August 18, 2007, I had the absolute privilege of marrying my very best friend. Eleven
years ago tomorrow Eli and I were married on the very camp that he worked at and still currently works at and that we live year-round. We got married the very day that summer camp ended. I still remember the room that I got ready in being strewn with the remnants of the summer camp adventures that had taken place there. That summer of 2007 was a dry one. And the “drought” decided to break its streak on the morning of our wedding.

It rained.

And rained.

And rained some more.

And not a bit of that mattered because as I walked down the aisle to “Collide” (Yeah, that’s right. A Howie Day classic) I was marrying my best friend.

Eleven years. It’s been incredible. See many people will tell you that marriage can be hard. That it takes a lot of work. That you have to trust your partner. And all those things are true. But it’s not that hard when you’ve married your best friend. Have we gone through our fair share of tough times? Damn right. Our vows have reigned true—“In sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer…”. But I’ll tell you one thing. We’ve laughed, and occasionally danced (in the kitchen), a ton more than we’ve cried.

So how does this relate to our adoption journey? Our journey to adopt has been absolutely and utterly awesome. Incredible. Eye opening. Humbling. And I’m so happy that it’s one of the amazing things I get to add onto the story of Eli and Chelsea. Because it’s a pretty incredible one.

So tomorrow, we won’t be doing much celebrating. Remember, it’s the last day of camp—just like it was eleven years ago. He will be busy sending kiddos home from their amazing week, cleaning things up, talking to staff, and attending a very well-deserved staff banquet to witness just how far his staff have come this summer.

So as the camp bugle blows one last triumphant round of taps tonight at dusk the sound leads us into the fall. Which for us will see us continuing to thrive in our marriage and bring us one step closer to our future family.

~Chelsea

 

 

 

 

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,   

That’s me.

I feel fully empowered, but as I continue to walk this fine line of womanhood and motherhood it never ceases to amaze me how much societal pressure likes to put us into clean cut and easy categories.

I’ve hit a realization recently that I never really “cared”—and I use that term loosely—to “bear” a child. And I know that’s really difficult for some of you to believe. But honestly, biological children or raising a child from infancy has never really “meant” all that much to me even prior to two miscarriages (I know that may seem shocking). And I don’t mean that to sound dismissive. But you know what has meant a lot to me? The pressure that society has made me feel that my womanhood, my motherhood was contingent on birthing a baby or raising an infant. Now, please, don’t get it twisted or feel bad. I feel completely different now—and 100% happy, thrilled, at peace with where I am now. But let’s face it—even in my 30’s I sometimes feel that societal pressure.

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,   

That’s me.

I currently do not have any children but I already feel the fierce “Mama Bear” protectiveness for my family’s journey and my children’s story. It is this innate maternal instinct and it radiates my body in a way that is truly magical because I have no biology attached to it. What has created it has been the hunger for knowledge, an eye opening awareness even when it’s painful because I know it’s not about me, and a peace that I am exactly where I am supposed to be even though I know that my future children are coming to me in the least “peaceful” way possible.

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,   

That’s me.

Bottom line—I am so at peace right at this moment being a Mama Bear even before motherhood has been chosen for me. And no one has gotten me here except for the grace of God, my faith, and the amazing partnership I have in Eli. Motherhood—it’s pretty simplex when you really think about it.

 

~Chelsea