Thursday, August 28, 2014

Prepping and Preparing and Good-Byes

Moving is never an easy transition for anyone. Moving for an adoptive child can bring up many, many emotions...any transition can. I've been bracing for this life changing event for some time now. Prepping and preparing the kids. Not to mention preparing the house to show. It's never been so clean!

It's not just moving from one house to the next. Oh, if it where only that easy! My dear hubby got a job 2 1/2 hours away in the town we wanted to move to. Terrific, right?! Yes, it is. BUT it will also be a huge adjustment not having Daddy around while I get our lives in order back here at the homestead preparing to move.

Us parents worry constantly about our children. How they will handle stress? Are they scared? Are they angry? Do they think we'll leave them behind? What are they thinking? We worry about them worrying! Then if we have time, we worry about the adult problems, like will our house sell? That's a big one. I think it's okay for the kids to see me stressed once and awhile. I don't want them to think I handle everything perfectly with grace. I wish I did. But I don't. I want them to feel free to talk, cry, vent and even scream once and a while. Things happen in life that will make us feel uncomfortable and out-of-control. All we can do is be there and work through it.

Even though there is so many uncertainties involved we gave it our best attempt to make it fun and exciting...an adventure! We did tons of playdates (playdates are this mom's therapy!), ice cream shops, favorite parks and anything to keep them in a positive frame of mind. We got books about moving at the library. We even found a book about the town we're moving to! That was perfect! The good-byes are always tough, so I choose not to think of them as good-byes. I reminded our kiddos that we're always close enough for visits! It's still difficult though. We're leaving lots of room for adjustment!

Saved this for our last stop. They thought they were dreaming...all kinds of candy everywhere!