Category: Parenting

  • Why am I so invested?

    Why am I so invested?

    I do care about my daughter. Her heart. Her feelings.I encourage her to be true to herselfAnd kind to others I listen and I get excited about this new chapterAnd I see her with new eyes I realize I feel ready to let her goTo explore her heartBut I feel the tug to remain closeTo…

  • Glean

    Glean

    Glean (April 1st) I’m an intelectual hoarderExperiences that are difficultare valuablePain is inconsequentialJoy is a treat My daughter is going through a first romantic interestwith the boy next doorHe is also learning, growing, experimentingShy but determined And she is introspectiveBut she doesn’t fit the moldWill he have the patience, the courage to take her on?…

  • Intentional Connection Daily

    Intentional Connection Daily

    Listening & Sharing.  We could fill tens of books with our conversations. But we are not. I’m starting to see there is no need. I hope they will remember much of the wisdom I passed on, but I trust they will remember my heart.  “You will reap what you sow.” (Galatians 6:7) They may not remember…

  • O frustrare ridicolă și repetitivă

    O frustrare ridicolă și repetitivă

    Dimineață iau micul dejun cu Ivy. Îi pregătesc gustarea pentru școală cat ea își termină cerealele. O duc la școală împreună cu alți trei vecini care merg la aceeași școală. Ea în fața. Povestim despre toate. Le răspund la întrebări. O iau la 12 de la școală, împreună cu ceilalți vecini. La întoarcere procesează cu…

  • A deep sense of acceptance starts at home

    A deep sense of acceptance starts at home

    My youngest is a lot like me. Quiet and observant. I know there is a lot going on behind these beautiful attentive eyes. And I have little control over what happens outside my home. She is learning to adapt to the world, its fickle friendships and exclusions, the sense of loss, lack of understanding, the…

  • The storm beneath the surface

    The storm beneath the surface

    Ignorance would have been bliss. Upon reaching the border with Serbia I discovered our technical inspection was expiring the day we were supposed to return, on Sunday. Cutting it close.  As I looked at all our options to cross the border with the car in a timely manner, I felt trapped, 550 km away from…

  • Întâlnirile MomCo din Iris.

    Întâlnirile MomCo din Iris.

    Familiaritatea, rutina simplă, structura întâlnirilor, deschiderea mamelor, disponibilitatea echipei de organizare, toate ne ajută să ne bucurăm noi înșine deplin de fiecare întâlnire. Sunt toate un dar, inspirate de Duh. Ne trezim ca suntem intr-un gând pe subiect sau pe nevoile inimii noastre. Anul acesta am avut parte de încurajare și învățătură, de odihnă și…

  • Paying attention / Active listening

    Paying attention / Active listening

    “She doesn’t seem to be interested in what I have to say.” Humans are self-centered and insecure. Some grow out of it. Most don’t.  Jackie was telling me how some adults don’t pay attention. I am sure that she has been spoilt for choice and has had many adults hang on every word and engage…

  • Home economics

    Home economics

    The Game: 10 lei a week (it’s not about the monetary value). Pay taxes, tithe, utilities, rent, see about some savings and how much money will be left over for spending. Usually barely enough for a croissant.  On the chores chart: reading daily, homework, cleaning their room, their bathroom, set the table, clear the table,…

  • Disciplina postului

    Disciplina postului

    După întâlnirea momco din iris am hotărât sa încercăm o zi de post. Singura si de capul meu fac destule. Dar am vrut ca aceasta experiența sa fie împărtășită cu familia. Conrad a fost de acord fără nici o lămurire suplimentara. Pe ivy am întrebat-o si a răspuns prompt “ok, când?” Când i-am zis si…

  • lineage

    lineage

    I don’t wait for the girls to bring up adoption. I initiate. Intuitively I know when they are worked up about a curiosity and they also talk freely among themselves and don’t make a big deal out of it.  The adoptive moms’ bookclub had a lot of questions about my approach. They asked if it’s…

  • white after darkness

    white after darkness

    When you have a busy social calendar, taking a few weeks off from seeing people feels heavenly. On the other hand, if you long for connection and crave socializing, staying home throughout some winter weeks feels exhausting and lonely. If it was just my husband and I, without any self imposed pressure to make the…