Featuring Joy & Geoff, Big Brother , Little Brother , Sis , and various household (and outdoor) critters...

Tuesday 26 June 2012

All Natural (in a modified kind of way)

Here is a non-parenting-or-child-related post for you, because I care not to dwell on the various rambunctious and unsafe antics of my youngsters, who apparently think it is no big deal if they have to spend the rest of their lives within arm's reach, playing with air, to ensure that they actually have a life to live, and who apparently decided to let their antics carry over into Sunday School to the point that their behaviour was worth mentioning to us (which, by the way Sunday School teachers, I am very thankful for - because I definitely want to know if they are up to less-than-classroom-worthy shenanigans, and if they keep this up they might just get to see how willing I am to act on my "keep the kids in the church service" philosophy, for everyone's good).

So, to keep things perhaps moderately interesting, I decided pictures would be prudent. And the only interesting-ish new pictures I have are in regard to my hair and Geoff's birdhouses. I have loosely grouped these two topics into the "all natural" theme, because a truly random post of un-related bits and pieces would be distressing to me in some way.

Ok. Let us begin with my hair (so that we can end on a more lovely note). My hair is not easily classified, but can definitely be considered wavy. Sometimes curly, but not predictably. Sometimes full of body, but not predictably. Sometimes uniform in its overall appearance, but rarely so. It tends to curl better in the summer, with humidity, which can be both a blessing and a curse (often simultaneously). I often straighten it in the winter, to look sleeker with more tailored winter clothes and because (if I sleep on it right), I can get away with no styling on the second day...oh, and it's nice to be able to wear a hat on a cold day. In the summer, it tends to be allowed to be free-er.

I am not crabby about having wavy/curly/wayward hair - it holds (curling iron-assisted) curl well, holds bobby pins well for up-dos, can be straightened in dry weather, and can occasionally turn out nice enough naturally (with the help of a diffuser, and as long as I don't wear a hat or encounter weather of any kind. Like a breeze). However, what folks with straighter hair don't seem to appreciate when they make jealous comments about curly hair, is that there are considerations (some of which I have listed above) and unpredictable aspects - I truly never know what texture, shape, or volume it will choose on any given day.


Anyway, I made a more intentional decision a few weeks ago to pretty much let it curl (still with the diffuser - air drying just makes it look really untended - trust me) and keep it simple. The main motivator was work-related. Working from home, and not being a morning person, means that every day gets going far later than I would like. My shower helps wake me up (and means I don't have the dilemma of whether to put clean clothes on an un-showered body, or wear slightly less-than-clean clothes until after a shower later in the day - ack, decisions, decisions), and therefore goes at the beginning of my day. Followed by hair styling. Straightening doesn't take an excessive amount of time, but still keeps me away from my desk. And many days I'm not really going anywhere.

If I had more confidence just to look unconventional, I would likely have just moved on and gone about my business. But I was feeling pretty shaggy, and did receive one comment (not intended rudely at all - I was not upset) about how I must have had a rushed morning. I was also due for a trim & colour, and generally don't keep my hair the same way for more than one or two cuts. It's been longer-ish for a while now, so I thought I might as well go ahead and have it cut pretty short again. So now I've been wearing it natural, and shorter, and on a frightening hair day, I have no options - it can't be hidden in an up-do, or tucked neatly behind my ears with a hat, or accented with a scarf (well, it can, in a scarecrow-ish kind of way). And now that we're a week into this new 'do, the hair salon magic that keeps it manageable and uniform and soft for a wash or two is gone, and I am alarmed.


What I have posted for you is NOT the alarming state I face at the moment. This is a picture taken after the first wash & style with this cut. Tonight I took pictures of the Frankenstein's monster-style look I have going, after coming home with it wind-blown (which in my case actually blows out any softness and curl at the ends, and turns it into a straw-like mass of sticking-out ends), and brushing it out. Yikes. Those pictures, however, are not yet uploaded, so you have been spared either the horror or the laughter.


In other news, Geoff is back at his birdhouse-making, which he quite enjoys, and has the luxury of starting up again now that I have somehow ended up working more to support the family while he continues parental leave without pay. Ah, the irony of life. I would not have predicted this arrangement, but as it turns out, I find the work-kids balance pretty reasonable, and since it is Geoff with them all day, at home (rather than shipping them off somewhere), it feels ok, and I'm actually around most of the time anyway, as all my non-client work happens from home, for better or for worse. (And, as an aside, one of the things I enjoy about my current job is that there is plenty of opportunity to expand my repertoire, and being a sucker for continuous learning activities, that works for me). Back to birdhouses.


Geoff likes to create with salvaged wood and vintage trimmings whenever possible - ok, I guess trimmings, however vintage, are not natural products per se, as per my theme, but the wood is, right? He has just come home with a couple of loads of barn-board from a demolition project, and has set up some work space in the garage out back. In theory, he hopes to sell them. If not, family & friends know what they will be getting for gifts for various occasions into the future. That is likely what you will be getting regardless. Enjoy.

And that is that. And now, having done nothing on my evening to-do list, I should likely go investigate the sounds of wailing from baby girl's room, and consider my own bedtime preparations as I need to leave the house at the un-earthly hour of 7:00am tomorrow, wild hair and all.

Tuesday 19 June 2012

The Courts Have Spoken

Well, folks, our adoption has been finalized.


We no longer have to call CAS when someone requires stitches (hasn't happened yet) or an ER visit (has happened once, and nearly happened again the night before finalization due to a head-first tumble down the stairs while playing ghost, with multiple blankets blocking all sense of direction).

We are a full-fledged, independent family now, for better or for worse.

 

In our area, finalization happens in court, in person, so we have known the finalization date for a while now. While I am quite glad to have had the opportunity to attend court - the day had that feeling of graduation, or similar events, complete with all the photos - there was no big feeling of anticipation or resolution for me. I have a subtle sense of awareness that we are a regular old family now, which feels good. I am also aware that I continue to experience lingering adjustment/attachment issues of my own that I hoped would have more fully resolved by this point. The kids, of course, have essentially no concept of the significance - which makes total sense as we have been a family for one year now. This likely also explains some of my nonchalance about finalization. And, we had a great relationship with our social worker - what parent wouldn't mind someone supportive popping in for free every few weeks to hear you vent, and to offer new ideas?


Anyway, the photos will be a meaningful way for me to look back, and will hopefully be a helpful keepsake for our kids, as they get older and begin to explore their story more. We enjoyed the company of immediate family and one set of foster parents in court, and had a few other friends join us later. The weather was fantastic, and we spent the afternoon casually hanging out in the backyard, for a BBQ lunch and snacks. Ok, I have to admit that putting together fun, coordinating outfits for us all was a highlight as well. And then I went and forgot to have anyone take a family photo in our backyard (we at least have some with the judge...complete with the overly-glowing yellow indoor lighting issues, which I have edited as well as possible).


And there you have it. An official ending/beginning/continuation. Family.