Becoming a Delk

 The judge officially declared Blane's adoption final this morning. And she got the rare privilege to sit in the judge's chair for a photo op! She looks quite comfortable there, don't you think? :0)

Ladies and Gentlemen...Miss Blane Delk.

She's so excited! And that makes me so happy!! Thank you to my amazing husband, Scott, for making Blane his own.

The three of us celebrated afterward at Winstead's, where Daddy enjoyed his first-ever Skyscraper!!

I'm so blessed...

Blane woke up this morning and decided to wear her "wedding" dress for the big occasion. She wanted to look like a princess for Daddy. The two of them are going swimming this afternoon to celebrate. Just Daddy and his girl!

Happy, happy, happy...

Becoming "Messy Mamahood"

Yep. Knot's tied. Move's over. Adoption's in-process. Let the messiness begin! For clarification, Scott and I were married on January 26, 2012. Actually, that was the date of our wedding and reception. We applied for and picked up our marriage license on December 16, 2011...and, what do you know - it was burning a hole in our pockets. So...we walked in to our church on December 18 and asked our pastor to marry us right there in his office. Merry Christmas to us! That means that each year we'll celebrate Anniversary - Christmas - Anniversary - Valentine's Day, all within a 60-day period. Woohoo! Think I can snag four romantic dinners, flowers and a gift out of each of those? Yeah, me either. ;0)

That was Event #1 (followed immediately by a short but AWESOME mini-honeymoon in Weston. If you've never stayed there, I highly recommend it.) Event #2 was our move to a bigger, newer and more wonderful home the end of February. We are totally digging our new digs. Planning a housewarming party as soon as things settle down. Ha! That made me giggle (and cringe) as I typed it. Settle down. What do those words even mean?

Event #3 - The Adoption. Yes, I'm married to an amazing man who is adopting my 8-year-old daughter as his own. She's soon-to-be Blane Delk, and boy, is that girl excited!! It will be final in May.

Once we got the adoption going, Scott and I headed off to Catalina Island for an extended honeymoon. Our friends, the Valverdes, joined us and the boys ran the Catalina Marathon while we were there. Beautiful and FUN vacation. So many great memories.

Still loving my job at Kansas City Hospice. My first TV campaign is currently airing on major networks and cable, and I'm beginning the creative process for directing/producing at least three more spots to start in September.

Oh, and did I mention the kids?? ;0) Taege is almost a senior and working at Culver's. Keile is 14 and just got her learner's permit (two kids behind the wheel does NOT rock). Sophie and Blane are finishing up third grade and the twins, kindergarten. We're gearing up for our annual trip to Tan-tar-a with Heartland. This will be my first year at OFA as a no-longer-solo mama. Yeah, me!

I have lots of stuff stored up in my head...ready to start purging onto these blog pages again. Good times!

Back to work...finally

After six months of being unemployed, I'm finally going back to work. I'm the new Public Relations Specialist for Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care. Of course, for monetary reasons, I'm excited to be back in the work force. However, I'll miss the freedom I've come to know in these last few months.

And I'm a bit worried that I'll be a little rusty after so long out of the professional world. Sure, there have been freelance opportunities here and there, but nothing like a full-time gig. It sure doesn't seem like six months could make that much of a difference, but since my brain's been wired for full-time mommy duty (which I've thoroughly enjoyed), it's going to take some time to get back in the swing of things.

Like a lot of people in this economy, I also took a TREMENDOUS pay cut. So, we're going to be cutting corners a LOT more than usual now, which sucks. One benefit of this job is that I'll only be working 8:30 to 3 p.m. in the office and the rest from home, so I'll be with the kids before and after school. A big plus for me. And no daycare bill!

And, of course, there's the fact that I'm working for a company which provides an invaluable service to those in need. No more working just to put money in "the man's" pocket. What I do will be making a difference in people's lives. And that feels amazing!

Back to school

Yes, it's that time of year again. We're all asking the same questions - Where did the summer go? Back to school already? This year, my kids are at three different school - 2nd, 7th and 10th grades. It's going to be a whirlwind of activity. But I'm looking forward to it.

They all came home from the first day of school excited about the year. Keile said, "Mom, I LOVE middle school!" I know she'll continue in her enthusiasm. No question. Taege thought the first day was a blast. I hope that feeling lasts throughout the year. You know teenagers. And Blane absolutely loves second grade.

Taege and Keile were teasing her about loving a certain boy who's in her class, to which she cried, "No, I don't! I'm going to find love when I'm 39." I think that's an appropriate age, don't you?

Keile told me about a new friend she made. She said the girl was looking for a place to sit during lunch, and Keile invited to her sit with her and her friends. That's my girl.

Taege isn't excited about homework, but he digs seeing his friends every day and is looking forward to wrestling season. And he's really happy about his schedule of classes.

