Musings

On Wednesday the youth did baptisms at the temple and it was wonderful . . . even though Tyce got a bloody nose on his first plunge under the water! But he was okay and he says that "it was awesome." It was really cool being there as a leader and a mom. I was re-impressed with my Laurels who were there, because they really display leadership and maturity. For example, in the car on the way up, some of the younger girls were bad-mouthing their teachers (like most teenagers do) and Ceara kindly but strongly reminded them that we were going to the temple, and that kind of talk needed to stop now. You know it means so much more coming from one of the older girls than from a leader. Rock on, girl!

At the insistence of my sil Kim, I created a facebook page. It's like one day, I vaguely know what facebook is, and the next--I realize there's a HUGE party that's been going on behind my back. j/k I used the "friend finder" and saw tons of people I knew from various stages in my life: middle school, high school, college, working, wards we've been in, former YW (the best!) . . . but you have to click "add as friend" to see their profile, and they have to accept. So I clicked away. But I think I made a big mistake. I tried to add a current Laurel in my ward, and she hasn't accepted. I can imagine her sitting around the lunch table like this:

Ohmygosh, I have to tell you guys the creepiest thing.

What?

My Young Womens president, is like, stalking me or something. She wants me to add her as a friend on my facebook page.

Ohmygosh, that is way freaky. What is she, like over 30? Cuz that's gross.

I know. I totally like her on Sunday and everything, but she needs to hang out with people her own age.

***

What else. Politics. I never write about politics on this blog because I don't like confrontation and discord, especially impassioned mean-spiritedness. But I do have an opinion. My opinion is . . . that I don't know what to think. My core ideology says one thing, but my psychological read on people (which is very good, by the way), tells me another. I'm not confused as in "I have no idea what I believe in" or "I don't have a clue about the issues," but more about what is truly best for the country at this point.

But Tyce is making a political statement of his own in the form of his Halloween costume: he's going as Barack Obama. All he has to do is wear a suit and he's set.

One more thing. Our dear friend Teresa is the post-adoption specialist at Casa, and she sent a newsletter to all the adoptive families. Reading her article was a much needed boost, a breath of fresh air. Most of the time I expect our children to be "normal" and I think they usually blend in to the normal population. But there are times when it seems like chaos reigns and I wonder what I'm doing wrong--when tempers erupt, fights break out, schoolwork suffers, lies are told, threats are made--and I wonder, what have I gotten myself into? How am I going to get them through all of this?

And while I know that other people have children who deal with some of these problems, it can be lonely not having our Casa community to talk with about the added issues of being an adoptive parent. It would be like being in an area where you were the only one with your religious beliefs--there are certainly great people all around but sometimes you need to talk with someone who really "gets" you, all the way down to your core. So I am just incredibly thankful for our Casa family and their support in helping me regain perspective on raising our beautiful children.

That's about all for now. Bryce, Tyce, and Harrison are in Utah this weekend, so it's just Miss M. and Cam here with me for Conference weekend. I think we might set up a tent in the living room.