Hello fellow Steemians, it’s been some time since I’ve made a post here. I had rather gotten away from social media in general and Steem was no exception. I also got tired of some of the in-fighting that was occurring on the platform. I honestly haven’t looked to see how that’s played out, but I do like the updated interface and I hope the level of discussion continues to mature with the platform itself.
So, with that aside, I thought I’d give a brief update on how my recovery is going. That’s how I more or less got started here if you look back at my first few posts. According to the app I use on my phone, I’ve been sober 665 days. It’s hard to believe that, God willing, April 8th 2018 will be two years. I’m still attending 12 step meetings almost daily, I talk to another alcoholic/addict daily, keep in frequent contact with my sponsor, and try to carry the message to local detox meetings when I can. I was even able to attend a weekend retreat on recovery on Seabrook Island, SC (see picture below). So, life has been full. I can honestly say that I don’t think about sticking a needle in my arm at all these days; quite the miracle. That being said, life, as they say, ‘shows up.’
My wife and I have been trying to have a child now for nearly two years which has included three IUI treatments. We recently met with a fertility doctor in the morning to discuss IVF and an agency that same afternoon to discuss adoption. After comparing our experiences – listening to the fertility doctor and listening to the adoption agency – we just felt that adoption would be a better fit. It’s a bittersweet decision as we’re looking forward to the possibility, but my wife is still grieving the fact that she can’t get pregnant. It’s also an expensive option (so is IVF) and that’s part of the reason I’m giving Steem another shot. The total cost is going to be about $20,000 USD which is actually on the low side for adoption costs. We’re blessed in that her insurance has a $5,000 allowance towards adoption and I’ve done alright with my crypto side-hustle (though the market is killing me currently). Regardless, I hope to get a few upvotes here and there to help with the costs. If this post generates any interest, I’ll keep everyone updated with our weekly progress.
It’s actually a fascinating process – a lot has changed in the adoption world. Most adoptions (at least in the US) these days have some degree of openness. Usually, it’s actually the birth mother that looks over some ‘promotional’ booklets and decides the family she wants to give her child to. It makes sense, although it’s a bit daunting and my wife and I worry about not being ‘picked.’ There is usually some degree of communication after the adoption between the birth mother and adoptive family. It’s been pretty well shown that ‘closed’ adoptions aren’t psychologically healthy for the child or birth mom. We’re still very early in the process, though, so we’re just taking it one step at a time – getting paper work and documentation in order. We’ve got to turn all that in, attend an orientation of sorts, and then we can start the home study which sounds intense. Bridging it back to recovery, though, I take my third step seriously and I try to hand my will over to God on a daily basis.
The last topic I’ll broach is the crypto markets – what a shit show. Every time there’s a hint of recovery the next day – or hour or minute – is a bloodbath. I’ve given up trying to predict when things will get a little more bullish, but fortunately I’m a ‘hodler’ and not a day trader. I’ve given up trying to pick the highs and lows and instead just ride it out. I made the mistake early on of trying to trade GBTC (the stock that has crypto holdings) and learned my lesson there. I’m still expecting 2018 to be a good year, but it’s painful to see the red every day. My 2018 portfolio consists of a few coins – DeepOnion, ETN, EDG, INT, and KCS. I think I’ve got about $50 worth of Steem at the moment. I’m looking for privacy coins and coins with a mobile focus to do well this year, but I guess time will tell. We’re really hopeful that things recover soon so we can cover some of the upcoming adoption costs.
At any rate, I hope this finds old readers well and attracts a few new ones too. If you’ve got any prayers or positive vibes, please send them our way and I’ll do the same. If you enjoyed the read, please vote/follow and let me know in the comments and I’ll try to get back in the habit of regular posts. Keep on Steemin’!
