It was 11 years ago this month when the first homestudy was done,
and only two months later got the news that Ravi would be joining
our family.

January is always adoption month in my heart.

I just wanted to share a friends poetry, in the event that any of
you are thinking about adoption, whether domestic adoption (in the
US) or international adoption (obviously outside of the US).

Adoption solves two problems. Parentless children get parents, and
childless parents get children. Of course it is more important that
that. I believe that there is a possibility for the cosmos to be in
such alignment that the right children would be in the right
families. I believe this is true for adoptive families too.

The following poem was written by my friend a few years ago.

I AM NOT AN ORPHAN

By Margo Venkateswaran

I’m not an orphan I’m a child of god
I am loved from up above
I’m not an orphan and not alone
I have many children in which I share a home
I may have no one to call mother or dad
but god loves me and that makes me glad.
One day I may be in someone’s arms
but until that day I will remain strong
someone once whispered in my ear
I love you so my little dear
and somehow I know this I did not imagine
someone loved me
someone loves me
someone will love me
I’m not an orphan though my clothes are not new
I’m just a child
who’s waiting for you
but dont think of me as poor and sad
god has given me life and for that be glad
do you ever wish you had someone at your table
someone to follow you through your lonely house ?
When you need company more of that than your spouse ?
you can think of me, but not as an orphan or someone weak
think of someone with a great will who could fill a void
if you would sit still and hear the silence
of a home without a child
but I am not an orphan
for I am god’s child
unique.

Jyotsna

As my marriage began to crumble in 2001, and the reality was in my face that I would have to make a new plan, I started on the course of change.  I knew that I wanted to work with pregnant women, and I immediately took a workshop to learn about being a birth doula.   There was the urging feeling inside that kept saying, “prepare for the future”.  I had some prior experience in visiting over the years with my sister who lives in a 20 year old intentional community in Alabama.     Each time I left her home, I felt an empty spot in my heart.  I really enjoyed the experiences there and began to think about living like that myself.  Unfortunately her community is full, and has been for a few years.  There is no hope to live there in the immediate future.  I took some time to begin searching the internet for other communities, and found the Intentional Communities Website.   I was amazed that there are several communities for almost everyone who is interested.  Skimming through the extreme right wing and conservative communities, I kept coming upon the website for Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage.  I really thought, “Who would name their community that!”.  However, for weeks I visited their website over and over, reading throughout their site about their vision, their pacts (environmental) and their way of making decisions.  The photos were so impressive…they showed REAL people getting real dirty growing gardens, raising houses and playing together.  I knew that I wanted to live in this type of community eventually.  Over the years I have contacted them about their community, and I believe that this summer I will visit there with my children, to see first hand what it would be like living in community with the Rabbits. 

It is possible that we will want to be Rabbits too, but there is a process where interested parties apply, have a probation period and eventually become full fledged members.  They don’t just accept people off the street.  They want to see how they will get along with the person or family.

At this time, they are open to families and I feel this is my chance to visit and see how it will work out for us. 

Being a part of a community is something you shouldn’t take lightly.  If you think you are community material/minded, and you would like to spend your day working and playing, maybe you should check it out too.

As I sat here looking around the kitchen at a pile of dirty laundry, I decided it was time to start a new blog.  My name is Jyotsna (otherwise know at Jyotsna’s Journal).  I’ve used blogspot.com for several years, and I kept hearing about wordpress and just had to check it out.  It actually looks pretty good.

I’m mama to three wonderful kids, ds 11, dd 7 and dd 7.  Yes, you saw that right.  I have two 7 year old girls, and no, they are not twins!  : )

I don’t think there is much I can say in this post, that will help you to know who I am, so please check out my other blog to get to know me and my views.  I will be sharing my opinions, information and more about adoption, single parent-hood, and unschooling, amoung a few things.

Looking forward to reading your comments!

Peace!

Jyotsna