All in all, a great start to the year. Now, if only I could find a job so I'm not sitting here lonely at home.

What a blessing!

This will be short and sweet, but what a blessing to talk with my son Matt for the first time. I placed him for adoption in 1985, when I was 16. We spent about two hours asking questions and sharing stories back and forth. I'm so impressed with the man he's grown to be and so thankful for his parents and the amazing home they've created for him. His life turned out exactly as I had hoped. For his privacy, I'm not going to share details here, but I wanted to keep you all updated on this most wonderful experience. It continues to be a huge blessing in my life. Thanks for your prayers!

Did they like me?

If you've ever been laid off, you know how golden each interview becomes. Especially when it's a job you really, really want. That's how I'm feeling right now. I'm in the process of interviewing for a senior writer position at a wonderful company. A company that is all about helping people, which was my goal when I started looking for positions.

I first had a phone interview, followed by a face-to-face with the hiring manager. That went very well. I really liked her and believe we'd have a great working relationship. That was followed by a writing "test" in which I was required to write an article for the company's internal publication. Apparently I did well on that because I made it to the top three for second and final interviews with four different people, including the director of the department. Those interviews were yesterday and I feel pretty confident about them. And I even found out that I'm being considered for two different positions.

But you know how you feel after an interview - anxious, nervous, impatient and those self-doubts start creeping in. Did I make a good impression? Did I answer their questions sufficiently? Did they find me engaging? Were they impressed with my experience? And, most important at times, did they like me?

That question takes me all the way back to grade school - waiting to be picked for kickball teams. I always longed to be picked first, but those lucky spaces were reserved for the popular kids. I dreaded being picked last, but thankfully I had some skill and was liked by the popular kids, so that wasn't a real worry. So that left me in the middle. Which was okay for kickball, but not for a job.

So, I sit and wait. Hoping I'll be picked first. Hoping they'll see I'm the perfect candidate for one of the positions. And, like in kickball, hoping they liked me.

Firefly

Sugar cookies with gumdrop middles
Hot from the old gas stove.

Smothering hugs,
Cuddled up in her bosom,
Watching Sylvester chase Tweetie
On the ancient black & white.

Simple dresses made by her own tender hands, checkered plaids and ginghams.

Mason jars stowed away for winter
The green beans and okra we picked by hand.

Laura Ingalls’ bonnets with scarlet bows
Kept away the scorching sun.

Silver triangle struck for six o’clock supper.
"What’s for dinner?" I asked.
"S.O.S." she replied.
I giggled.

Swinging on the porch at twilight,
My feet couldn’t touch the wooden slats.

Catching fireflies in the same jars
We used for canning

A voice whispers in the dark,
"Set them free so they can
Return another night."

Great-Grandma – she returned to me tonight.

***

I was catching fireflies with Blane last night and was reminded of this poem I wrote about my Great-Grandma Lathen one summer evening a few years ago. Isn't it amazing how the mind works through memories so dear to us? And how the simplest activities live on through generations?

The power of words

You know how there are some things you just hang on to forever? Some little trinket that reminds you of a special someone, or a photo that takes you back to a special time or place. I have my share of each but, in my case, it's words that have made a huge impact in my life. Words of encouragement, words of praise, words of love, words of comfort. And I've saved countless cards, letters and notes over the years. As I was sitting here at my desk this morning, I looked over to where I keep a few of these items and one stood out to me.

This letter was written to me by my dear Gran on July 4, 1976, when I was seven years old. Appropriate for today.

***

Dear Suzy (the name my grandparents' called me),

Today is the 200th birthday of our country, and we have so many blessings to count.

It is so wonderful to live in a free country where we can go do what we want and worship as we please.

I thank God for such a wonderful granddaughter.

I hope there will never be any wars to mar your growing up and, after you have finished your education, maybe the right man will come along and you will fall in love and be married. Then maybe your home will be blessed with children.

I hope you will always have a happy life and a rewarding life.

May God always bless you and keep you. Because I love you very much.

Love always,

Granny

***

I can't tell you how much that letter has meant to me over the years. It speaks so strongly to my relationship with my Gran, and has always made me feel so loved. Even at times when I didn't feel very lovable. Most important, it taught me the strength of words, and how they can change your life.

It also led me to write the same kinds of letters for my own children - letters of thanks for them each Thanksgiving, memoirs of each year on their birthdays, notes of love and encouragement in their lunch boxes, diaries sharing daily happenings and funny little things they say, cards for special occasions or "just because," and a letter to each of them on our annual vacation to the Ozarks every summer.

They save these letters and notes, so I know they mean a great deal to them. And I hope that, 30-some years from now, they'll still mean as much as they do today. Try it with your kids, or someone else you love. You never know how powerful words can be in someone's life.