It is hard to believe it is almost time for Kazapalooza again. Every year we always wonder how we will make it work, we figure out what we are willing to go without so that we can go, and every year it is very worth it. There is something amazing about being around those with a shared collective experience that few people in our day to day life have. We are all so vastly different in terms of careers, religion, reason for adopting, financial stability, where we live, what our experience was like in adoption, but we all have one huge thing in common. We persevered through mountains of paperwork and red tape, because some part of our inner being drove us to go to one more USCIS appointment, to redo that form again, and to be fingerprinted by every possible agency just to prove we were not in fact criminals. We have all done something that was not easy, or normal, but what we as families knew to be the right path for us. Few of us have had flawless journeys, but that is what makes our families rich and helps (hopeful) our children know how much they were really wanted in this world.
Kazapalooza is only one weekend a year, but it also gives us the community (even if it is virtual for 362 days a year) to be a part of and lean on.
John and I are the ones this time wishing we could go ahead and pack our bags. Emerson was kind enough to remind me that there were still 10 more days until we leave. Isaac does not know about this event yet. I am trying to really prepare him for a vacation. It is still a little freaky for him to do things out of the routine. The last two big times he met a lot of strangers in a hotel, he lost what was his family or home life. I keep reassuring him that we are going as a family and we will come home as a family.
Our plan is to go to KP then up to Port St. Joe on the way back and enjoy a few days there before enjoying the summer with the boys and working on the buisness (The Backyard Pantry.)
Hi Karon,
ReplyDeleteI could not agree more with what you said in your post, there is something so special about coming to KP every year, I look forward to it all year long and just like you I wonder how will I pull it off, money wise, getting time off from work but every year it works out perfectly. My friend who also adopted from Kaz a little over a year ago is not coming to KP, she can not afford to come but I don't think she realizes it is worth every penny spent and yes it is nice to come for more then just the short weekend but if that is all you can do then it is better then not coming at all. Until you have come to this weekend away with all of us together, like one big family, you just do not get how wonderful and important it is for us and most importantly our children.
I can not wait to see you again Karon and to meet you newest member of your family, Issac.
See you in a few weeks!