The Group

This weekend has been lovely.

Six families from across the country. Some traveling through snow blizzards. Some stopping in hotels. Some heading home and some crashing at friends houses. One of the families was simply away for the weekend, and others gate crashed, us all meeting up. We are all so different. The “children” aged from babies to adults. Some siblings, some only children. We all have one common Invisible String . We are single adoptive parents. There is nothing special about us. We are like any other group of friends. An eclectic mix. Different stories. Different themes. All brought together under one umbrella.

Going to one department store for a drink to warm up from the freezing cold outside, brings its challenges. Looking like the Vontraps, we take over half of the cafe. Organising dinner in the evening requires weeks of planning, but there’s always room for one more. The conversation for the adults rarely includes our String. We are a group of friends, old and new, meeting up. The youngsters enjoy being with other youngsters. I very much doubt they even thought about their common String.

Knowing that we all have our common String is enough. It’s to do with acceptance. We are all so different, with so much in common. With empathy, knowing there may be siblings that they don’t see, or meet up with. Knowing their family was made in a different way. Knowing they all have a past, that brought them to this family. Knowing there may be experiences or even memories from the past, that other children would not ever experience, but this group just understands.

So, we meet up. We go to a Christmas market, see the Christmas decorations, go round the Christmas lights. We can talk freely. We can gossip. We can put the world to right. We can spend time alone, knowing the children are being looked after. There is no pressure, we split off for a bit to do different things, then come back together.

It can be a lonely path on the adoption parenting journey. Having people to share, to experience, to understand is vital. I am not a big group person usually. I ride my storm. I use social media as an outlet, as well as this blog. This weekend was just what was needed. It was just… lovely.

Have a look at my Instagram Page for more pictures.