There's so much to be thankful for! 🤎 All my si There's so much to be thankful for! 🤎 All my siblings under one roof again, going to bed each night with my best friend, and the best kids I could ever dream of. 

This year, I've really realllly focused on slowing down. Being 'in the moment' with the kids and doing my best to connect with them a little bit each day. To clean the house because it makes me happy but to also not to let the mess get to me when there's something more important to do, and sometimes that thing is just sitting on the couch with my loves. I've learned to work hard at my job but also close the laptop at the end of the day and walk away. I've learned that social media is a great place to connect with people, not EvErYtHiNg needs to be shared and no one goes hungry when I don't post for a few days. 

So many lessons I'm grateful to have had this year because we are better for them 🤎🤎🤎
A little more on our first 24 hours with our sweet A little more on our first 24 hours with our sweet cradle care placement. She's now with her adoptive parents and I feel so blessed that we could be a small part of her story. We're continuing to pray for her, her bio mom, and her new family as they adjust to all the things that come with first-time parenthood. It was so hard to say goodbye but I'd do it 1000 more times!
The last time we had a cradle care placement I got The last time we had a cradle care placement I got a lot of questions about what cradle care is and how people can get involved in it. I wanted to create a longer video about what our first 24 hours was like with a new cradle care placement and then I realized reels can only be 90 seconds! 😅 So here's the first part of my cradle care rundown. Let me know what questions you have!
The other day I saw a comment on a post saying tha The other day I saw a comment on a post saying that if you choose to have children, they should take priority in your life and everything else comes second, including your marriage. Well, sure, while it's your responsibility to do right by your kids and raise them to the best of your ability, I think putting your marriage first actually does just that in many ways. Here are a few I thought of:

Putting your marriage first teaches your kids that they're not the center of the universe. We can make our kids feel special and meet all of their emotional needs while not teaching them that they are always first. It would be a rude awakening for them once ther leave our home if we do. 

Putting your marriage first gives your children a huge sense of stability. If there is instability in your life that you can't control, they'll continue to look to you and your spouse as their guiding light through it. 

Putting your marriage first also teaches our kids how they should treat their spouse one day. They'll learn how to handle conflict, how to stay unified, how to sacrificially serve each other. If kids get the massage that they come first, they may very well treat their future spouse that way as well. 

Would you add anything to this list?
What’s something you wish you did more since hav What’s something you wish you did more since having kids?

I remember a time when life was a blur of getting out of the house to go to work, managing the front desk at a small optometrist’s office, pumping in the bathroom at work, and getting home at 6 (some days, 7:30) for what little cuddles David had left in him before his bedtime at 8. And then you wake up and do it all over again. It was in those early days that I couldn’t remember who I was. And even if I had the time to “be myself” again, I’m not sure I would even choose to do the same things I had liked a few years earlier. I was changing and growing but rarely had the time to even think about how or why. 

Fast forward a few years, and I can say it *does* get easier. It is possible to give much of yourself to your family while still reserving some energy to nurture your own spiritual, physical, and mental health. Of course, when you have a baby that doesn’t want to be anywhere but in your arms, that gets a little more tricky, but that phase doesn’t last long, I’ve learned. 

It was during that crazy time when our first baby was still a baby that I said, “That’s enough! I have no idea who I even am anymore and I’m curious to find out.” So that’s when my blog was born. And from there, it took to Instagram and from there, writing books. 

It’s still a balancing act that I don’t get right much of the time, and most of the time it looks more like a pendulum, where I sway from being a great mom to a mediocre one but a great writer and vice versa. But all that to say, even in the baby era, you can take the time to rediscover who you are, what you love to do, and nurture those areas in your life. 

What’s something you wish you did more since having kids?

