marthaj
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Posts posted by marthaj
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I wanted to share this story about a special friendship, and how God has blessed this friendship through a very special gift.
My dear friend Judy in Michigan hand made a quilt for Catherine as a baby gift. I know a lot of new parents receive blankets and quilts for baby, but there is a special story behind this one.
Judy and I worked together in 1982-83, when I was a Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force at K. I. Sawyer AFB near Marquette, MI and she was a civilian secretary in my squadron. When I PCS'd to Germany in 1983, we began a written correspondence that has lasted over 20 years!! When I first wrote her about pursuing our dream to adopt, she signed up for a quilt making class (all in secret, of course!) She began a "reverse" quilt (the 2 sides are different patterns). She certainly had plenty of time to work on it, as we attended the September 1997 Abrazo Parents-in-Waiting Orientation, and Catherine wasn't born until 12 months later, on September 28, 1998!
Now, as the book of Ecclesiastes in the Holy Bible proclaims, there is a time and a purpose to everything under heaven, including "a time to be born" (Ecclesiastes 3:2). What makes this story so very, very special to me is that
CATHERINE WAS BORN ON JUDY'S BIRTHDAY!
Yes, there was most definitely a reason behind our year long wait. It's almost as if the Lord looked down and saw my friend's heart and said...this will be a most precious gift, not only for the baby but for the quilt maker herself!!
And Judy, being her most humble self, did not even share this with me until a couple years later...when she sent Catherine a birthday card and remarked that she will always remember Catherine's birthday because it is the same day as her own.
So now this day is twice blessed. I have the blessing of remembering the birthday of a forever friend as I also celebrate my daughter's birthday...all linked together through the gift of a quilt of blessings.
Just wanted to remember my special friend Judy today, as I remember and celebrate 24 years of our friendship!
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Has anyone heard of or read about the new "moral dilemma" on the horizon in reproductive science? The term being used is "Designer Babies." That's right, the ability to manipulate DNA to accentuate certain desirable traits (intelligence, physical attributes, male vs female, etc.)
Not content to simply let "nature take its course," couples WILL have the ability in the future to "pick and choose" those traits they consider as desirable.
Does anyone else feel a sense of concern about all of this??? And what of the "designed" children who fail to "measure up" to their parents' expectations????????
Just as the moral ramifications of birth control was debated in the 60's and 70's, and IVF in the 80's and 90's, the new ethical debate may very well be "Designer Babies."
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OK...time to change the Ten's group name to read
"And then there were.............NINE"!
Congratulations!!
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SO TRUE!!
Especially the "Spare the rod, spoil the child....get investigated by Child Protective Services...."
This would also apply to the schools. Some of the teachers I had would be IN JAIL now....
I had a 4th grade teacher who hit the boy behind me on the back with a Geography book (I am NOT making this up!) I felt the wind from the book! He was a troublemaker, true....but today that would spell "LAWSUIT" for sure. This same teacher would also walk through the aisle and rap you on top of the head with a pencil if you weren't doing your work (now, I did get rapped a few times.)
Our teacher in 5th grade threw erasers at us. There were paddlings at the front of the room. My dad even sent me off to the 1st grade with this admonition "If you ever get spanked at school, you'll get one twice as hard when you get home."
Now, this sounds harsh, I know.....but consider it from a different viewpoint....
THERE WERE NO GANGS IN MY COMMUNITY.
THERE WAS NO GRAFFITTI OR VANDALISM
CHILDREN SAID "YES SIR" "YES MA'AM" ''NO SIR"
WHEN AN ADULT ASKED YOU TO DO SOMETHING, OR TOLD YOU NOT TO DO SOMETHING.....YOU LISTENED...AND YOU DID WHAT YOU WERE TOLD TO DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WE LEFT OUR DOORS UNLOCKED WHEN WE WERE AWAY FOR THE DAY....AND NOTHING WAS EVER MISSING!!
PEOPLE NEVER LOCKED THEIR CAR DOORS....AND THERE WAS NO HOT-WIRING OR VANDALISM OR THEFT!
WE RESPECTED OUR ELDERS ( WHICH WOULD BE ANY ADULT) AND THAT IS WHAT I SEE LACKING TODAY!
