AEP Panelists... The saving grace

We are thankfully more than halfway through the Adoption Education Program. It continues to be a daunting process... while I appreciate that the program's goal is to prepare us for the realities of adopting children who have had challenging starts in life, it would be nice to have at least some focus on the joys and fun involved in being a family. It is challenging to not leave the sessions feeling completely discouraged and somewhat deflated. My balloons remain deflated... like I am trying to fill them back up with helium to get them back in the sky without cluing in that they have large holes in them.

After sessions which include panelists, I leave feeling like these parents pat me on the arm, tell me they too tried to reflate popped balloons and hand me new ones. It is not like I do not understand or appreciate the value in these educational components because I do. But there is nothing like good old practical experience shared with you by humorous people to put everything into perspective.

Unlike the theoretical approach, there is no doom and gloom from the panelists. It is all very matter of fact and all the challenges - of which there are many - seem to be less daunting. All these parents seem to embrace an "It is what it is" approach to parenting children who have challenges. Knowing the children of one of the panelists finally allows me to put a face to some of these kids and makes it slightly less abstract. I know them! I see their challenges but they are great kids! And I leave these sessions thinking... WE CAN totally do this! And it will be great and there will be sunshine and lollipops!

So much better than the days where I leave thinking... there is NO WAY we are cut out for this! Or these kids are totally going hate us and count down the days they can kick us to the curb when they turn 18...

On another note, all the panelists... and I mean ALL OF THEM... mention the support that they receive from their church communities. I wonder if anyone who does not belong to a religious organization adopts through the ministry. And, again, I ask myself if we should be joining a church... there might be something to this.