Thank you Tommesa, you just made my day! I’m glad I was able to walk you through my experience with my words. Isn’t that the magic of writing—that we get to stand in someone else’s shoes for a moment, live a small piece of their life, and have a peek inside their mind? And I’m happy I could bring some laughter to your day. How else can we navigate such difficult situations but to laugh at ourselves? If being socially awkward and slightly neurotic is normal, then count me in! I appreciate the stamp of approval.
Thank you so much for reading and offering your generous feedback. I’m so glad to have you as a subscriber! May I ask how you found me? 😄
Beautiful post! You had me hanging on every word. I felt like I was there with you through every detail and nuance. I am so rooting for you on this journey. So well written ♥️
Oh Honey, I feel you in this one! I vividly remember our home visits. In our case, we had a lead on a child and submitted a portfolio directly to the birth mother first, THEN did our home visits. All the worries and wondering you’ve done here we’re what we did directly with the birth mom. How do you make yourself look “just right” to parent a child without looking too perfect or controlling. Striking that just right balance so they will trust you to love and care for a child forever... uff da! Adoption is not for the faint of heart! Hang in there. I’m rooting for you!
Wow Helen, a portfolio! What did that entail?! And an interview with the birth mom! I can’t imagine the added layers of stress, plus I’m guessing you were competing with other would-be parents to give you her baby. It’s such a complicated situation for all involved. Of course it’s important for the child’s sake to make sure the adoptive parent checks out, but it’s so strange to be on the other end of that and give someone else the power to decide if you’re worthy of parenthood. Adoption is not for the faint of heart indeed! 😬
I was there with you every second. I could feel your anxiety, your panic about not measuring up to Jennifer’s standards. You were you, with all your strengths and insecurities, but your reactions and answers came from your wonderfullly, amazing heart and your incredible mind.
Thank you Susan! The irony is that the standards I was measuring myself against were my own, not Jennifer’s. My mind projected my own thoughts and fears through her. I have no idea what she was thinking; I only know how I was thinking and feeling in that moment, and I reacted more to that than to her. The mind can be a very distorted lens!
Oh my gosh this is so stressful! And cringey-hilarious! It reminds me of our green card interview where I put together a whole album of chronological, hand-labeled photos to prove how in love we were. 🤦♀️ But this is times a million! I laughed out loud at the beetle, and I support an intro on the next visit — he sounds like part of the family!
Oh wow, yes, a green card interview sounds like it would require similar theatrics! And you’re right, Bond is definitely part of the family. A proper introduction is warranted. He may even need to fill out his own paperwork, though I’m not sure he would pass a criminal background check. 🤔
Nov 13, 2023Liked by Liz Medford - lizexplores.com
Hey, I'm Sheila. Just happened across your blog and love your candid writing. I'm a quotes everywhere (as I look over my laptop to see some of my collection) and name the bug in the bathroom type! Look forward to reading more.
Thank you Tommesa, you just made my day! I’m glad I was able to walk you through my experience with my words. Isn’t that the magic of writing—that we get to stand in someone else’s shoes for a moment, live a small piece of their life, and have a peek inside their mind? And I’m happy I could bring some laughter to your day. How else can we navigate such difficult situations but to laugh at ourselves? If being socially awkward and slightly neurotic is normal, then count me in! I appreciate the stamp of approval.
Thank you so much for reading and offering your generous feedback. I’m so glad to have you as a subscriber! May I ask how you found me? 😄
How cool, I love the magic of Substack! It looks like you are planning to start your own ‘stack? 😄
Beautiful post! You had me hanging on every word. I felt like I was there with you through every detail and nuance. I am so rooting for you on this journey. So well written ♥️
Thank you so much, Ashley! I’m glad I was able to bring you along with me. Thank you for reading, and for your generous feedback! 😁
Oh Honey, I feel you in this one! I vividly remember our home visits. In our case, we had a lead on a child and submitted a portfolio directly to the birth mother first, THEN did our home visits. All the worries and wondering you’ve done here we’re what we did directly with the birth mom. How do you make yourself look “just right” to parent a child without looking too perfect or controlling. Striking that just right balance so they will trust you to love and care for a child forever... uff da! Adoption is not for the faint of heart! Hang in there. I’m rooting for you!
Wow Helen, a portfolio! What did that entail?! And an interview with the birth mom! I can’t imagine the added layers of stress, plus I’m guessing you were competing with other would-be parents to give you her baby. It’s such a complicated situation for all involved. Of course it’s important for the child’s sake to make sure the adoptive parent checks out, but it’s so strange to be on the other end of that and give someone else the power to decide if you’re worthy of parenthood. Adoption is not for the faint of heart indeed! 😬
I was there with you every second. I could feel your anxiety, your panic about not measuring up to Jennifer’s standards. You were you, with all your strengths and insecurities, but your reactions and answers came from your wonderfullly, amazing heart and your incredible mind.
Thank you Susan! The irony is that the standards I was measuring myself against were my own, not Jennifer’s. My mind projected my own thoughts and fears through her. I have no idea what she was thinking; I only know how I was thinking and feeling in that moment, and I reacted more to that than to her. The mind can be a very distorted lens!
Oh my gosh this is so stressful! And cringey-hilarious! It reminds me of our green card interview where I put together a whole album of chronological, hand-labeled photos to prove how in love we were. 🤦♀️ But this is times a million! I laughed out loud at the beetle, and I support an intro on the next visit — he sounds like part of the family!
Oh wow, yes, a green card interview sounds like it would require similar theatrics! And you’re right, Bond is definitely part of the family. A proper introduction is warranted. He may even need to fill out his own paperwork, though I’m not sure he would pass a criminal background check. 🤔
Sitting at the edge of my seat the entire time while reading. I really enjoy the way you write and the details that you include are so fun.
Thank you, Satya! This experience was so absurd, it was fun to write about. 😂
Hey, I'm Sheila. Just happened across your blog and love your candid writing. I'm a quotes everywhere (as I look over my laptop to see some of my collection) and name the bug in the bathroom type! Look forward to reading more.
Thank you, Sheila! I’m happy to have you here!
Happy to be here! Thank you for writing 😊