It’s going to be a challenge this weekend, but I have to do it. I just can’t believe these “days off” are so jam packed…
- We have a wedding today/tonight, which I had thought was on Sunday! Thankfully, it worked out and the kids went to Grandma’s, but I think we will have to miss the actual wedding part and only hit the reception. Unfortunately, Rye MUST answer phones all day that the real estate office and we doubt he will be done for us to get up to Woodstock in time for two. We can, thankfully, be down the block for the reception at 6!
- I just got back from the Woodstock area myself as my dog, Lilly, was filming a movie today! How crazy is that! Through one of our neighbors, she got recommended and cast as “Charlie” who is the dog of the main character. She doesn’t have to do anything spectacular, but act like a dog.. and I guess she is doing well. They all said so and she is getting lots of attention and the royalty treatment, so she seems to like it. So for these weekend, I am a dog handler! It’s crazy and sometimes, I have no idea how we end up in these situations, but why not! She has 7 days on the schedule.. and, well, she makes over a grand. We were there this AM for less than two hours, so technically.. she now gets more per hour than anyone else in the house! I have to buy her more bones today as chewy toys are the key to keeping her in place when filming.. who knew! Tomorrow we do it again… at 8:30 am.. after a wedding, so no hang over on the schedule for me please!
- On top of that I was suppose to be meeting with Garin’s girlfriend’s mother and his dad to discuss our teens, but I had to bow out, due to the wedding schedule snafu. Of course, there is father/son teen angst and drama this weekend too. Fun!
- And then somewhere in the midst of all this I have to get together an outline of two adoption education courses that it looks like I will be teaching at the local community college this spring! On a whim after receiving the continuing ed booklet, I sent an email asking if they might be interested in some course ideas.. and well they are! So, I have to come up with like four hours of me talking about:
Ethical Adoptions: What to look for in an agency, warning signs, red flags, research preparation and pitfalls for prospective adoptive parents. I’m a little scared of that one since well… it’s confronting stereotypes head on! And well, I have to teach it the way I have to teach it.. but don’t want to really freak people out.. so I have to find that fine line between getting the information out there and not getting labeled myself!
Preparing for an Adoption Search and Reunion: Much easier I think for me to be myself in this one. Between the two major aspects.. emotional and mental preparation and then the actual physical searches.. most of it will be showing people where to go to read, discussing the issues, breaking down the expectations and then offering other support sites and search methods.
Of course both classes will include OBC access and all the corruption issues! 🙂
The crazy thing is I will actually get paid for this as well, which I kinda have a moral dilemma with as I have NEVER gotten paid for anything I have done related to adoption with the exception of the $25 dollars that The Montel Williams Show paid me! Still, though.. money is always helpful and I do value my time, but I adore the chance to get the word out in a new forum.. so I’ll take it, but it does feel weird! It’s almost dirty feeling and like I am making money off of it.. which I hate and is exploitative.. so I feel like a hypocrite in a way?? Bleh..
Anyway, I am very open to any suggestions as far as what you think would be important to cover and then resources to link up to.. or even for hand outs. If this weekend continues to be smooth, or as I work through the classes, I think I shall get them up here for critic and recommendations.. so if you have the desire, get your thinking caps on! Warning: I shall be using all our words to represent the real truths.. so I might quote you!
But for now, I am happy that my morning commitment as a dog handler is done. I have time to do my hair and nails for the wedding and have fun tonight!
Life is crazy, unexpected and good!
Here in OK they are trying to advocate a new bill called “Cooper’s Law” which would allow for a “birthmother” to sign relinquishment forms (with no revokation period) in the hospital or elsewhere, without having to go before a Judge. Doesn’t that remove an important ethical step in such an important decision? I am at a loss for words.
Peach, this is Amyadoptee. Can you send me that bill? So I can fight it. amyatamyadoptee.com
I don’t think you should feel badly about getting paid for teaching those classes. As an adoptive parent (or very soon to be AP), I would be very interested in taking the Ethical Adoptions class. You are providing a real service by doing this. There is so much I have learned since beginning our adoption process about corruption that I would have liked to have known at the beginning. I can’t say that I would have ended up in a different place than I am now, but you cannot be TOO informed when it comes to something this important that affects so many lives.
Will you be addressing seaches following international adoption? A lot of people think they can’t be done but Eastern European searches are turning up first family all the time. Let me know and I can pass along some info.
Ah!! Yes!! Keep the ideas coming! Info indeedie! I think what I shall do is get it all up on a power point presentation and then if anyone wants, they can check it our and critic on SLide Share.. and then, when done, it could be downloaded and used by who ever would like to !!
BTW, my mother’s maiden name was Corrigan. Keep meaning to tell you.