Journaling

Believe it or not, I am terrible about keeping a written journal.  Blogging is MUCH easier. :)
Before I blogged though, I used a journal when our adoption of Anna commenced.  I needed to take notes, to find out what made her tick, to write down what we did wrong each day as well as what we did right. 
I wrote about all the cute things she did, as well as her naughtiness. :)   Those journals proved to be one of the most valuable tools I had.  Not because I am such a great writer, but because I was able to go back and read and process our PROGRESS.   When I was discouraged, I would go back and read and realize how far we had come.
I filled up more than one journal with Annaism's  and then when Sarah came I started one for her too.
The same thing happened when Erika came home.  
Then, I started blogging. :)

I am working on a project and went back to some old journals to look through them.  I was really surprised about what I had forgotten, both good and bad!  And OH I am SO GLAD I wrote those things down.
Some of the information from those blogs I have re written in memory on different posts on this blog.

I would like to encourage ANYBODY who is adopting or has newly adopted, even though you might have a blog, to keep a private journal also.  Write in it just before you go to bed and if something happens and you get a chance to jot down your feelings DO IT....
It will be a VALUABLE source of information for you to refer back to.
Write down your flaws, your shortcomings, your prayers, and write down your child's behaviors and their reactions too.  I PROMISE, if you have an open heart, a pattern will emerge and it will provide an emotional map for you to study. :) 
Then, you can navigate your way to success!  Keep blogging too! :)