None Are So Blind As Those Who Will Not See
Part 2

Guatemalan Babies Adopted

There are those who are convinced that babies in Guatemala are "bought" . Well, let's take a look at this shall we?

If they knew anything about the culture, there is stigma for a single woman to have a child. Their culture does dictate how things are done (just like most countries). As much as we would like to "enlighten" them, they are slow to change and hang on to their tradition and customs. The women who are expecting are afraid to keep the child and will stay at a maternity home until they have the child or they will have the child and drop him/her off at the home. So, these children are without families.....

People go to Guatemala to adopt these children and yes, the government may take a lot of money, the police may take bribes but it doesn't change the fact these kids still need homes because the mothers will not take them home....as hard as it may be for them. The mothers don't get any money, they don't get anything but the heartache.

So if anyone needs to be chastised it's the Guatemalan Government and officials, not the adopted parents.

None are So Blind as Those That Will Not See
Part 1

I was reading a blog recently that was written by a woman who is claiming that babies that are adopted and that have colic...do not have colic at all, they are crying for their birthmothers.

Well, if they look beyond the nose on their face and think about that.... it is preposterous.
How do you explain all the babies that are not relinquished with colic and all the babies who are adopted who do not? There are a lot of babies with colic....plain and simple. My daughter only cried when she was hungry or tired. She never went on and on (oh how I felt sorry for friends with colicky babies) . If what they say is true... why didn't she grieve? Did SHE not miss her birthmother?

Please......colic is grief? that is really reaching.
I think those who believe that need to get a grip on reality....they want to believe these things...they have convinced themselves it's true. They also need to read about the development of the brain and what babies can really grasp....
Come on.....

Thankful

I am thankful, of course, for my life with my family. My awesome daughter and husband and all our families being wonderful.

I am thankful I am in a Christian family of people who love and care about us.

There are many things I could write about - because there are so many things I am very thankful for in life......but I want to say I am thankful I am an American, I am happily adopted and I am thankful for all the adoption officials out there who care about the birthparents out there and care about how they feel and what happens to them. A few of our social workers have had birthmoms to their house for the holiday because they have no where else to be.

I am thankful for my daughter's birthparents, their awesome hearts and I'm so thankful they have each other (they are getting married!)

Celebrities doing something good??

Brad and Angelina actually has changed the way people see adoption. As much as I don't like the hype of celebrity lives I can't help but be thankful for the press for shining a big light on the Pitt and Jolie adoptions. Even Madonna who has had some controversy with her adoption has brought it to the forefront and I'm glad.

The press used to report a celebrity, their child and their "adopted child" were out at a store etc. Now it's just "their children"....I'm so glad this is changing.

Here's a bit from one article:

"Pitt went from single guy to father of four in less than two years -- and seems to relish every moment. Who hasn't melted over the adorable photos of Pitt carrying a baby bottle in his back pocket, or dropping the kids off at school? The question is, will Brad and Angie have more biological children? That gene pool seems too good to waste."

So even though they mention "biological" children, they are just talking about "their children", "the kids"...it's much more casual, less strained..... this is normal life.

Adoption can be WONDERFUL!

I know there are some bad placements....I know there are some bad agencies and I know there are bad people. But, for the most part..... adoption works. It can be a wonderful thing. It's never easy on the birthmother but I know many birthmothers who have found peace. Every adoptee I know has had a great life and is happy and well adjusted. The naysayers can say all they want but the few that are unhappy are not the norm.....it is sad that they are so upset but I pray that they find peace.

Adoption has been part of my life since birth and has been part of my daughter's life since her birth but it does NOT define us....is not a major part of our days and lives. We live love, we live happy....I wish all families could be this happy!

