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August, 2013

bloggingjust for fun

Less Than 1 Month Until Type A!

I have been looking forward to this blogging conference for a long time! After my amazing experience with Bloggy Bootcamp, I started searching for a multi-day conference to attend and after hearing about all of the positive experiences and recommendations, I decided to go with Type A Conference! Because I’m an introvert and I’m shy, I knew I needed to take baby steps and making the jump to something big like BlogHer would have landed me in the fetal position in the corner somewhere having a panic attack so I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone while not getting too overwhelmed. Type A fit everything that I was looking for!

I had everything lined up to attend last year but after the obstruction surgery and complications, I couldn’t make it so Kelby, the brain behind Type A, graciously rolled over my conference pass to this year and now I am counting the days! I’ve got a fabulous roomie (Hi Julie!), am carpooling down with some local bloggers (as I need a valium to survive driving in Atlanta), and have my schedule all laid out (which was no easy task)! There are sessions about everything under the sun but some of the sessions I am looking forward to the most are on writing a book (definitely on my dream to-do list), photography for bloggers (still trying to figure out how to use my camera), a hands-on session on SEO (the most baffling aspect of blogging for me personally), and cause blogging and social media activism (probably the session I am looking forward to the most).

I have a hard time not squealing when I even write about this! I am so looking forward to reconnecting with some of the fabulous ladies I met at Bloggy Bootcamp and meeting some of my bloggy friends that I have known for quite some time online but finally get to hug their necks in person!

My biggest worries now are hoping that I have enough energy to survive the weekend (I have built in breaks in my schedule to help regulate spoons) and what to wear! Who wants to be my stylist?

Anyone else heading to Atlanta next month?

adoptionfamily

First Day of School!

First Day of School 2013

I cannot believe that Abby had her first day of Pre-K today! Despite the early wake up, the day started off fabulously with a little girl excited to start her “big girl” school, learn new things, and make some new friends! She is growing up way too fast!

It is hard to believe that around this same time four years ago, I was heading back to work after maternity leave and I was crying in the car after dropping her off at daycare for the first time. So much has happened in the past four years and I am so thankful for each and every moment. In the midst of infertility and then a roller coaster adoption journey, at times I never thought that I would ever become a mother but God is good and faithful and we are overflowing with gratitude for His amazing blessing and the honor gifted us by her birthmother to parent such an amazing little girl!

For Pre-K, they do a stagger start to help the kids get adjusted so today was her only day of school for the week but after Labor Day it is full steam ahead! Cheers to new friends and experiences (and homework)!

family

In The Blink Of An Eye

Today I experienced every parents worst nightmare. Abby got lost at the store.

We were on the same aisle checking out Disney Princesses in the toy section no more than six feet apart. As we were talking, I looked down and she rounded the corner and something caught her eye and she went to look at it. In that split second, my heart jumped up into my throat. She also noticed that she didn’t have a visual on me and panicked and began to run. Each aisle that I looked down, she was one ahead of me. The more I called her name, the more terror that built up inside me. I think every child abduction episode of Criminal Minds flashed through my head.

Thankfully, Abby knew to find an adult and the store manager happen to be nearby. The almost hysterical 4 year old running at him probably caught his attention too. When he went to help her, she told him what her name was, what my name was, and that she was lost. We were only two aisles apart.

The whole ordeal lasted maybe two minutes tops but it was honestly the scariest two minutes of my life. In a blink of an eye, things went from a fun girls’ day out to a terrifying experience.

When we were at the beach this summer, I made a very big point to show Abby who the lifeguards were and where to go if she couldn’t find me. Obviously she was never in the water alone but in case of a wave knocked her down or she just got disoriented as it is easy to do, I wanted her to know exactly where to go. Unfortunately, I don’t think we always make the same parenting precautions in our “home” territory.

As scared and terrified as I was in that moment, I was also very proud of Abby. She is a smart little girl. I don’t think she could have reacted any better to the situation. I am also extremely thankful to the store manager who was so kind and gentle with her and reacted so quickly.

Our story had a happy (and quick) ending but I am aware things could have turned out differently and thank God that I will be able put my little girl to bed tonight. I hope our experience can serve as a reminder how quickly something can happen and the importance of educating our children how to respond to potential situations.

disclaimer

Information posted here should not be considered medical advice. It is not intended to replace consultation with physicians or other healthcare providers. A New Kind of Normal covers my personal experience and because every person's experience is unique, it should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare.

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