LADDventure

Intentional December

After a busy week of our last adoption home visit, a new front door installation, Thanksgiving, Christmas decorating, and a week back in Wisconsin for an early Christmas celebration, I started December feeling already frazzled and hurried. Then I blinked and December was halfway over.

I dove head first into Christmas by pulling out all the decorations. Inside one of the many red and green bins, laying on top of the tree skirt was a sealed envelope with "Remember..." on it in my own handwriting. Inside was our Christmas card from last year with a two column list written on the back. One column for things that worked well and made me feel good last Christmas, and one for things that did not. Last Christmas I'd written it and tucked it inside the bin right after packing up every last ornament. I had nearly forgotten this little attempt to send my future self a few helpful tips and things to focus on, knowing that I'd need it when the holiday craziness set in.

It's amazing how quickly the frantic hustle sets in whether you want it to or not. I've found the only way to combat it is to slow down, and to intentionally plan what you want your holiday to look like instead of letting it happen to you. So that's what I did. I looked up local holiday events and planned a night with Mr. Ladd to go look at a light display. I bought tickets to a local theatre's production of A Christmas Carol for my birthday. We'll go to the play and then out for dinner and drinks afterwards. I also sat down with my calendar and planned out the month, invited some friends over, made some space to connect with people over dinner and around the table. Whats the point in painstakingly decking the halls and setting a beautiful table if nobody gathers there?

I'm scheduling my priorities, making room for a few events that are meaningful around those, and then saying no to everything else to leave room for peace and rest and connection. I also have so many things I want to write about in December and never make the time to write here in this space. So, I'm carving out some time early on these gloriously chilly mornings to wrap up the year on the blog. Tomorrow, an adoption update. Stay tuned.

Awkward Rambling & Adoption Updates

I realize it's been over a month since I've posted here; an unintentional blogging break. Apparently I needed it, but I didn't just plan for a break when I should have, and instead ended up walking away for a little too long. I've been rethinking some book marketing things, and thinking about what's next, and what my writing online will look like going forward, but in the meantime it got weird.

I was listening to a podcast episode the other day (Elise Gets Crafty), and Elise was talking about enjoying the creative process. When working on something she finds that she just needs to be working consistently enough so she doesn't get so far away from it, or let so much time pass that it's hard to get back into it. I could totally relate.

It's like when you haven't called a friend for no good reason, for a few too many weeks, and it becomes awkward to call now, because it feels like it's been a bit too long. That's how I've felt about blogging lately. It's been hard to get back into it. We've been busy around here with our final adoption visit scheduled for Monday, and things are happening quickly, so that feels a little crazy. But the truth is I just got burned out, and ran out of words, and then let too much time pass so writing has been hard to get back into. But I've missed it. I've missed all of you. So at the risk of being a little rambly, I'm just going to pick up the phone and call. Let's get back into it, all awkward-like shall we?

You may have noticed that November is National Adoption Month. I had every intention of participating with some adoptive mama-to-be posts, but I have all the thoughts and all the feelings and have been finding it near impossible to narrow down one to write a post on. Then I blinked and November was more than half over. So, let me just start with a quick update...

We are in the home stretch in terms of certification. We have our final home visit/inspection scheduled for Monday! This is the culmination of the home study process over the past few months. Our adoption agency specialist will ask us any final questions, do the official safety inspection of the house, and will then submit our completed home study to court for certification. I'm told that process can take anywhere from 2-8 weeks on average. After we're certified, we'll be on the central registry and officially waiting for a placement. 

We are pretty much set for the appointment, just finishing up a few final things around the house. The truth is, she could come tomorrow and we'd be just fine, so I am actively refusing to freak out about this. It's nerve-wracking, but I know it will be fine, and I do not want to waste energy on unnecessary anxiety. I have a feeling I'm going to need that energy.

The kids' rooms are almost ready! I will post some pics soon. We've been filling up the rooms with books, making them cozy, and generally wandering into them trying to fathom the fact that little people will inhabit them soon.

In the meantime, we're just trying to be present and enjoy our time as a family of two while it lasts. We've been going on more dates and spontaneous day trips, just because we can. We're looking forward to what is most likely our last Christmas without kids. We also have had a lot of conversations about how we can support each other in the stressful times around the corner, and are just stocking up on some couple time.

Much more to come in the next few weeks about the adoption, and all the other floaty thoughts in my head lately, I promise. It's good to be back!

