I was just almost finished with a post, when I accidentally pushed some stupid button on the keyboard, and wiped it all away! That REALLY irks me!

So anyway, what I was talking about was this show I just watched, called Trading Spouses. On it there was a couple who had about seven kids or so, and over half of them were clearly adopted (three were Asian, and one was black, while the parents were starch white--you know they weren't blood!). I was really moved by how happy they all seemed together, and the diversity of the family and how they didn't care. It was evidenced during the show that they were indeed a happy family. It got me to thinking about something that has been on my mind for a while now. I watched a documentary the other day about this couple that had older kids that didn't live at home anymore, who wanted more kids. So they decided to adopt. They ended up adopting these three boys that were all brothers, who had been abused and neglected and separated in the system, with no hope of ever living together again. Their lives were changed when this couple adopted them and made them a family again. Then, they went on to adopt a little girl who was mentally disabled, who was sure to never get adopted b/c of her disability, but was as cute as can be. She, too, had had a rocky past in the system, and it took them a lot of time and work to build trust with her, but she came through just fine. In the end they all became one happy family. The whole time I watched this, not only was I in awe of the wonderful thing these people had done, and how they had further extended their family with such a worthy group of people, but I was also totally jealous. I have for some time now been seriously wanting to adopt some children. I know that sounds stupid, as I am just now having my own. I realize that this is not something that I want to do right now, and it will have to wait for some time, but I really want to do this. I feel like it may be why God put me on this earth. I have this spot in my heart that makes me want to save the world in some small part, and I honestly don't feel like teaching is the way I can do it. It just doesn't feel right to me, and it never has. I mean, just imagine it. Here are these children that want desperately to be loved and to be a part of a loving family and know that someone, the same someone, will always care about them. What better way to save the world than to help these children out of bad situations and bring them into my family to feel loved and supported and see that there are wonderful things in this world? I can't think of any. Plus, I would have more people to love and help. I am already getting sad about TJ growing up one day and leaving me. Trey doesn't want to have any more children, and I don't blame him. I don't want anymore babies after this one. I can't explain why, except that maybe it's just b/c they're too hard when they are so helpless. I don't know. I do know, though, that I don't want to stop after Taryn is born. I have way too much to offer to just stop at two kids. While I was pregnant with TJ, I wanted to become a part of the foster program, but Trey vetoed that idea. I can't say that I blame him, as he didn't want strange kids coming and going from our home. With TJ on the way, that did make sense. This, however, is obviously something that has been on my mind for a while, and I feel will be on my mind for a long time to come, until I finally actually get to do it. I realize, again, that it is in the far future that I am talking about, but it does excite me just to think about the possibility of one day being able to adopt more kids!

Another thing that I saw on the show made me cry. In case you don't know about the show, Trading Spouses, it's about two families that trade moms for one week. The idea is that they are not only doing it to get $50K, but also to learn about themselves and their own families by being with these other families. They usually switch two moms with totally opposite parenting techniques. The one tonight was a continued one from last week, where a totally naggy mom traded with a really accepting and loving mom (this is the one with all the adopted children). She was talking to the son of her "new" family about his artwork and his love of tattooing and piercing. His real mom did not approve, and was openly disdainful of his appreciation of the art. The new mom said something that really is a motto that I hope I live by and stick to throughout the lives of my children. She said, "You may not like what it is that your children like, but you gotta find out what it is that gets his fire going. Then you gotta encourage it and work with him to make him feel valued as a person." I probably shouldn't put quotes, b/c I'm absolutely sure these aren't her exact words. However, that is the jist of what she said, and I just totally felt it. I know that I will not always like what my children love to do. I already don't like that TJ likes Boobah, or that he seems to have an affinity for jumping off of things that are too high for him to jump off of. However, I must accept that this is what he loves. I will do so in a way that says, "Hey, I'm not into that, but I totally see how you could be." Then I will encourage it and work with him to make sure he understands that I am behind him and his decisions in life. I will also, of course, have to keep an eye on him and make sure he does whatever he does in a safe way (ie-he loves to jump, but I have taught him that if he's going to jump, he has to hold Mommy's hand first), and that it's not something that's going to bring him down. All I know is that if your child really wants to do something, and feels it strongly (like, for more than five minutes!), then if you bash it, you are pushing him away, and closing the door to an open and close relationship. I just really, really hope that TJ doesn't one day start to love ghetto thug rap and shooting people!

Alrighty, this looks like yet again another long post that I meant to stay short. I really should work on that! Funny, I write just like I talk...a LOT! Okay, well, you guys have a great day, and I will see you soon!