Adoption

A friend and I were discussing adoption this weekend. It's funny that I totally don't even think about my sweety not being biologically ours. She is so much a part of us that there is no distinction. It always throws me off when someone mentions it, it takes me a few seconds to say to myself "oh yea, she IS adopted". She was talking about a recent miscarriage and how even with one biological child, they really have thought about adoption. But, just like most men (and some women), her husband questions if he could love "another person's child". My husband had to confess to me he thought that but knew that I had a great life and there was no distinction between my brothers and I. There are many people out there not touched by adoption at all. I feel like I can be that shining beacon of reassurance for these people---to let them know - YES, you will love that child beyond your imagination! When they placed that baby in our arms my husband said every grain of doubt fell away instantly and she was ours - love at first sight (just knowing about her and seeing her picture did it- ours forever). It's amazing to me the love you can have for any child - biological or not - it's a real eye opener as far as the love God must have for us.....

Before I was a Mom

Before I was a Mom-
I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom –I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.

I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom
I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put him down.I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom -
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.

I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.

I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom -
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache,
the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom

Adoption Month at Hallmark

To celebrate adoption month Hallmark has a series of adoption shows that are just awesome.....watch them on line: but make sure and come back and tell me how much you like them...they are done so well!
http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/publish/consumer/home/shows/adoption.html

I haven't gotten around to it but....

HAPPY ADOPTION MONTH!

I'm sure that there are the naysayers that will poo poo all the efforts of this NATIONAL month of adoption......but phooey on them!

I pray all of you waiting get a match soon
I hope all who have adopted are happy and healthy
I want all who have relinquished a child to adoption to find peace

All who are touched by adoption....God bless you, keep you honest, fair and loving and continuing to help families grow through adoption.

The Longest Two Weeks of My Life!

I just got out of the hospital. I was sick all last week. I had a temperature ever day and was generally feeling miserable. Friday I finally went to the ER and was admitted, for what they said then, five days. I was so out of it on Friday but I remember thinking five days seemed bad - that meant I was really sick. I had elevated liver enzymes, low platelet counts, a stiff neck, swollen glands, a rash all over, red lips and my eyeballs hurt when I loved them. I knew this was not good.
Well, I had a reaction to such a high dose of the antibiotics...who knew the thing that was supposed to make you well could make you so sick! On top of it all I had a virus that make my eyeballs hurts, the lymph glands swell, my neck hurt and my lips get really red.....weird.

Through it all my taste is still all messed up but that I can handle.

MRSA

You hear about it on TV, you shake your head and think "why didn't they get to a doctor sooner?". Like other fatal illnesses, disasters, diseases you have not been a part of, you have no idea. I thought I had an ingrown hair, a little knot under my arm....I thought it would just go away. When I had two, I thought it was strange but still thought it would just go away. When I had three then four I called my OB (really my SIL who works there). Before I knew it I had an appointment to see a surgeon and before I could see him I had ten knots of different sizes and all hurt like a big dog! Staph, MRSA.... how easily it could be overlooked, disregarded....denial? Should we start to freak at every pimple? I know I will now. They had to take pugs out of my arm pit, some a quarter size and 1/2 inch deep - ouch. I'm healing but I am never shaving my arm pits again!

Lucky

I really don't believe in luck as far as life goes. You are lucky if you sit down at a slot machine that is ready to hit the big jackpot. And you are lucky when you choose the right number to play at Roulette. But as far as luck goes....we make our own choices, sure....but I do believe the hand of God is in the mix of things. Sure, things don't always go right...that's for a reason. And, yes, there are BAD things that happen...unfortunately, there will be those things and we must learn from those too.

We use the word "lucky" very loosely. I say I feel lucky to have our daughter with us. I feel blessed, grateful to God and to her birthparents......lucky doesn't even cover it.
I say I feel lucky to have a great husband but I know that was not a fluke, a divine plan was in action just like with baby J and even the timing of it all.
So when I say, "I'm just lucky" i guess what I'm really saying is I am having a great life...God is blessing me, even in the bad times.

