I’m packing up my family tomorrow and heading out for a really long road trip which is making me a little nervous. The longest car ride that Ella has ever been on was eight hours and let’s just say it was not the most pleasant of experiences. We learned quickly that the best way to take a road trip with a baby (now toddler!) was to dress in comfy pajamas and set out around bed time with mommy and daddy driving through the night. Now that she’s older and can put up more of a fight, I’m not quite sure what we’re getting ourselves into. We’re borrowing a dvd player for the car and Grandma’s supplied a new supply of books, so even if she resists sleep, she’ll have plenty of things to keep her occupied.

We’re going to be away for a little over a week and I’ll be away from my computer for that time; I hope I don’t get the shakes! But don’t worry, I have blog posts ready to go that will post while I’m gone so you’ll still have plenty of reading to do ;) Anyway, one of our destinations on our journey is a yearly get together that brings together families from an online parenting after adoption group. I am so excited to get to meet up with so many friends that I have made online that all have adoptive families.

I am beyond thrilled to meet up with these women (and their partners and children) in person! At first I was shocked to receive such support, understanding and friendship from people that I only knew over the internet. We first all met through an ‘Adoption After a Loss’ group that I found shortly after my son Cole died and we were considering adoption. We have all since added living children to our families through adoption and now also frequent the before mentioned Adoptive Parenting group as well. These women have showed me the importance of being around people who ‘get it.’ Some have adopted domestically, some internationally, some have large transracial families, some chose to adopt a single same race child. Regardless, our journeys are similar and we share an understanding that the rest of the world simply cannot.

My husband and I decided to go to this annual gathering as much for Ella as for me to meet my friends. I want her to have adopted friends, and to start those relationships early. We have several friends in real life with adopted kiddos, so she already knows and plays with other adopted kids, and this meet up will let her meet even more. Hopefully it will be a tradition that we will continue each summer. Think positive car ride thoughts for us and I’ll see you next week! :)

More Reading:
Travel Weary With Kids
Planes, Shuttles and Automobiles
Creating Family Traditions with Your Adopted Child