Christmas Newsflash (Don't Get Too Excited)

This morning I finally decided to get out and hang the evergreen roping I purchased at the greenhouse. The result always looks pretty decent, if I do say so myself.

From when I got married at the young age of 19, my mother would always compliment me on the rare occasion when I'd bake something. "My, aren't you a Betty Crocker!" she would exclaim. The last few weeks, as I've been making my own bar lotion, bath fizzies and gift wrap, I've felt like Betty's daughter Martha Stewart. (And up until about 30 minutes ago, I was feeling pretty good about that.) This, my friends, is not normal.

Now, for an Attitude Shift

I was wrong...about everything.

You'll probably be hearing that from me often–—daily—–as we go through this adoption process.

As we go through the various workshops, literature, and videos that are required of adoptive parents, it sometimes feels that every reason for adopting is the wrong reason. Your children are growing up and you have room for more? Don't look for a child to fill your needs. You want to help others? Don't think of yourself as some savior. You have infertility issues? Don't look for a child to fill the grief of not having your own biological children. There appears to be no right reason for adoption.

Do the Right Thing

When I was in high school in the mid and late eighties, lunchtime was rather chaotic. The whole student body would stand in the school hallway, jockeying for position at the front of the crowd as one harried teacher would call out which class was next to get into the cafeteria. Being in close proximity and being teenagers, there was your regular amount of horseplay...as well as some that crossed over the line into bullying.

One day as I stood against the lockers, I watched an underclassman become the victim of pinball, when students take turns pushing the kid back and forth to each other, and they verbally taunted him the whole time. Now, because of some circumstances in my life at that time, I happened to know more about this boy than others did. He came from a troubled home. He alone was responsible for the family finances, the shopping, and other aspects that parents should really be handling.

Weathering the Drought

Living in the Midwest, it seems like every casual conversation involves the weather. "What do you think of the heat?" "Dry enough for ya?" "Think we'll get any rain this week?" Worse yet is when I find myself in at a table or in a car with a couple of farmers and hear nothing except tractors, land, or the current repair agenda.

A Few More Details about Adoption

First, if you are tired of hearing about our adoption process, stop reading this blog right now. I have a feeling that my blog will eventually morph entirely into a record of our experiences in this process.

Our caseworker (a wonderful person, by the way) recommended that we start filling our family and friends in about a few things. Here's your rundown:

Playing My Part

Last night I had a dream. I was back in my high school band during a concert and was sitting next to my friend Kristin as the band performed an energetic piece of music. Kristin and I weren't playing, though. We had a problem: no sheet music. We glanced at each other in a panic, and that's when I noticed that her trombone had two mouthpieces.

And Now an Announcement from the Blogger...

Okay, so I'm struggling. I've had a secret for some time now (okay, a couple of months), and if you know me at all, you know that I'm pretty much an open book. If something is going on with me, you and my other twenty best friends know it, too. That's why all of this has been a little difficult.

So here's the announcement: our family has applied for international adoption through Bethany Christian Services.

Of Yarn and Quarters

On my way home from a trip to Wisconsin Sunday, my gas guzzler on "E" and my mouth craving a little Diet Pepsi, I  stopped at a gas station along the I-90 interstate for a quick fill-up.

Standing in line near the counter, I glanced around at the snacks and the odds and ends for sale when my eyes fell on a small display box on the countertop. In downhill handwriting with X's over the misspellings, the box's sign read something like this:

A View from My Soapbox

Over the past few years, I have found myself amid an educational debate, one that I would rather not be involved in. In my work, I have been blessed to work with people from three main categories: those who believe strongly in homeschooling, those who support Christian education, and those who feel called to public education. I belong to a fourth group.

In many of my conversations with friends, I hear their laments that they feel judged, and I have most certainly heard these insensitive comments myself. The truth is, it's just as easy to make generalizations about public school teachers and public schools as it is about parents who choose to homeschool. Both are inappropriate and unfair.

Holding Tight

Our family just returned from a short vacation to New York City. Of course, we saw the typical tourist sites of the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State and Chrysler buildings, and Broadway. All of those impressed us, but the biggest shock to my midwestern self was the crowds. Oh, the crowds.

At a couple points during the trip, Kaylee said, "Can't we just go back to where there aren't so many people?" It took the quiet of our hotel room to allow us to regroup before our next trip out.