LARABAR

About two years ago I wrote a post about LARABAR. Someone from the company is progressive and on the blogger scene and saw my post. They sent me a few bars and a t-shirt and I have been so hooked ever since. They sell them at Trader Joe's and every time I wear my shirt someone says "hey, I get those at Trader Joe's!" - or someone asks me what they are.....great marketing tool!

The thing I like about them - they are simple and healthy. Most only have three ingredients...they have no fillers or preservatives. On top of everything else.....they are delicious. If you haven't tried them, you should.....You can check out their website HERE

If You Were Mine

My husband is learning a song. I heard him singing and playing downstairs but I started to listen and I could not help but cry....I secretly listened and then went down with tears in my eyes and asked if he wrote it. He said he found it on a CD by Fernando Ortega and thought it was beautiful. All I could think was it could be for biomoms, moms-in-waiting, or moms of babies on heaven. If you fit in one of these catagories go get a few Kleenex, hit the play button ---sit back, close your eyes and just listen to the words. If you are not in the categories you better get some kleenex too.

The Mountains

Got back from the mountains last week, this was the view from a
tram up one side of a mountain to a ski resort.

Al Gore? A Mockery of the Nobel Prize

I don't know if people generally know this but the Nobel Prize was started by Mr. Alfred Nobel who invented dynamite. One premature obituary of his own death called him the "The merchant of death" He was devastated that the thing he invented could be used for such harm so when he died he left a 31 million dollar endowment to give awards to people (regardless of nationality) that help humanity.

Well-----The Nobel Peace Prize has
been awarded to AL GORE and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Control
Good God, is this all the could come up with this year???

This "Academy Award winning Film" (gag me) contains quite a few fabrications and a man in England did not want the public school kids watching it and believing it was the truth. He took it to the highest court and won. It was confirmed that there are 11 "inconsistencies" in the film and it was decided by the court the film must have a disclaimer that says there are these "inconsistencies".
Read the things that are untrue HERE.

These are not small things...they are major points in his "documentary".....for example:

The film suggests that sea levels could rise by 7m causing the displacement of millions of people. In fact the evidence is that sea levels are expected to rise by about 40cm over the next hundred years and that there is no such threat of massive migration.

Most of the statements are all to prove his point of global warming....and are made up/false/fabricated.

Why don't we here this on the major news?? GUESS

Al Gore? A Mockery of the Nobel Prize

I don't know if people generally know this but the Nobel Prize was started by Mr. Alfred Nobel who invented dynamite. He was devastated that the thing he invented could be used for such harm that when he died he left a nine million dollar endowment to give awards to people that

The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to former Vice President Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change -------- Good God, is this the best they can come up with?

In England a man fought to the highest court so that Al Gore's movie "An Inconvenient Truth" could not be
shown  to children, in schools, without a disclaimer - WHY?  Because there are 11 inconsistencies in the
movie read about them
HERE.

These are not small things...they are major points in his "documentary".....for example:

Celebrity Spokesman of the Year

The National Council For Adoption (NCFA), a leading adoption advocacy organization, has named award-winning country music star Rodney Atkins as its 2007-2008 National Celebrity Spokesperson of the Year

Rodney was adopted by three sets of parents....two brought him back because he was "too sick to handle" but his parents that brought him home to stay would not give up on him read the story here.

"Since 1980, NCFA has been the leading voice among national adoption and child welfare organizations. NCFA is a research, education and advocacy nonprofit organization that promotes ethical adoption practices, informs public policy and opinion about adoption issues, and serves as a resource for women with unplanned pregnancies, adopted persons and their families, those seeking to adopt and adoption professionals"

My Immortal

This is a song by Evanescence but I really like this girl's voice and how she does it better (ignore the cat trying to get the "lime light". This song made me think of KimKim for some reason and when I thought more about that - for all the biomoms out there.... it's a sad song about that person always being "with" them....

Congrats!!

On October 4th the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute will hold their annual Angels in Adoption gala, where several people will be honored with the Angels in Adoption Reward.

Patti Labelle
Alonzo Mourning
Marcus Samuelsson