TheyAreLegallyAdultsNow
Member
Hi All!
Think of you often... haven't been on here much 'cause... well I REALLY started to feel the need for my life to become so much less about them.
5th anniversary is fast approaching of what I call the conjoined meltdown of our adopted sibling group. It's hard to count... first estranged Christmas, birthdays, etc... happened before first year was over. This recent Christmas was the 5th Christmas estranged, but August is the 5th anniversary. Some days I count... some days not so much.
We have had progress... for which husband and I are both very grateful for.
daughter(difficult child) reached out about a month ago asking if we'd like to meet our granddaughter. She made up an elaborate lie to reach out. She's a horrible (bad at it) liar... but lying is what she needed to do to leave us... and it appears lying is what she needs to do to come back.
We agreed to meet in a public place. Cute kid(s) both our daughter-difficult child adoptee and her 1yo daughter.
We've had some cordial fluffy conversations. Had a bit of joking around where it appeared for split seconds there might never have been any problems. Had a few moments where she got choked up regarding our family references.
It is is still quite evident she's plagued with "cause and effect reasoning" deficits... it appears that may be her life-long struggle. I'd always known they were there, just didn't have 'the' name for it, (and the scientific explanation) until after their conjoined meltdown. I recognize it so much easier now, (aha!) 'cause it's not that vague "something" that I couldn't quite put my finger on before... I recognize it so much better on this side.
Despite how so very terribly she's hurt us, I'm surprised how much empathy I have for her. You know... 5 years of estrangement... you imagine if reconciliation will ever happen... you wonder what your reaction would be... So far what I've got is empathy... and I'm glad. husband and I are cautious not to be drawn into drama... but we do love our kids, and we have continually been praying for restoration.
It must be so hard for our adoptees to have such a long and detailed history of abandonment and loss... again and again, and again, and again and again... etc...
My babies... before I even knew they existed. Oh if I could go back through time and... yeah... but, I can't. What I can do is love her on this side... as she lets me... and as I have peace to.
I would love to be vulnerable for her in this love... I can't promise to do that... For now, I can't help but be cautious.. and willing.
DS (difficult child) and his wife... still-estranged 5 years almost... just had our first grandson.
I imagine as he holds his son he may be forced to face the "how could they leave me, how could they not fight for me?" as he looks his own child who is already older than he was when he was removed from bio "care."
No contact from him... still... but we have heard through reliable sources he's passed on the two names we'd given him. We take that as a sign there remains hope.
Think of you often... haven't been on here much 'cause... well I REALLY started to feel the need for my life to become so much less about them.
5th anniversary is fast approaching of what I call the conjoined meltdown of our adopted sibling group. It's hard to count... first estranged Christmas, birthdays, etc... happened before first year was over. This recent Christmas was the 5th Christmas estranged, but August is the 5th anniversary. Some days I count... some days not so much.
We have had progress... for which husband and I are both very grateful for.
daughter(difficult child) reached out about a month ago asking if we'd like to meet our granddaughter. She made up an elaborate lie to reach out. She's a horrible (bad at it) liar... but lying is what she needed to do to leave us... and it appears lying is what she needs to do to come back.
We agreed to meet in a public place. Cute kid(s) both our daughter-difficult child adoptee and her 1yo daughter.
We've had some cordial fluffy conversations. Had a bit of joking around where it appeared for split seconds there might never have been any problems. Had a few moments where she got choked up regarding our family references.
It is is still quite evident she's plagued with "cause and effect reasoning" deficits... it appears that may be her life-long struggle. I'd always known they were there, just didn't have 'the' name for it, (and the scientific explanation) until after their conjoined meltdown. I recognize it so much easier now, (aha!) 'cause it's not that vague "something" that I couldn't quite put my finger on before... I recognize it so much better on this side.
Despite how so very terribly she's hurt us, I'm surprised how much empathy I have for her. You know... 5 years of estrangement... you imagine if reconciliation will ever happen... you wonder what your reaction would be... So far what I've got is empathy... and I'm glad. husband and I are cautious not to be drawn into drama... but we do love our kids, and we have continually been praying for restoration.
It must be so hard for our adoptees to have such a long and detailed history of abandonment and loss... again and again, and again, and again and again... etc...
My babies... before I even knew they existed. Oh if I could go back through time and... yeah... but, I can't. What I can do is love her on this side... as she lets me... and as I have peace to.
I would love to be vulnerable for her in this love... I can't promise to do that... For now, I can't help but be cautious.. and willing.
DS (difficult child) and his wife... still-estranged 5 years almost... just had our first grandson.
I imagine as he holds his son he may be forced to face the "how could they leave me, how could they not fight for me?" as he looks his own child who is already older than he was when he was removed from bio "care."
No contact from him... still... but we have heard through reliable sources he's passed on the two names we'd given him. We take that as a sign there remains hope.