Off to Arkansas

The house is so quiet (a rare and precious thing).  No one is up yet but me.  We all were up really late last night getting ready for the trip today.  We had planned on leaving really early this morning - but there was a bump in the road.  If nothing, I have learned to be flexible. I no longer "promise" my children we will do anything - I never want them to remember me as someone who didn't keep her word. So now I always say "that's the plan" or if they persist "I promise to try" and I have found since I have done this mental shift everyone is much happier.  I don't get all bent out of shape trying to do the impossible because plans change and I know they can trust me.

So this morning I am telling myself "It's okay we are not on the road yet - plans change and they get adjusted"  I really need to keep this in the front of my brain so that I don't drive everyone crazy with my anxiety.  I like my plans to go the way I planned them, but is it really that big of a deal if we leave this morning or this afternoon - we get the same result - we go to Arkansas.  In 20 years will this really matter?

Last night was eventful.  We had our adoption/foster care meeting.  The group has changed so much from when I was first there 3 years ago.  Back in the day, it was ALL RAD mommies and daddies.  Now it's a nice mix - there are a lot of "Newbies" waiting for their child to be placed with them. I love the anticipation stage - they are so excited.  I just want to bottle that feeling.  We had a therapist talk to us and then I gave a short presentation on "free" things to do over the summer.  This list was really long so rather than making a bunch of copies, I put it in "blog form".  If you live in the Brandon, FL area check out the site  www.raindancerhelps.blogspot.com .

When I arrived home my sister and parents were here.  So everyone said their “good-byes”.  My youngest had a really hard time – She asked if she could stay with Grandma this summer – I said “I know you would enjoy the first week baby, and maybe part of the second; but by the third week you would really miss me”  She replied  “As much as Grandma?”  “Yes, you would miss me as much as you will miss Grandma”  Then my mom was having a hard time – she was quietly saying “Let her Amy”.  But alas, I was a meanie – I’m taking her with me.  After everyone left, my husband pulled up Google and started showing her all the things we could do in Arkansas – this helped quite a bit. It is our summer of adventure – summer of attachment.  I encourage all you other RAD mommies out there to make the mental shift from "summer is scary to summer is attachment time"  We have to have time with our kids to attach - summer is perfect.

Well I think I'm going to ruin my quiet place and get everyone up. Hmmmm... maybe I'll just get hubby up for now  J .

Dancing with Anticipation,

Amy