Bad Moon Rising

I love classic rock. I personally don't consider it classic... but since you can put Antique License plates on any vehicle that is at least 25 years old... I guess that it IS, in fact, classic rock.

I see the bad moon arising.

I see trouble on the way.

I see earthquakes and lightnin.

I see bad times today.

Chorus:Dont go around tonight,

Well, its bound to take your life,

Theres a bad moon on the rise.

I hear hurricanes ablowing.

I know the end is coming soon.

I fear rivers over flowing.

I hear the voice of rage and ruin.

Hope you got your things together.

Hope you are quite prepared to die.
Looks like were in for nasty weather.
One eye is taken for an eye.

Over the past 4 years... this song from CCR has taken on new meaning to me. I used to think it was a peppy, happy sounding tune with kind of a dark and imposing message. Now... all I can hear is: I see trouble on the way.

OK... there were a LOT of things that I was skeptical about when we began reading the dozens of books and articles about adoption. I will admit it. I didn't really buy into the "anniversary anxiety" or a lot of the adjustment issues. I also never really thought bonding would be an issue. As much as we loved our children - they would absolutely love us back. It was just natural. We were not going to have any problems. Right? WRONG. I am a converted believer. I totally and whole-heatedly try to use my adoption experience as a platform to share with other people the many, many things that I think we learned here in the Hanks Household the "hard" way.

But what about the MOON? We grew up with the Man-In-The-Moon, Hey Diddle Diddle the Cat and the Fiddle, and "I See the Moon and the Moon Sees Me... God Bless the Moon and God Bless Me". HA!

However, now I have new opinions of the moon. The moon - is not my friend. This is not a new concept to those of you in the educational field. I am sure that you can relate that there is a marked change in children and their behavior during the full moon. I have heard of these things... and again I shrugged them off as folklore... or a wives tale, if you will. No more.

I can assure you that I not only KNOW when the moon is at its fullest... I can tell you the week prior to it - that it is coming... and I can do this all based on the behavioral changes of Ali, our 6 year old child. There is not only a marked difference in her personality... there are significant physical characteristics that change about her, as well. These could be that she sleeps much less, and when she does sleep - it is fitful and cannot be restful. But her eyes take on a more vacant and hollow look. She also presents more agitated and aggressive behavior - acting out in ways that will not be blogged about - but are difficult to watch as her mother, and even harder to understand. These are all things that some day I hope that I can document and track better than I do now... but at this time in her life I feel it would make her too self-conscious. She already struggles to get through this week.

So what is it about the moon and it's PULL on my child? Tim and I kid all the time that she is part werewolf... but really... what IS THE DIFFERENCE and where can I find more information about how to help her get through these times that are obviously so stressful???

Any suggestions?

In the meantime... I wish that I could embrace the moon like my little friend, Brayden. He loves the moon - and everything about it. I thought of him tonight as I was looking out my window, singing my new mantra, "I see the moon and the moon sees me... I hate the moon 'cause the moon hates me."

Maybe John Fogerty said it better..."I see bad times today..." (or tomorrow...)

Either way.... there's a bad moon on the rise.