top Mommy Blogs! You can vote once a day.

Just B...

...Stubborn (kind of)

Today was a bit of an odd day for me. As part of the oddness of the day, I encountered someone who acted as if my self professed stubbornness was a bad thing. Can you imagine! Truly, I don't think my stubbornness is necessarily a bad thing.

You see, I am part Finnish. We don't like to call our stubbornness, 'stubbornness', we call it sisu.

Sisu

The ineffable spirit or inner fire that Finns call upon when all
strength seems spent.

Because of Sisu we (Finns) find it possible to do almost anything
except betray our honor or compromise our ideals.

Sisu is extraordinary endurance!

Sounds a lot nicer than stubborn doesn't it? Without sisu, I wouldn't have done so many things in my life: get two teaching degrees simultaneously, bring my children home as a single mom, kick Hodgkin's butt, go back to work full time two weeks after donating a kidney.

So...here's to stubbornness (or sisu)!

Click the banner above to vote for Just B. @Top Mommy Blogs! You can vote once a day.

Freebie Friday!

 Hope you're all having a happy day! Go do something.

Psalm 118:24 This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Click the banner above to vote for Just B. @Top Mommy Blogs! You can vote once a day.