My name is Campbell and I'm an adoptee

Yep, I'm adopted. If you aren't you've likely wondered if (perhaps even hoped) you are. It's a funny thing being adopted. It kinda makes you special. Think about it. Someone is talking about adoption and you can say, "oh, I'm adopted". The reaction is always one of interest. "You are?! I didn't know that!"

I love talking about it, telling my story, what I know and what I don't know. I am from a family of three kids with two of us being adopted so I not only get to talk about the fact that I'm adopted but also about my older sibling's adoption story which is an even more interesting story than my own. See, my older sibling has actually met her birth mother and two full siblings. In fact, my whole family has met older sibling's birth mother, right in our family home! What an experience to see this woman who was very much like my older sibling. So interesting to observe the different reactions of our mom and dad, how my mom was threatened and my dad, well, not threatened in the slightest. "Hell, it's been our kid for all this time so if this changes anything, so be it". He was right. Nothing changed. Older sibling just acquired 3 new family members to be concerned with, perhaps be disappointed by, but suffice to say all curiosity was satisfied.

Another reason being adopted made me feel like I was special is that I was told so. Right from the beginning I've been aware that I'm adopted. My mom has told me it was a story they started telling me as early as I was able to understand. So, as early as I was able to tell people that I'm adopted, I did. It was around grade three that I have a memory of telling other kids and getting the predictable reaction of "your parents didn't want you!" and "that means your sister isn't your real sister because you don't have the same mom". WHAT?!?!?!?!

Hey, what's goin on around here?!?

Just finished reading and commenting on a parenting blog. It talked about canceling Christmas to straighten out unmanageable kids. Huh?!?!?! I'm a firm believer in creating consequences for bad behavior that are in no way shape or form a consequence to the parent. Whatever happened to a piece of coal in the stocking?

Okay, so coal isn't easy to come by and if it was is way too messy but a small raw potato in the bottom of the stocking had the desired effect on my little Vincent. I can still picture his face (so maybe I wouldn't be able to if I didn't have it on video) when he got to the bottom and discovered the telling spud.

Christmas with the family....the ENTIRE family

I spend a bit of time reading blogs on step moms. After reading and commenting on one rather pertinent post I decided to share some of my thoughts on our Christmas plans. My husband, my son and his girlfriend, my mother and I will be going to Christmas dinner at my stepson and his wife's home. All of my husband's family will be there as per usual, something I treasure
because my own family has become so small and because I truly enjoy my in-laws and getting together with them. The twist this year is that my husband's ex family (including his ex wife) will also be with us.

All I want for Christmas

Well, I won't be ready for Christmas. I'll be ready ready, like with decorating, baking, shopping but I won't have my idea in place to sell as Christmas gifts. To be honest, I'm a little bummed. I guess I was naive in thinking a few months would be enough time to have all my reindeer in order what with working a full time job, being at the mercy of other people's time restrictions, my own financial considerations, and of course I can't miss watching the Olympic curling trials! So for now I'll keep watching Dragon's Den, working on my own idea when I can, and just enjoy the holiday season with my amazing family who've been so supportive of my dream.