Sunday, April 22, 2012

In with the new!

Our blog has been the same for several years now. Both Jeremy and I are kind of funny about change. Many people change their backgrounds and looks quite often, but we like the comfort of familiarity.

That being said, we have both felt like it's time to try something new! Our main goal is to make our blog more readable and accessible to people who are coming on for the first time. We have both felt a tremendous responsibility to share our story, particularly of special needs adoption. Many prospective adoptive parents have contacted us about things they have read on our blog and questions they have had. Hopefully that can happen even more often with the easier accessibility. We know that as we first began our adoption journey, we found ourselves full of questions. Many of those questions were answered through the blogs of other adoptive parents. They were extremely helpful to us. Hopefully we can be that help for others who might adopt as well! With that being said, we're humbly asking you to "button up," or in other words, put our button on your blog! Spread the word on Facebook! Whatever it takes-- let's let the world know the beauty of special needs adoption! It's kind of funny for me to be asking this-- believe it or not, I'm a pretty private person. In many ways, I'd rather have a small following. But I KNOW the power of blogs and the power of sharing experiences, and I feel such an urgency to open hearts to these darling children without families. Spreading the word is an easy way to be part of finding them a home!

We'll be working out the kinks of the new blog over the next few days, so be patient. Our new domain name will be www.abeautifulroad.com, but that's not up yet. You won't need to change the address if you are a follower-- it will automatically reroute you. We'll reward your patience with a very fun surprise as soon as we can. Believe me, you'll want to keep posted! (;


What's the Difference?

Me: "Hi Princess Graci. Are you fabulous today?"
Graci: (after thinking for a few seconds) "No. Today I'm beautiful!"

No lack of self-esteem there:)

-Jer

So Ashamed

My dad tried to teach me. He really did. "Jeremy, DON"T drink the milk right out of the milk jug!" I would sneak and try to do it when he wasn't looking. I mean, what a waste of time and resources. Why walk over to the cupboard and get a cup when you can just grab the jug from the fridge and be done with it. One less item for the dishwasher as well! I like to think of it as being efficient.

As a dad myself, I of course teach my kids the same thing. "No drinking from the jug!!!" "Unless you're me!" You see, I developed this fantastic method for making it a sanitary process. I just don't touch the jug to my lips! I lean my head back, open my mouth wide and pour the milk (or orange juice) directly into my mouth from two or three centimeters above. Now I can't do this if the jug is completely full. Disaster waiting to happen. If it's about 50%-75% full, I rest the handle of the jug on my chin to stabilize it, but again, it never touches my lips. It makes my heart swell to think of all the money I have saved by doing this over the course of our marriage. I have certainly saved many full loads of cups from being washed. Ever the economizer!

The other day Parker was talking to me and in passing mentioned Jesi drinking out of the jug and how gross it was. "WHAT?!?" I asked. "Yeah. The other day I saw Jesi drinking straight out of the jug." "Was it the very last of the milk?" "Oh no!" he replied. "There was still quite a bit left." In fifteen seconds I had finally learned a lesson that my dad tried for 18 years to teach me. In my mind's eye I saw my sweet princess swigging milk like a sailor. Clearly my "Do as I say, not as I do" lectures were not working. It has been two full weeks since I swore off my addiction, and I am proud to say that not once have I lifted that cursed jug above my head to drink. I know that with determination and perseverance I can leave this detestable habit behind me.

For those of you who have ever had a drink at our house, I apologize. (I once again reaffirm that I did NOT inhale...I mean touch it to my lips.) If you come again, you can rest assured that ALL of our drinks enter a cup first!

Jer