Keeping Up!

We are 45 and 50 and have an 11 yr old bio daughter. We are newly licensed to take newborn- 9yr olds for foster/adopt. The times we have had babies for weekend respite have been a blast. I wasn't sure I could do it all, but like Linny said, a few ibuprofen and I'm good to go! Somewhere the strength comes up and I keep going because- I want to. I really want to raise more kids and because of that I keep going. I think I'm a better more informed parent now that when I was younger.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it appears I beat all of you. I am 57, my husband is 48. We have 4 adopted children, ages 2 thru 10 and I have 4 bio children, ages 24 thru 34. SO, do I get the same comments about "I don't know how you do it. I could NEVER do what you are doing", etc.? Absolutely! I don't expect others to understand what I do. It doesn't matter to me if someone else "understands" it. I've pretty much always lived my life this way and it works well for me. I didn't worry what others thought when I married an AA man either. As for putting us on some kind of pedestal for adopting at our ages . . . I hate that part of it also. These are OUR CHILDREN. We both have a lot of energy at our ages. My Italian grandmother raised 10 children with very little assistance from her husband. My 82 year old mother is a bundle of energy and never stops. My 82 year old father still golfs and sails. It must be in our blood but whatever the reason, you just can't be worried about what anyone else thinks. This is your life, live it. If you have the energy to adopt a young child in your 50's, then do it. It would be a shame for you not to live your dream because of what someone else thought. Linny, you have such a way with words. I just LOVE reading your posts. Just in case you didn't know it, you're #1 on my pedestal!!!!

Hmmm...when I first read the title of this thread, I thought it said "keeping it up" and we were talking about something else entirely. :eyebrows: Cheesehead I feel your pain. I'm 46 and DH is 42, and our Princesa is 2. And we're hoping to adopt another little one within the next year or so. My mother's reaction when I told were we were adopting again was "why would you do that? You're not a Spring chicken you know". Of course she was only 20 when I was born. She can't relate to my journey. Don't let your family discourage you. You'll be amazing parents. Because what's in your heart is more important then anything. Best wishes in your journey! :flowergift:

ALthough this thread is not new, I am totally glad it resurfaced. I have spent the last week worrying myself to death. I am 40 and recently diagnoised with possible Fibermayliga. And even though I feel 40 most days, there have been days I feel 50. Here lately I am feeling younger though since I started exercising. Then all the sudden my 18 month old morphed into a ball of hyperactive , attitude sporting matter of energy. I worried that I would not be able to keep up with her, and glad to know you guys have been doing a great job. I would love to see more post on the over 40 board. No let me re phrase that I NEED MOE POST on the over 40 board. thanks

A special thanks and many :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: to all of you for your support! We just got home from a two week holiday in England where we visited family. DH is from England and we hadn't seen them in many years...so it was wonderful. What was even better was the genuine support I received from everyone. My MIL kept telling me that age does not matter at all...it's not about how old you are, it's about how you feel and what you want. Even Dh's 93 yr. old grandmother wanted to help out in any way she could to make the process work for us!My family and friends is another story, but at least I know I have support from all of you and "some" of the family. It was cute as we were talking with our nieces about adopting and they asked what "adopting" means. Our 9 year old niece explained it and it was just precious. OK....so later in the day our 4 yr. old niece came up to my husband and said "You'll make a really good grandpa!" So....I guess we are already laughing about the grandpa comments! But on a happier note....I didn't get the grandma comment:dance:Your encouragement and support is very comforting to me and I thank you from the bottom of my heart! I'd love to keep this dialog going as it helps tremendously when talking with those who "get it".

Chiming in here! 42 year old at time of birth and 43 now with a 1 year old and first time mom. Hi Linny! Thread stood out for me since I am about to LEAVE for a 2 weeks holiday in UK to visit DH's family. Cheese where were you in England? We are going to Surrey/South London area. Go Chelsea! I'm afraid to ask who does your DH support? We never had any slack about our age from anyone but DH sometimes makes jokes about it. His big issue before we adopted was "what am I going to do on Sports Day at school?" I never really thought about it but after the fiftieth time I said "Honey I don't even KNOW what sports day is!?!?!?!?!" I guess it's a British thing where the Dads go to school and compete in sports with their kids. He went to an all boy's school and I guess it was an issue if your Dad was a good athlete. First of all he's very fit and looks GREAT :love: but who cares???? Anyway, DS will almost surely be at Montessorri where there are certainly not father's competing like that. Can you imagine? You spend your whole life winning your child's respect and you lose one three legged potato sack race and it's all out the window? Anyway, we are very very happy. I also want to say we had a "nurse" helping me in the beginning and she was very impressed with me because I am a very relaxed mother You'd never know it from all the insecurities I post about but the truth is, I'm "there" emotionally and seen enough that a little projectile vomit just doesn't freak me out! I'm a much better mom than I would have been when I was in my 20's. My whole family agrees. I keep my mouth shut when my back hurts though LOL sometimes it does. And of course DS loves nothing more than being thrown around like a little rag doll (giggles constantly) so I do it. Hey I have biceps for the first time! :grouphug:

Hi Stormster,DH's parents live in Abingdon, just south of Oxford. His father is a Manchester United fan.....nephew in London is a Liverpool fan....DH doesn't really follow soccer/football in England anymore. DH is a diehard American football, Oakland Raiders fan....only because that is the team he first started watching in England. I am a born and raised Green Bay Packer fan....hence cheesehead!DH also went to an all boys school....Abingdon School. And yes, competition was a big thing and still is with DH. Have a safe and wonderful trip and brace yourself for the deflated American dollar....$2 = 1 pound. YIKES!And I hear you about having to keep your mouth shut when you have the aches and pains. That is really a fear of mine, as I really won't be able to share the hard times with my friends or family which will be really hard for me. The only thing I will probably get is "we told you so" or "we warned you" or "you should have listened to me". My tongue will certainly be full of bite marks !!!!!Take care and let's keep in touch!

It's good to know that there are other APs out there in my age bracket! DH and I have two kids, a daughter from Guatemala and a son from Korea (6.5 & 5). We have been in the process of adopting from Vietnam for the past 19 months (had a referral and lost it after 3 months), and now the program is closing:hissy: . We are starting over, with domestic. I am now 47 and DH is 43. Even though we started late, I never imagined that I would be trying to adopt a newborn baby in my late 40s! Although I try to get used to the idea that maybe we are done, I just can't seem to let the dream go, so we are going to wait until it happens, no matter how old I am!!

Hmmmm. Just found this tread. One would think that with all the running after and picking up and playing, etc (not to mention never being able to eat a complete meal by the time they are done with theirs) that we would be as skinny as rails. What the he!! I just don't seem to be losing any weight either.:arrow: BTW...I feel like I'm about 90 these days. Been re-decking the house (2 out of the 3 sides), I have a new front door coming, my parents will be here Thursday for Katie's Birthday visit and after I finish with all of that I get to finish all the landscaping projects that I have in progress (still have 7 cu yards of mulch sitting in my driveway). The worst thing....I ran out of coffee filters and Motrin this morning. :coffee: :hissy:

Running out of coffee filters is the WORST! LOL Get yourself to starbucks or something quick!

With the price of gas and the distance to the nearest coffee place that would have been one expensive cup of coffee. I just rinsed off the old one and resused it. I've also had to resort to the paper towel filter trick a time or two in the past. Not to fear, I now have a year's supply of coffee filters and a month's supply of Motrin. I'm good to go!

If you want to feel younger, go see "Mamma Mia"! It's a real feel good movie (unless you detest "Abba"). Meryl Streep looks wonderful and you leave the theatre thinking age is just a frame of mind. Well, I left the theatre thinking that -- but I live by the following: "DENIAL IS A BEAUTIFUL THING"!!!!!!!

We saw "Mama Mia" live in Toronto a couple years ago and it was really good. DH even enjoyed it and he doesn't usually go for musicals of any kind. We do like Abba and the music was great. It is worth going to see as it will put a smile on your face and have you singing along. Now for the denial......I think that is were I am at, however, how do you deny the crink in the neck, the sore hip and shoulder, the hot flashes, the eyes closing at 9PM, etc. ?????? I guess we just gotta keep denying the aches and pains too!

I'll tell ya! You find yourself a very good chiropractor who'll help out those crinks (especially in the neck...I have those too); and you start taking herbal, over the counter remedies for those night sweats and premenopausal symptoms (did that sound like a commercial or WHAT?)!!!!!! Both will go miles in that aches and pains department! Sincerely, Linny

Oh Cheesehead and Linny....there with the aches and pains too. Especially I just went to help my mom and dad with their orchard and garden (why do they insist on planting a huge garden each year....lol) I had to pick two apricot trees climbing a ladder and then pick green beans. I found muscles that I didn't know I had....lol Just joined a gym....hope that helps....lol