P.S. I've still been recording The Girl Next Door Podcast with Kelsey. Most recently we talked about burnout on this episode. Timely.

Next in October

My theme word for the year is "next," both a reminder to take one step at a time, and to keep going when things get tough. To do the next right thing to move me toward the big goals and happenings of this year. So, each month I'm looking ahead to what's next.

It's October! Fallelujah! Enough said.

Next in travel... No travel to speak of lately around these parts. But, I do love being home this time of year, fallifying the house and planning for holidays and entertaining ahead. We definitely have a few mountain weekends in mind though. I'll keep you posted.

Next in adoption... I painted one of the kids' rooms, and have been rearranging them both and setting them up. We got the carpets cleaned and both are a blank slate now, ready for some finishing touches. Hopefully we'll have our final home visit by the end of the month, and our agency specialist told us we're her next adoptive family to submit for certification. Also, our friends threw us a suprise adoption shower! More on that Monday. 

Next in writing... This is tricky for me right now. After working on Candid Classroom for the past year and a half, I'm finding myself flailing a bit in the writing department now that the concrete project of finishing the book is over. I'm trying to get back into a more consistent writing schedule, set some goals for completion of a new project, and generally stop staring at the screen blankly. Stay tuned. In the meantime The Girl Next Door Podcast is keeping me busy and so much fun. Check out this week's episode where we freak the freak out about fall!

Next in food... I declare every Sunday this month as soup day. I've discovered how simple and tasty it is to make my own soups, and I can't get enough. There is something so comforting and relaxing about a big pot of soup simmering on the stove on a lazy Sunday afternoon. So every Friday for the rest of the month,  I'll share a Soup of the Week recipe here on the blog, so you can grab your ingredients in time for Sunday.

Next in life... As I've said, we've been purging like crazy around here in preparation for expanding the family, and I am once again reminded about the very real connection between cluttered homes and cluttered lives. I'm feeling more and more passionate about surrounding ourselves with truly useful and/or beautiful things and letting go of the rest to make some breathing room. We are pretty neat people in general, but it is mindblowing how quickly things accumulate.

The Very Inspiring Blogger Award

I am thrilled to share that LADDventure has been nominated for The Very Inspiring Blogger Award by my new friend Angela, from Popsiculture! Thank you so much Angela. I'm honored and happy to inspire! Once you've been nominated, here are the rules:

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you.
2. List the rules and display the award.
3. Share seven facts about yourself.
4. Nominate other amazing blogs and comment on their blog to let them know you nominated them.

Seven facts about me and LADDventure:

I originally started LADDventure as a way of documenting our (pretty spontaneous) move to Arizona. We were up for an adventure, and it was also a great way to keep family and friends updated.

The blog's first name was Destination Desert, until it became about more than just the move. Then I changed it to Ladd Adventure briefly until my friend's husband brilliantly suggested combining the two words into LADDventure.

I have become immensely more "outdoorsy" since moving to Arizona. Love getting up into the mountains in our Jeep.

I am married to my high school sweetheart and first love, the adorable Mr. Ladd. We've been together for 18 years, married for 9 and I couldn't be more grateful for that guy.

We are adopting two siblings between the ages of Birth-6 soon! We're finishing up the process to become certified to adopt from the state foster care system, and will go from a family of 2 to 4 real quickly.

In 2012, I decided to take a break from teaching to pursue writing full time. I dedicated more time to blogging and eventually started another website, The Candid Teacher all about teaching and parenting.

I wrote a book! Candid Classroom: What Parents Want to Know & Teachers Want to Tell Them released last month, and I'm still pinching myself.

Now for the really fun part - introducing you to some other bloggers who I nominate for the award! I nominate:

My good friend and neighbor, Kelsey from Rising*Shining, who's been inspiring me to purge and organize lately.

Sarah from Positively Dreaming with great thoughts on creativity and design

Sarah R. Bagley, a recovering perfectionists guide to a B+ life

Jacquie from The Sweeter Side of Mommyhood, whose recipe for Chicken Tikka Missala I've made twice in two weeks

Thanks again to Angela for the honor, and go check out these lovely ladies who are truly making the blogosphere a beautiful, inspiring place.

Thank You & Airplane Pants

I have no words to express how grateful I am for all the support of my book this week. So, I'll stick to two...Thank You!