—

Shout-out to the makers of this GORGEOUS dress that I could literally live in 💙 @daughtersofindia
It's not possible to be in a sour mood when you're It's not possible to be in a sour mood when you're around that smile 🥰
A few photos of life lately. We've said yes to a f A few photos of life lately. We've said yes to a few placement calls but they've fallen through (that's how it goes!), we're kind of doing baby-led weaning with Cleo?, Josh and I have been setting up my new desk and I've learned more about keyboards than I ever needed to know 😅 So grateful for this family of mine.
The absolute best dad 🤍 We'd be lost without hi The absolute best dad 🤍 We'd be lost without him. He grounds us, speaks truth, and shows incredible love and kindness to each of us. I could not think of a better partner for life. 
@joshuadaviddamon
I leave tomorrow for a work trip and while it's on I leave tomorrow for a work trip and while it's only one night away, the last time I spent a night away from the kids was over two years ago and the last time I was away from Josh was maybe four?? 

I'm very lucky to feel like I can leave for a couple days without having to worry that the kids will have everything they need, shoutout to @joshuadaviddamon 🩷 

But I will miss them a tonnn. But hey - maybe a night without having to make bottles or little legs kicking me in their dreams will be nice?? Just for one night, tho 😉
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Adoption, Family, Kids, Motherhood · September 28, 2020

Announcement – We’re Adopting!

Surprise – We’re adopting!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO OUR ADOPTION FUND

​​​​​​We are so excited to finally be able to share our news with you! Adoption is something Josh and I (Chelsea) have felt called to since our dating days (circa 2010!!). For ten years, God has kept this longing on our hearts and we finally feel we’re at a point where we can bring a child into our home and provide a safe, secure, supportive, and healthy environment. We are so thankful for the children God has given us and we now feel ready to open our home and hearts to a child whose parents have chosen adoption.

Adoption is beautiful, but it is always tied to loss and brokenness. Adoption never happens when children are born into a stable environment which often means that the children often suffer trauma, whether or not they have memories of it. That being the case, while we ask for financial support, we need prayer and community support just as much. Josh and I are also undergoing special training and education in order to support our child in his transition to our home.

We also believe that adoption is obedience. James 1:27 says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”  Josh and I take this literally and seriously!

Here are answers to some questions you may have:

Where are you adopting from?

For now, it’s in the best interest of the child to keep the specific country anonymous. But what we can tell you is that we will be adopting from a country in Asia.

Will you be adopting a girl or boy?

We’ve been told to expect to be matched with a boy as most girls are adopted domestically in this country. All children who are available for adoption go through a 5-month period where they are only eligible to be adopted in-country. If they are still not matched with a family after waiting for 5 months, they are eligible to be adopted internationally.

How old will the child be?

The child will most likely be 2 years old when he comes home with us.

How soon will the child come home with you?

We will most likely be able to bring home the child in 18-24 months.

Why aren’t you adopting domestically?

Josh and I strongly considered domestic adoption, however, due to the timeline of domestic adoption, we came to the realization that adopting an infant domestically would cause an 8 year age gap between our oldest child and our adopted child. It’s so important to use that this child feels like he is truly a part of our family and we very much want him to have a close relationship with David and Evy. That being the case, we chose a country program where the child we adopt will most likely be 2 years old at the time we bring him home.

How else are you choosing to fund your adoption?

While our fundraising goal ($25,000) may sound like a lot, the total cost for the adoption will likely be around $50,000. Josh and I plan to contribute a large portion of our personal income supplemented with adoption grants, fundraisers, crowdfunding, as well as adoption loans (although we’d like to avoid this if possible).

Will you be hosting other fundraisers?

Yes! Please be sure to follow along on Chelsea’s Instagram or Facebook page for updates on new adoption fundraisers and general updates in our adoption process.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO OUR ADOPTION FUND

In: Adoption, Family, Kids, Motherhood · Tagged: Adoption, adoption announcement, adoption fundraising, adoption gofundme, adoption journey, adoption story, damon adoption, family profile, hope to adopt, waiting family

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Hi! I'm Chelsea and we're the Damon's. We spent the last two years in WA state paying off student loans and just bought our first house in SC! I love a smooth black coffee, Josh's first love is the Seattle Sounders. Our kids are huge dorks and constantly make us laugh and we all love spending as much time outside as possible.

