A year in the life of our
wonderful,
usually crazy,
often funny,
sometimes lazy,
never dull,
family.
January
When I was 16…
February
Mom Shrugged
… I’d like to be everything to everyone. So I feed myself a steady diet of comparison and perfectionism (and chocolate; there’s always chocolate)…
March
Modern Day Torture (aka Timeshare Presentation)
… Strongly implied is the fact that non-timeshare holders will lead lives of sad desperation. There will never be time or money for a real holiday. The best we can hope for is quiet days spent huddled in a dank basement, braiding armpit hair into a scarf…
April
How Do You Find The Time?
… Whether you wing it from one moment to the next, or plan your day down to the minute, we are all subject to the same limitations.
86,400 seconds – 1,440 minutes – 24 hours
Each day, everyday, it’s all we’ve got. In this day and age, we can do almost anything, but we can’t do everything!..
May
Painting the Pink Room Green
Dear Little Brother,
Your sisters painted the pink room green today.They looked at every single paint chip in Home Depot and picked this colour especially for you. They painted your room themselves. There were a few spills. There are more than a few touch-ups needed. And it doesn’t look exactly perfect.
Except it is. Because they did it for you. They were so careful. And they worked hard all day long. Your big sisters love you already and they can’t wait to show you your new room!..
June
Test Driving a Person
… There were several moments today that felt utterly surreal. We have been frustrated with the long wait periods, the endless streams of paperwork and the strange bureaucratic rituals we must complete. But suddenly they seem like so little, considering what’s at stake here. They are giving us a human being. And we get to keep him forever. How weird is that?..
July
Birthday Letters for The Boy
… You’ve officially been part of our family for 1 month. Our lives have been turned upside down, but no one’s more than you. It hasn’t been an easy month, but it has been a very good one. Your Daddy and sisters have discovered that you are the best thing they never knew they always wanted. I wanted you all along, but even I am blown away by how important you are to us all. We are enjoying you so much. You are so much fun: so much mischief-making, full-tilt, maniacal laughing, enthusiastic fun. I’m so glad you are part of our family!..
August
The Underwear Crisis
… Attempting to harness the power of peer pressure, we celebrate the universality of underwear. Mommy wears panties, L wears panties, C wears panties, EVEN Daddy wears panties. Manly, manly panties to be sure, but as far as B is concerned, EVERYONE wears panties. If we’ve ever met you, chances are we have assured B that you also wear panties…
September
Breaking Up With Normal
… I’m ready to just be. Rough edges, awkward pauses and comfortable pants… the me who isn’t trying so hard…
October
What Do You Say?
… I’ve been absolutely certain that actions trumped words. Wasn’t that the point? Not what we said or how we said it, but what we DID. Sure, I had been a little bit wrong, but he was wrong-er.
So there…
November
No Such Thing as a Perfect Day
… I made one of the most crucial parenting mistakes: I took it personally. In my head, it wasn’t bedtime or sleeping or being alone that he was fighting – it was ME. My success. My plans. My time to myself.
So I made the situation worse. Turns out harsh whispers of: “Just. Go. To. Sleep.” are not as helpful as you might think…
December
Staking a Claim
… The greatest surprise of this adoption (apart from my pitiful stamina in the going-without-sleep-marathon) is how insecure I feel. In my mind I know that things are going well; that attachment is a process and although messy and overwhelmed much of the time, our family is thriving. But my heart is not so confident…
So here’s us, in 2012.
So Here's Us... 
June 16th, 2015 at 7:28 pm
[…] exactly what happened to Christie Hoos, a mother of four children who blogs about her family at So Here’s Us. According to Christie’s website, she keeps the identity of all of her children protected and […]