I am in Wisconsin visiting family and friends, so I'll leave you with a little midwest love to kick off the weekend. I'm from just south of Milwaukee and will be attending a wedding there tomorrow. This video demonstrates all that is good and right with that lovely city on Lake Michigan...

I bought these pants from Target for the airplane ride. So comfy and cute. Obsessed.

Also, Airplane Passengers as Explained by Their Pants. Hilarious.

It's Finally Here!

Friends, that right there in my hand is my book. I can hardly believe it, and I've never been more proud of anything in my life. It's been the hardest and most rewarding thing I've ever worked on. It's a dream come true, a year and a half in the making, and I am so excited to share it with you today!

This book is a combination of cherished stories from my years as a teacher and the valuable insight and practical tips for parents and teachers those years have taught me. Being a teacher will always be a part of who I am, and this feels like the perfect way to bridge the transition from teacher to writer.

Whether you're a parent, a teacher, or just anyone who has ever gone to school, this book is for you. It's officially available on Amazon now, and I'd so appreciate it if you'd buy a copy, leave a review, and share it with anyone you think may enjoy it.

I can't thank you enough for your excitement and encouragment throughout this entire process, and your continued support as I share it. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some celebrating to do!

5 years of blogging

I can hardly believe it, but it's been five years to the date since I dipped my toe into this world of blogging and hit publish on my very first post! At the time, I had this stirring to start writing, regularly, around the same time we had a stirring to move cross-country from Wisconsin to Arizona. It felt like it could actually happen, and it also felt like I should be documenting it. The move was starting to get real, and I knew it would happen quickly if we decided to actually take the plunge, so I thought the best way to keep friends and family updated and stay sane might be to start a blog. 310 posts later, here we are!

Even though I feel like I'm just starting to connect with a larger audience, this space means so much to me. It's this special digital scrapbook of the past five years. It's been an excuse to write, sometimes more regularly than others, and push myself creatively in all sorts of ways. It's also grown alongside my philosophy of living life with adventurous intention. They've happened simultaneously, and one has fed the other. Since that first post on June 30, 2009, the LADDventures have continued. I've moved across the country, quit my teaching job to pursue writing full time, traveled to New York City and San Diego for writing conferences, started another blog, launched a podcast, and written a book, and it all begins with seeing myself as a writer here in this little corner of the internet first.

The blog started as a documentation of our jouney west, and followed us to Arizona, where it's just crazy to me that we will meet our kids! Now, I am so grateful for this space to share the process of adoption, and becoming a family of four.

In honor of my 5 year blog-iversary I have one request: I'd love for you to join my email list by subscribing to get all the latest blog posts right to your inbox. I promise I won't spam you or share your email address. It's just my way of knowing who's reading, keeping everyone updated, and creating a community here in this space.

Finally, I want to say thank you for reading! Thank you for your comments and encouragement, and for sharing my blog with others. It means more to me than you will ever know, and I am so thankful for all of you.

Next in June

My theme word for the year is "next," both a reminder to take one step at a time, and to keep going when things get tough. To do the next right thing to move me toward the big goals and happenings of this year. So, each month I'm looking ahead to what's next. Here's what's coming up in June...

Next in travel...We are taking a mini vacation to Key West! Mr. Ladd is working in Miami for a couple weeks, so I'm meeting him there for a long weekend getaway to Key West. I'm looking forward to cooler temps, ocean breezes, and a tropical drink or two!

Next in adoption...Our adoption classes started (more details on Friday)! So that's where we'll be every Monday night for the next 12 weeks. It felt very real to be actively involved with other adoptive/foster families, learning about the process and preparing for parenthood!

Next in writing...In case you missed it, my book, Candid Classroom: What Parents Want to Know & Teachers Want to Tell Them, has a cover and a release date! It will be available August 4th, and I couldn't be more thrilled! Be sure to head over to The Candid Teacher and sign up for the email list to stay up to date with ways to help spread the word and upcoming events.

Next in food...We started a supper club with two other couples! We call ourselves Foodies With Booties, and the first month was tons of fun. It's our turn to host in June, so I can't wait to share all the details with you later this month.

Next in life...I'm working really hard to lose weight and get into shape, and although progress has been slower than I'd like, I'm determined to stick with it. I just moved on to Level 2 of Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred, and I'm still sweating. I don't do it every day, but 4 times a week, and yoga twice a week, so it's more working out than I've ever done! My goal for this month is to finish Level 2 and move on to Level 3. Yikes!