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There's so much to be thankful for! 🤎 All my si There's so much to be thankful for! 🤎 All my siblings under one roof again, going to bed each night with my best friend, and the best kids I could ever dream of. 

This year, I've really realllly focused on slowing down. Being 'in the moment' with the kids and doing my best to connect with them a little bit each day. To clean the house because it makes me happy but to also not to let the mess get to me when there's something more important to do, and sometimes that thing is just sitting on the couch with my loves. I've learned to work hard at my job but also close the laptop at the end of the day and walk away. I've learned that social media is a great place to connect with people, not EvErYtHiNg needs to be shared and no one goes hungry when I don't post for a few days. 

So many lessons I'm grateful to have had this year because we are better for them 🤎🤎🤎
A little more on our first 24 hours with our sweet A little more on our first 24 hours with our sweet cradle care placement. She's now with her adoptive parents and I feel so blessed that we could be a small part of her story. We're continuing to pray for her, her bio mom, and her new family as they adjust to all the things that come with first-time parenthood. It was so hard to say goodbye but I'd do it 1000 more times!
The last time we had a cradle care placement I got The last time we had a cradle care placement I got a lot of questions about what cradle care is and how people can get involved in it. I wanted to create a longer video about what our first 24 hours was like with a new cradle care placement and then I realized reels can only be 90 seconds! 😅 So here's the first part of my cradle care rundown. Let me know what questions you have!
The other day I saw a comment on a post saying tha The other day I saw a comment on a post saying that if you choose to have children, they should take priority in your life and everything else comes second, including your marriage. Well, sure, while it's your responsibility to do right by your kids and raise them to the best of your ability, I think putting your marriage first actually does just that in many ways. Here are a few I thought of:

Putting your marriage first teaches your kids that they're not the center of the universe. We can make our kids feel special and meet all of their emotional needs while not teaching them that they are always first. It would be a rude awakening for them once ther leave our home if we do. 

Putting your marriage first gives your children a huge sense of stability. If there is instability in your life that you can't control, they'll continue to look to you and your spouse as their guiding light through it. 

Putting your marriage first also teaches our kids how they should treat their spouse one day. They'll learn how to handle conflict, how to stay unified, how to sacrificially serve each other. If kids get the massage that they come first, they may very well treat their future spouse that way as well. 

Would you add anything to this list?

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There's so much to be thankful for! 🤎 All my si There's so much to be thankful for! 🤎 All my siblings under one roof again, going to bed each night with my best friend, and the best kids I could ever dream of. 

This year, I've really realllly focused on slowing down. Being 'in the moment' with the kids and doing my best to connect with them a little bit each day. To clean the house because it makes me happy but to also not to let the mess get to me when there's something more important to do, and sometimes that thing is just sitting on the couch with my loves. I've learned to work hard at my job but also close the laptop at the end of the day and walk away. I've learned that social media is a great place to connect with people, not EvErYtHiNg needs to be shared and no one goes hungry when I don't post for a few days. 

So many lessons I'm grateful to have had this year because we are better for them 🤎🤎🤎
A little more on our first 24 hours with our sweet A little more on our first 24 hours with our sweet cradle care placement. She's now with her adoptive parents and I feel so blessed that we could be a small part of her story. We're continuing to pray for her, her bio mom, and her new family as they adjust to all the things that come with first-time parenthood. It was so hard to say goodbye but I'd do it 1000 more times!
The last time we had a cradle care placement I got The last time we had a cradle care placement I got a lot of questions about what cradle care is and how people can get involved in it. I wanted to create a longer video about what our first 24 hours was like with a new cradle care placement and then I realized reels can only be 90 seconds! 😅 So here's the first part of my cradle care rundown. Let me know what questions you have!
The other day I saw a comment on a post saying tha The other day I saw a comment on a post saying that if you choose to have children, they should take priority in your life and everything else comes second, including your marriage. Well, sure, while it's your responsibility to do right by your kids and raise them to the best of your ability, I think putting your marriage first actually does just that in many ways. Here are a few I thought of:

Putting your marriage first teaches your kids that they're not the center of the universe. We can make our kids feel special and meet all of their emotional needs while not teaching them that they are always first. It would be a rude awakening for them once ther leave our home if we do. 

