I love Thursday's!

Hello again!  Today is Thursday, and that is my favorite day of the week.  Brian doesn't normally work on Thursday, but the kids have school, so that means we have SEVEN hours to be kid free, happy people in love.  Our day still had the requisite call from the school, a few of the "really?" moments, and lots of errands, but we were alone together and that makes every Thursday the best day ever!  

Yesterday as I started out on this journey of blogging I had a million things I wanted to save for later or address another day so I wouldn't bore people with too much writing.  Of course today I am at a loss for words.  Liam got a brand new lock on his door today, which made him very happy.  It's important for him to have it, because even though there have never been safety issues, he has occasionally felt unsafe, and now he is secure with his new hotel style lock!  Fortunately he wakes up to alarms and knocks on the door, so in case of emergency he is accessible.  While we were at Lowe's asking about locks for bedroom doors I am certain the employee thought we were locking our children up, and walked away muttering about interesting parenting styles, so that was awkward!  I found myself trying to explain my life to stranger, and it got even more awkward.  But that is typical these days.  People don't get it, and obviously complete strangers really don't care!  

Yesterday I was thinking about the loneliness of adopting difficult children, and that actually came up again today.  We never used to care about plans, we would just go with it and have people over, get babysitters, have my mom keep Liam, whatever.  Now we find ourselves feeling badly hiring babysitters because we don't know what they are going to get, we can't have the kids stay over night both for personal reasons and because the adoption is not final, and having people over is no longer the stress free fun time it once was.  Now we are lumped in with the parents we never really understood.  When we get a babysitter then our plans get cancelled it sucks, because we rarely get out together, and it is a big deal to be able to get a sitter.  We also have the whole thing of people not getting it.  They don't get why a night out is so vital to us, or why we are different from how we once were.  And it's funny, because I used to not understand my friends who had scheduling or energy issues.  I always wondered who was ever too tired to go out for drinks...  I understand the feeling now!  I think we need some friends who are in our same boat.  Some people who truly understand what it is we do and why we are how we are.  I'm not saying we want to replace anyone, I love everyone in my life, but I think we are at a point where expanding our circle to encompass people who relate to where we are right now just makes sense.  I don't think we are alone either, I bet there are other people out there who could use an ear and a drink with someone who truly understands, and actually wants to talk and try and find answers.  So, I am looking into creating a happy hour, maybe once a month, for parents with older adopted children.  No offense to you baby adopters, I get that you all have your set of troubles, and if you are desperate we can probably let you audit our happy hour, (you may have to buy the first pitcher though.) but older children who come with their own bags and needs create a whole new world of emotional blackmail!!!  I want to open my life to people who both have and need answers, ideas and hope.  And I want to do it over beer!  

Tomorrow is Friday, and I if I don't get back here, have a wonderful weekend!