Thankful For

I'm thankful that I have a voice that I am able to use to advocate for others.

I'm not on so much right now, so I just saw this thread.I'm thankful for my former foster daughter's grandmother, who still allows and encourages me to be part of her life.I'm thankful for my parents, who took my son for the weekend to give me a break, but I'm also very thankful that he's home now.I've applied for a new job, and I'm both excited and hopeful, but I am also very happy in/ loving my current job, so I'm in the enviable spot of having two very good potential outcomes. I get up in the morning enthusiastic to go to work (okay, I really get up groggy and cranky, but once I've poured coffee down my throat I'm enthusiastic). I think I've reached a point, at least for the moment, that I'm pretty happy with my life in general. Even the things I wish were different are things I've found peace with. I'm Also thankful for all of you, especially those who have different understandings than I do. You Make me a better parent, person, and (since I work with lots of kids who are adopted or in foster care) a better therapist.

Ruth .I'm thankful that you are willing to truly hear us and realize that adoption is complex and multi layered.I'm thankful for a great vacation this week, even though we had to come home a day early. I'm thankful for my new patio which was a gift from my folks.I'm thankful I live in a beautiful place where I can go from high prairie to mountains in three hours!

Hi everyone. First, I'm thankful that so many of you are still here! These forums are so important to me because I get to hear from all of you and get your perspective. I Wouldn't be coming back here if it weren't for all of you and I'd be so sad to lose this space. I'm also thankful that it's summer break and that Sweetpea's healthy and happy.I'm also in a new relationship which has been great. He hasn't met Sweetpea yet and there's no pressure. I'm just taking it day by day and seeing where it goes. I've dated a little bit (not much but a little) since being a mom but this is the first real relationship so it's different. I hope I can be here on a.com more often during the summer.

Leeah,Good to see you! I'm thankful for this space too, because it gives me the adoptive parent perspective when it I need it.Today I'm thankful for my mom and dad. They VERY generously paid for a new patio on my house. I have this beautiful outdoor space now with some plants and my chimnea. The dogs are absolutely loving it. We also acquired the lot to the south of us. We haven't decided yet what we are going to do with it, maybe get a new house and put it across the lots, but I'm excited to have that too. It means a crappy trailer won't move in next to us with sketchy neighbors. Everyone needs a place to live, I just don't enjoy having people who cook meth living next to me.

I'm thankful it is Friday today. I love my work, but holy man it has felt like a week of Mondays. I'm thankful to be seeing Kiddo next weekend. We are taking him and my step son (whose 20th bday is next weekend) to lunch, the zoo, and a baseball game. The next day we are doing another game with just my stepson. We have to drive about 2 hours to do that stuff, so we usually do more than just a day outing. Mom and Dad are meeting us for lunch and the zoo.I think we will also have Kiddo for a week in August. Hopefully anyway. His mom is the worst about getting back to me about anything and then can't believe my calendar filled up. Yep, people who aren't parenting have lives too, lol.Ok... who else is thankful for something?

I'm thankful they moved my team here at Adoption.com to an office with windows.In general, I crave time outdoors. It is my mental health insurance. So even though I'm inside, seeing the effects of not burning calories at a desk job, I was able to see this morning's raindrops transform to afternoon's blue skies.....If it stays this way, I might have to lay by the river and read this weekend :)Belle, I'm excited that you get time with your sons! Sounds like you have some fun plans. I'm sure they are really looking forward to it :)

I'm thankful I got to spend some time with my son this weekend. He's a good kid, even if visits are challenging.Next month I will have him for ten days. That promises to be interesting.I'm thankful for volunteers who want to help us move the shelter! It is a big change and I'm excited and scared all at once.

Belle, Wish I was there to help you with the move. It sounds like you're excited about the new shelter! Enjoy having your boy in town :)

Thanks Spud! Mostly what I'm excited about is having an office bigger than a closet with climate control (I freeze in the winter and cook in the summer) even though I lose windows and a beautiful view. I gain a bathroom (right now I share with all of the women in shelter. One bathroom for three families and two employees... not fun) and a view of the Missouri River. Of course I am also thrilled that I will get to have group for the whole community because I will be able to protect confidentiality and we are doubling the amount of families we can serve in shelter. We are also partnering with a program near us to provide a safe haven for victims of human trafficking. It will provide wrap around services for those folks. We will also have transitional housing for survivors who are waiting on housing in our communities. It is just going to be so amazing for our program and the program we are partnering with.

Belle, your job is amazing. I'm sure every day has it's heavy moments, but what an amazing thing to do with your time on this earth. ...and what a great thing that the new shelter will be able to provide a safe haven for more families. Love it!

This is a healthy forum for an unhealthy time. I am thankful that I have three healthy children and a loving husband. I am thankful I have supportive and loving family and friends. I am thankful that all of our needs are fulfilled. I am thankful that every time I want to die from the pain of this reunion that I have the sense enough to realize all the things in my life I have to be thankful for and that I am happy to be alive:)

I'm thankful things have cooled off. It was really hot here.I'm thankful for the rain we just got.I'm thankful that my folks are coming down overnight next week while Kiddo is here.I'm thankful that J mowed the lawn at home so I didn't have to.

I'm thankful for you Belle, I'm thinking of you today (as I have most of the week) but I am thankful for you. For your brilliant insight and willingness to expand my horizons and listen to me complain. LOL I'm thankful for you! I'm thankful to many on here. I haven't been on in a LONG time but I've been busy and this forum hasn't been the easiest thing to navigate. But I wanted to pop in and say hi!

Thanks wrking. I don't know if I would have made it through the past week without having your shoulder. This has been one of the most challenging weeks in my life I think. It hardly seems like a week and a day since the whole thing started. I'm thankful I got to spend a week with my son. I'm hopeful that there will be more before he turns 18, at this point though....