Putting your marriage first gives your children a huge sense of stability. If there is instability in your life that you can't control, they'll continue to look to you and your spouse as their guiding light through it. 

Putting your marriage first also teaches our kids how they should treat their spouse one day. They'll learn how to handle conflict, how to stay unified, how to sacrificially serve each other. If kids get the massage that they come first, they may very well treat their future spouse that way as well. 

Would you add anything to this list?
What’s something you wish you did more since hav What’s something you wish you did more since having kids?

I remember a time when life was a blur of getting out of the house to go to work, managing the front desk at a small optometrist’s office, pumping in the bathroom at work, and getting home at 6 (some days, 7:30) for what little cuddles David had left in him before his bedtime at 8. And then you wake up and do it all over again. It was in those early days that I couldn’t remember who I was. And even if I had the time to “be myself” again, I’m not sure I would even choose to do the same things I had liked a few years earlier. I was changing and growing but rarely had the time to even think about how or why. 

Fast forward a few years, and I can say it *does* get easier. It is possible to give much of yourself to your family while still reserving some energy to nurture your own spiritual, physical, and mental health. Of course, when you have a baby that doesn’t want to be anywhere but in your arms, that gets a little more tricky, but that phase doesn’t last long, I’ve learned. 

It was during that crazy time when our first baby was still a baby that I said, “That’s enough! I have no idea who I even am anymore and I’m curious to find out.” So that’s when my blog was born. And from there, it took to Instagram and from there, writing books. 

It’s still a balancing act that I don’t get right much of the time, and most of the time it looks more like a pendulum, where I sway from being a great mom to a mediocre one but a great writer and vice versa. But all that to say, even in the baby era, you can take the time to rediscover who you are, what you love to do, and nurture those areas in your life. 

What’s something you wish you did more since having kids?

—

Shout-out to the makers of this GORGEOUS dress that I could literally live in 💙 @daughtersofindia
It's not possible to be in a sour mood when you're It's not possible to be in a sour mood when you're around that smile 🥰
A few photos of life lately. We've said yes to a f A few photos of life lately. We've said yes to a few placement calls but they've fallen through (that's how it goes!), we're kind of doing baby-led weaning with Cleo?, Josh and I have been setting up my new desk and I've learned more about keyboards than I ever needed to know 😅 So grateful for this family of mine.
The absolute best dad 🤍 We'd be lost without hi The absolute best dad 🤍 We'd be lost without him. He grounds us, speaks truth, and shows incredible love and kindness to each of us. I could not think of a better partner for life. 
@joshuadaviddamon
I leave tomorrow for a work trip and while it's on I leave tomorrow for a work trip and while it's only one night away, the last time I spent a night away from the kids was over two years ago and the last time I was away from Josh was maybe four?? 

I'm very lucky to feel like I can leave for a couple days without having to worry that the kids will have everything they need, shoutout to @joshuadaviddamon 🩷 

But I will miss them a tonnn. But hey - maybe a night without having to make bottles or little legs kicking me in their dreams will be nice?? Just for one night, tho 😉
It was just about a year ago that I sat in this ve It was just about a year ago that I sat in this very chair to take pregnancy announcement photos and here she is today, all smiles and two teeth. I can’t believe in the year year she grew in my tummy and now she’s here and we couldn’t imagine life without her.

Ps. I'm obsesseddd with her sweet sweater 🥰 @reesemyersco

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