Grandparent Resources

[dad, mom, and me a few years back]

My parents are pretty freaking great for a thousand reasons. But I've come to love them more throughout our adoption process. They are SOOOOOOO excited to become grandparents to 2 little Ethiopian babies. They read every blog post without exception, and my mom cries at every blog post without exception! They have given beyond comprehension to our process. They bought Christmas gifts for our kids last Christmas. They pray for our little ones and us more than I'll ever know. And they believe these grandchildren will fully be their grandchildren.

Recently, my dad and I exchanged a handful of vibrant emails about how they can be part of our "village" and how they need to grandparent our kids. I didn't have many answers of what they need to do. I mainly just told him all the things he can't do and how adoptive parenting is "specialized parenting" - different from how he'll grandparent his first grandchild, Jack. He wasn't satisfied with my answers. Very my dad.

So, I pointed him to our case manager, who pointed us to a resource specialist. She gave the following list for grandparenting. I haven't looked at anything specifically [I've got my own stack of books to read!], but I trust this source. Hopefully they'll help you and your "village".

• Adoption is a Family Affair: What Relatives and Friends Must Know by Patricia Irwin Johnson is a good general book for all adopting families.
• www.perspectivespress.com :: has some good articles on adoption
• www.emkpress.com :: if you click on "Resources" on the top tab, you will find an article "Why Grandma Can't Pick up the Baby", and several other good articles related to adoption.

If you have any great grandparenting resources - articles, websites, cliff note versions to books - please let me know! I'd love to give them to my parents.

20,000th Hit

We're getting close to our 20,000th hit! If you're the lucky one, please let me know. [Scroll down the blog on the left side of the page to see the Plan A Hits].

Thank you so much for journeying with us these past 17 months. I often have wondered who reads this blog. Occasionally I'll find out about a new reader or someone in my life who I had no idea read the blog. Thank you. It means the world.

Please also post comments on this post - and others. If you missed THIS POST, I'm hoping to compile my posts and the comments into a book for our kiddos to read someday. It's like my pregnancy journal for them.

Mondays and Fridays

Mondays have started with loads of hope for the past 6 months or so. It starts with anticipation. Wonder. Hope. Excitement. A belief that I can make it another week. And a whole lot of surrender on a good week. Will we get our referral this week? Maybe this will be THE week!

In the past few months [particularly since we found our we were #1 for a referral...May 17th to be exact], that anticipation has heightened. I've found myself keeping my phone closer and talking in more detail with Brian about where we'll both be throughout the day. Brian and I have had some "strategic planning" conversations about what we'll do when we get the call - how we'll handle getting home as quickly as possible without letting anyone know what's going on and how/when we'll start letting people know [I've literally written this out...I'm SUCH my mother's daughter!!!]. I've found myself curious as to whether I'll want to make sure I have showered before we check the email with their picture [this is a viable question in my life] - to ensure a pretty photo op - or I'll just say "forget it!". While some people dread Mondays, I crave them. Mondays begin with those those questions and near gittiness.

Fridays conclude with another announcement to God that I trust him, that I wait for him. A proclamation that his timing is perfect. A re-commitment to surrender to his plan. A prayer for strength for today, hope for tomorrow. Sometimes Fridays also end with crying, frustration, and anger. Most weeks Fridays end with wine.

Next Friday [20th] will be 10 months that we've been on the wait list. One of these weeks, Friday won't come in the same way. Clearly, I look forward to that day!