I took yesterday "off." You may have noticed my lack of posting in my Faith and Adoption series. It will be back next week. I went to church with my boys yesterday morning, we went out to lunch and then, "Mommy's Day Off!" I drove back to Pennsylvania to attend a concert (Newsboys) with my best friend. We hung out, dished about our husbands and lives and relived old memories in a restaurant that we used to frequent during college.

Mommy's Day Off! also consisted of no internet, no e-mail and no phone contact with anyone. (Okay, minus the Husband to check in.) I needed a mental break. Last week was a tough one, emotionally and physically since my Husband pulled some extra shifts leaving me alone with the kiddo for four straight days. I kept up with my workload during the week and even stayed on top of the laundry. But by the time Sunday rolled around, I needed some time away from thinking about heavy things and dealing with others' issues on top of my own.

You see, when you write about adoption on a daily basis, you get feedback. Some is good. Some is great. Some is not so good. And some is downright hard to swallow. I'm not even talking about trolls or spam; I'm talking about learning new things from people with different points of view that challenges you to reevaluate your beliefs or how you view a certain topic. I'm not saying we shouldn't learn: we SHOULD! By constantly learning about adoption, we're providing room for growth and change. That doesn't mean that it's always easy and fun, of course!

So yesterday, I just needed an afternoon and evening away from thinking about reform, how my words effect others and whether or not adoption will ever be ethical. I can't say that I needed an afternoon and night away from thinking about the Munchkin because that simply doesn't happen; she is in the air that I breathe, in the heart that beats within me. Little things make me think of her. It's virtually impossible to escape her. So it's not the Munchkin I needed time away from: it was simply adoption.

Well, really? Too bad for me. Adoption is everywhere. It's kind of like when you buy a new car. (No, stay with me for a second.) You never noticed how many red Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited's were on the road until you started driving one. I'm sure adoption was just a prevalent in my life prior to placement but now that I'm living the life, I notice it more often. And by more often, I mean at every single turn.

Prior to the Newsboys' set, the guitarist came out while the road crew dissassembled and assembled the stage after the openers and before the main set to talk so we weren't all bored watching the roadies. He began talking about their past few years of traveling, performing and their ministry. And he ended up talking about China. And the orphanages. And holding the babies that needed, yup, adopted.

To be honest, I blanked out for a minute. My senses were still on adoption overload. Knowing that there are so many adoption issues out there that I can't possibly take them all head on and "fix the world" is sometimes overwhelming. As I sat in the audience, listening to the guitarist talk about the lesser value placed on Chinese girls, my heart continued to break. I had a girl who still means the world to me. She is no less wondrous than my son even though she's not my parented child. The thought process boggles my mind.

And so, in short, even on a day where I attempted to avoid adoption, it smacked me in the face. Sometimes I find that to be proof that I need to continue doing what I do, changing what I feel needs changed. And sometimes I take it as a sign that I need to find a bigger rock to hide under on days that I don't want to deal with issues concerning adoption. I'm back and ready to tackle more topics and issues... even if my "day off" wasn't fully "off."

(By the way, the concert was amazing. Their new album, Go, is in stores now (and on sale at the link provided). Pick it up! And catch a show if they come to a venue near you... just don't expect to escape adoption talk for the evening!)