The House of Bounce

I did mean to sign in and update you on my last visit with the boys. It was at the end of winter break. My daughter, now 6, and I met the boys (now 10 and 8) and their parents about an hour south of the cities at a place called House of Bounce. This place was great, they had 6-7 bouncy slides, and jumping things it was really fun for the kids. First we had lunch together at the Golden Arches. It always amazes me how easily my daughter and the boys get along, it's like they see each other every day. My daughter and I talk about the boys and hanging out with them pretty often, she just loves to be with them. Not only do they play well together but they wrestle and argue well too. I really had a great time talking to the adoptive mom and dad and learning more about the boys and their family. I feel like we are back at a good place in our relationship now. It's always a huge blessing to my heart to see them all, to know that they are well and just to watch them all interact together. Seeing the love flowing through the family just makes my heart glow with peace and reassurance. I am looking forward to seeing them again.

It's Tax Season

Busy Busy Busy, I was looking at the schedule and we are going to try meeting at the Church Location again in order that we might provide childcare for those that need it, the libraries do not allow for us to provide childcare. The Well will now meet at Cornerstone Church in Crystal in the Coffee Corner on the third Thursday of the odd numbered months from 7-9pm. Please give Joy a call if you will be attending and if you are going to use the childcare. The Well is a great place to meet other birthmothers who have gone through similar feelings, emotions, events of the adoption journey, so please join us and your story may the be one that helps another woman this month. There are women from all walks of life that attend the group. We have women that come just when they need a pick up, or we have a few that come to every meeting, it's for you as you need or want to be here. As far as Tax season goes I work for a non-profit organization called AccountAbility Mn - this is a place where we prepare taxes at no cost for single people earning less than $30,000 and families earning less than $50,000 a year. I enjoy this work very much and if this service could help you please either look up a location online or give me a call and I can help you find one of the sites.
Cornerstone Church
3415 Louisiana Ave N
Crystal, MN 55427

New meeting Place and Times

The Well and The Wellstone will now be meeting at the Hennepin County Libriaies. June 1st we will be meeting at the Rockford Road location from 7-9pm. Please join us as we talk about our journeies as birthmothers.
In July and August we will be meeting on the first Tuesdays of the month at the Plymouth Hennepin County Library, it is the new one located off of Vicksburg Lane in Plymouth. Please contact me if you would like to request a location for future meetings. I can set it up at most any Hennepin County Library, and I would like to be conveinient to everyone that would like to attend. I am also available to meet one-on-one with anyone that would like to talk. I would be happy to meet for "coffee" and just hear your story or what you have been experienceing lately if that is more comfortable for you.
I look forward to meeting you.

Mid January 2010

Wow another year is begining.... I have been thinking of the boys everyday. I can not beleive that they are 9 and 7 already. I'm so happy that they have, seemingly, the greatest parents ever. It's been proven time and time again, that is the decision that I made for them was the best decisions I have made in my life. I've been questioning Nurture and Nature alot.... I really wonder what we have to do with molding our offspring... if we really have much impact at all on who they turn out to be.... decisions that they will make and ultimately what they will do in their life. It seems that many of us waste so much of our lives not serving God with all that we are. We are spending time trying to impress others, live up to what society wants, while ignoring what really matters..... which is Loving God and loving all those people that we encounter each and everyday..... I guess I have moved on to a soap box when really I wanted to take a moment out of my life and talk about what I have been thinking about the boys. Most of all I wonder what they are doing the very moment that I am thinking about them.... sometimes I think that they may be at recess or lunch, or after school doing homework or making cookies with their mom, playing in the snow--- making a snow fort like I used to with my brother every winter. All my thoughts lately are just lovely. I wish that I could hang out with them once in a while - like go to a movie or just play outside but I know they are having a fantastic life where they are and if that does not include me that is ok as long as things are great with them... That was heartfelt honesty for you. I have to get going, and attend to my little blessing on the couch watching a pippy longstocking show. :)
blessing to all you birthmothers.

August Already

It seems like we have not had summer yet and here we are in the final month before School starts. I have been thinkinig a lot lately of the boys and what they are doing with their summer. I know they are playing sports which can never be a waste of time. Both of the boys are athletically inclined. At our last meeting their dad told me he bought this huge motorcycle, and takes the boys on rides around the block. That sounds like a ton of fun. I have been praying that God will find favor in both boys and that they will know him on a very personal basis, and that they might have an understanding of God beyond their years. I have been learning about love the last few months and that it changes, and is different for each person that you love. When you tell one person you love them it is never the same love that you have for another person that you tell you love. Love for my daughter is different than the love I have for the boys. Love I have for my best friend, is simply different than the love I have for my friends and family. Love, how is it that we only have one word for this emotion when there are so many meanings?

The Well - Meeting

I am excited to get started up again soon, I have been through a ton of life change, and I need to figure what is going to work best. If anyone has any requests for meeting time I would love to hear from you. TheWell@live.com
I will post here in the next two weeks when life has some set details.
If you want to just meet one on one please sent me an email and I would love to meet with you. joymichelle100@hotmail.com

Lunch Hangout

Well Saturday my daughter and I went for a two hour drive to meet up with the Boys and their parents for lunch. We met at McDonald's playplace, talked just a little while the kids played. I asked about what the Boys think about my daughter and me, As far as what our relationship is I mean. Well V-their mom- said that she was reading the oldests journal from school, when he mentioned his family including his dad, his younger brother, his step-mom and his step-sister, meaning me and my daughter. She also said there was no mention of her..... that she felt left out - jokingly. That was nice to hear that he thinks about us. So he has not quit figured out the relationship between himself and my daughter. V- also mentioned the younger son has never mentioned anything about us. Which is fine. I refer to the boys as our friends when talking to my daughter about them. D&V said they call me their friend and my daughter their special friend or special sister.
So then we talked about mutual friends from Church, then the rain had stopped so they suggested a local park, which sounded like fun, so we all loaded in their car and went to the park, the kids played, I pushed all three on the tire swing, it was so hot out, then dark clouds were headed our way so we quickly jumped back in the van and headed back to my car. We took a few pictures before giving our "see you laters" and we were off. My daughter fell asleep just 5 minutes into the ride.
I found this visit to be the best in a while, it was really comfortable, I totally enjoyed chillin with the boys and D&V too.
I always feel emotionally drained after a visit, however I also feel contented and refreshed. I love to see how their family functions together and to learn what they are up to and involved in. Big bro is playing soccer and golf this summer and the little guy is playing baseball. They are both very smart and active. Oh and super cute, how could they not be? I have been thinking about the boys often since last week, praying for them, and wishing we could know each other better.