Saturday, January 2, 2010

Adjust (verb)

New years do provide some sense of a new beginning. Frankly, however, this particular new year finds our family still smack dab in the middle of major adjustment. Today, I looked up the word adjust and found this definition: "become or make prepared." Synonyms include adapt, acclimatize, accomodate, fiddle-with, fine tune, get act together, grin and bear it, fit, modify, order, redress, settle, arrange.
The whole concept of being made prepared for family expansion seems laughable to me. As my whole family leafed through the baby book that Mom worked on for me many years ago and just recently delivered for our viewing pleasure, we came across a certificate proclaiming my parents to be "PREPARED PARENTS."
It struck me funny. I don't mean to suggest that my parents did not do a great job! I couldn't have asked for a better pair to raise me, but I think that even they would admit that prepared is not exactly the best word for how any parent gets to approach bringing up children. Often times, I feel completely unprepared, caught off guard, forced to wing it on the spot. Complicate matters by throwing in four entirely different personality mixes, the necessity of second language and attachment processes, and a somewhat unsettled family schedule...well, let's just say it leaves lots of room for adjustment. (And sometimes it's more of the grin and bear it-type than the act together-type.)
May 2010 be a year of fine tuning!
Post Script (with pictures)
...The year did start off with a very fun family activity. Auntie Jenn and friends treated us to a pony-pulled sleigh adventure on a nearby farm. I tried to capture some of the excitement of that day.










3 comments:

Smith Family said...

Looks like fun!

Unknown said...

Wow, Kids! It looks like you had a great time on the pony ride with Auntie Jenn! I wish I could have been there- I've never had a pony sleigh ride. You are so lucky! Gramma

anxiously hopeful said...

Brian and I often look at eachother and say, "What have we gotten ourselves into?" or "This parenting stuff isn't easy." The idea of being "prepared" is quite comical.

I saw your little guy's picture in the calendar. How sweet!