The importance of community

So much to write about but so bloody exhausted not sure I can string a coherent sentence together.  And we are only 2 days into our 7 well 6.5 day introduction plan. I want to tell you about our trip to the park, the visit to a community centre full of gorgeous old biddies and doddery old gentlemen, child 4's amazing foster mum and of course child 4 and how he is bonding with his Daddy!

But tonight I sit with a hot and strong cup of tea (strong because I've just noticed the tea bag is still stewing in it!) thinking about my leaving work/work event meal that I have not long returned home from. What with my head still travelling the adoption road I forgot that I was supposed to be at work for 5.30pm, well to be honest I knew but hadn't really realised how time flies when you are busy and tired. I arrived a little late and took on my surprise role as quiz master with what I hope was lots of enthusiasm, sparkle and exuberance! I am sure that sometimes I must drive my work colleagues mad with my excitement and passion for life, at my worst I must be like one of those really really annoying pantomime characters.  However, they as usual go with my flow and seem to enjoy themselves. Once the quiz night, which included "Name that year" "Pictionary" and "Mastermind" had finished with team one winning by 4 points. We headed off to Prezzo for a night of catch up gossip, face stuffing and I guess from a work perspective some team building. They were so kind that they had bought our family a voucher to spend on our new addition, in our place its hard enough to arrange for a card to be signed by all the staff, that to complete a collection is phenomenal and says a lot. There were some wonderful comments about our nearly at fruition adoption plans and about us as a family. But do you know what, not one of them realised how important they, like so many of our community are, in our endeavour. My job share has taken my plan for 6 months out without batting an eyelid, the lovely girlie stepping into my smelly old shoes to "keep my seat warm" will do a fab job and no doubt find out what she is truly capable of (just don't be too good or they may not want me back). Then the other guys, some who have said that they admire me for being able to take on a little person not created by me and bring them into our family fold. Not everyone is cut out for adoption, we all have talents and abilities special to us and everyone of those within my work place have enabled us as a family to add another in what is I guess a slightly unusual way. They offer support through their enthusiasm and their interest, just offering an ear and a shoulder can sometimes make such a difference.

I truly see our adoption of child 4 as a shared and special event for all those that have a touch on our lives. We have an opportunity to offer one little boy a new beginning, a life full of love, friendship, stability and laughter (no doubt a few tears too) and everyone and anyone who offers what they can is part of that!