Next in February

February is here!  The Super Bowl is always a great way to kick off the month, and I'm a fan of Valentine's Day.  I think any excuse to show the people you care about a little extra love and make a day special is a good one.  Looking forward to a V-day dinner reservation with Mr. Ladd, some fabulous AZ weather, and lots of hearts and chocolate this month.

My word of the year is Next for 2014.  It's both a reminder to take big goals one step at a time, by just doing the very next thing in front of me, and a motivator to keep moving forward and thinking about what might be next for me and trying new things.  Each month I want to refocus on my word.  So here's what's next for Februrary.

 

Adoption:  We've contacted an agency and they've sent an initial questionnaire to fill out.  Once that is turned in to them, it will be reviewed by a supervisor and we'll be assigned an adoption specialist.  The specialist will then contact us to set up an initial home visit, go over the next steps of the process, and get us signed up for our mandatory classes!

Writing Career:  I've submitted my manuscript for Candid Classroom and should be hearing back from them soon about revisions and making some decisions about cover design, layout, etc.  I'm enjoying the "break" from daily book writing for the moment and am focusing on this blog and The Candid Teacher.  The Girl Next Door Podcast launched this past month, and is such a fun creative project to tackle with my good buddy.  I'm also heading to Storyline Conference in San Diego at the end of this month and am beyond excited about that.

Personal Goals:  January, I got back together with my Weight Watchers online subscription, and have been tracking eating choices and paying attention again.  So this month I want to continue making the next right food choice, but add in the exercise component.   Starting today actually, I'm starting a 3 month trial membership at a gym I've been wanting to check out for a while. 

Happy Februrary!  Here's to taking the next right step, and looking forward to a new month.

photo credit: Darwin Bell via photopin cc

New Year, New Look, What's Next?

Happy 2104 everyone!  I know I've been absent here at LADDventure for a while, and for a few good reasons:

1.  Holidays, hosting, hustle. Enough said.

2.  A book.  The first draft of my book is done, and my manuscript is being polished up and sent off this week for review!  Revisions, designing, editing, and ongoing promotion will be the next steps.  Candid Classroom:  What Parents Want to Know & Teachers Want to Tell Them (yup, we have a title folks!) is due out in April.  Stay up to date on book news over at The Candid Teacher.

3.  A makeover!  This space was in desperate need of a fresh new look, so I've been hard at work to move the blog from Blogger to Typepad and give it a face lift.  I've repaired my dysfunctional relationship with Photoshop, and we are starting over together to bring you a redesign, and a much more functional blog.  What do you think?  Click around, comment, and enter your email address, so you always get updated when a new post is ready.  Besides having other things going on, I've truthfully not wanted to spend a lot of time here because it was ugly, but now it's pretty and inspiring! My head is full of post ideas and new directions for LADDventure, so be expecting lots more in this personal space in the near future.

Speaking of the future, I have some thoughts on 2014.  I don't typically stick to resolutions very well, so I've decided to start picking one word instead - a theme really for the year.  Resolutions are easily broken, but one word can be a guidepost.  I use it as a benchmark and a reminder of how I want to live out the year.  So my word for this year...

I have done lots of thinking about what I want 2014 to look like, and I feel like I have a lot of big things coming up.  With big things comes the tendency to get overwhelmed and discouraged by the enormity of it all.  But, I've found I'm most proud of myself in handling big things when I'm just focusing on the very next thing; taking things one step at a time and doing the next thing that's in front of me. 

I want to focus on doing the next small task toward the book and any other creative projects.  I want to make the next right food or activity choice instead of falling on and off the weight loss wagon.  I want to do the next right thing in terms of being a better wife, friend, sister. 

Most of all this year, I want to take the next steps toward starting a family one step at a time because, we have some news...

photo credit Gretchen Wakeman

We have officially started the process to adopt (hopefully two siblings) from the foster care system, and are both nervous and thrilled.  It feels good to have decided on a definite direction, and while we are super excited, we know there will be many questions and challenges along the way.  So, my personal goal is to take one step at a time, and not be overwhelmed by the process.  I want to just focus on the very next step in front of us, as it comes, to bring our future kids home.  Tomorrow I'll be sharing some more details about where we are in the process, how we told our families, and what's next! 

2014 is going to be a huge year!