The Story Continues

I decided a few years ago to stop posting publicly to my blog, but to continue to update it privately for my own benefit. I thought that it was getting to the point where my posts were mainly life recaps, and there was no point in sharing those with the world when we have Facebook and Instagram where I can filter who sees those pictures.

I have certainly missed the blogging community that I had many years ago, and I recently shared with an acquaintance that I "had a blog once" and I felt that there was no way to really describe what this space meant to me during the formidable early years of my parenting journey. We are approaching the ten year anniversary of this blogspace in a few months, and I am thankful that in March 2010 we took the giant step of faith towards adoption when Will and I were unstable newlyweds who just trusted blindly that God would provide and we would be awesome parents, just because we had good intentions. I know now that marriage and parenting take so much work, and I have come to the "end of myself" countless times as I have had to ask forgiveness from my family members when I do not manage well the stress and responsibilities that I carry.

For almost two years I have been working in New York City as a social worker (first as an ABA) and now as an Adoption Consultant providing home study and post adoption services, doing community outreach, teaching classes, and doing birth parent counseling. I have absolutely loved this role and I am so thankful for a part-time position that plays to my strengths and allows me to still be a part of the adoption community, while still being fully present at home. There have certainly been moments where I feel hypocritical as I am promoting the joys of adoption when at home, life can be chaotic and I feel my strengths being tested by a certain child of mine who knows how to press all of my buttons. I've taught parenting classes about connected parenting while struggling to follow through with what I believe is the best method of discipline. It is all about balance and I am thankful for this current season where my job sharpens me as a parent and allows me the opportunity to walk beside vulnerable families going through the most significant transitions. I remember Tiffany and Brandi and  many of our other contacts at AGCI and how much we still recall their enthusiasm for our adoption process. I am so honored that I get to play that role for other families.

I've wrestled with reopening an online space to write, and even purchased another domain to start back up again last year, but I never followed through. I make no promises of consistency but I hope to share some thoughts occasionally with my online friends that I have missed. So if you're reading this... how are you? What's one thing you've loved about your year so far?