OK...thanks for letting me VENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I just laughed at her and said, "Uh mom...playpens are wayyyy a thing of the past - noone does that anymore - -Lisa
Wel-l-l-l-......................I did. We bought a playpen for Catherine when she was coming up on a year old (I don't remember the exact age, I'd have to dig around and find the receipt). But I know she wasn't walking yet. We got a Pack 'n Play, that you could fold up and travel with. I also bought a terrycloth playpen sheet to put over the mattress, and it doubled as her bed when we travelled. The playpen went to West Virginia, California and North Texas with us. It was also so handy to place her in there when I was cooking dinner and needed to keep my attention on the stove and not worry about a roving child!
I do remember, though, when we stopped using it. It was the 2000 Christmas holiday, and Catherine was 27 months old. I put her in the playpen before I went into another room, and before you know it there she was standing next to me! At that point she could easily climb out when standing on top of a toy. So, I packed up the Pack 'n Play! But, it did give me a year or so of peace of mind. She didn't have to be "strapped in" like you would with a swing or bouncy chair, and she had plenty of room to stand, walk around, and lay down, and I always had books and other soft toys in there for her. I took lots of cute pictures of her in her playpen, and if I ever get a scanner, I'll add them to our Gallery!
Sorry, Lisa...I'm with your mom on this one!!!!!!!!!!
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Heidi,
I think you should start a separate thread for those whose vacation plans had to be postponed due to the Stork!
There have been lots of stories over the years, of vacation plans, cruises, airline flights, etc that were "interrupted" by a call from Stork Central.
There have been folks who were actually on their vacations when they got "The Call" about a BOG waiting for his or her "forever" family, and they cut their vacation short to meet their new son or daughter.
I think it would be interesting to read all the stories, and also to let parents-in-waiting know that...yes...things like this DO happen, and provide some guidance on how to make the choice between going on your dream vacation or....having your dreams come true!!
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They'd already booked their summer vacation-- their first-ever cruise ship experience-- for next week... and now, they have the best-ever, 7 lb., 10 oz. reason to forfeit both the trip and what they paid for it! because as of today, after just eight short months of waiting, the long-awaited miracle has happened, and another of our 10-4, Good Buddies (9/05) have a newborn baby boy to bring with them to Camp Abrazo next year.
Let's change the saying "If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans" to
"If you want to get The Call from the Stork...book a cruise"!
Congratulations, Cliff and Alison!
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And sometimes.......GREAT THINGS happen to good people!
Congratulations Dan, Ericka and Danny! You deserve all the joy and happiness your hearts can hold!
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Marjory,
This is wonderful news! You will never regret opening your heart and home to Katherine's little sister, and when she is older I'm sure she will thank you a hundred fold!!
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I just wanted to share a conversation I had once with an adoption professional. I questioned why the waits were so much longer for couples working with adoption agencies in other areas of the country. This adoption counselor told me the reason there are waits of 5 years or longer with agencies in the Northeast particularly (such as New York), is that abortion is very common there. The logic is simple...fewer babies born, longer waiting periods to adopt.
Because South Texas is predominantly Hispanic and Roman Catholic, the strong influence of their religious beliefs lead more young pregnant teens and women in South Texas to give birth rather than abort. And Central and North Texas is in the "Bible Belt" with predominantly evangelicals and Baptists, whose religious views are also pro-life. Is it any wonder Texas has become one of the most desirable states in which to adopt?
Yes, I am glad that women who make the choice to abort have access to clean and safe medical clinics and facilities, and do not have to resort to "back alley" clinics or self-induced procedures. But just as years of fertility treatments and IVF attempts are having a "backlash" in women's reproductive health later on (as discussed in another thread), medical science is finding that a past history of abortion(s) is also having an effect on women's later reproductive health. I don't believe women are being told or understand all the risks, because there are risks, as there are with any invasive surgical procedure.
But most of all it saddens me deeply to think of how many couples nationwide....if not worldwide...are on waiting lists for years at adoption agencies, while at the same time thousands of abortions are taking place daily?
(And Lisa, after the experience you had at Gladney, I so totally understand why you felt you couldn't emotionally go through another adoption loss. Thank you for sharing what I know was a most difficult decision. (((((Big Hug)))))))
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I already get mistaken as Catherine's grandmother (when my gray roots show between salon visits
). (Of course, I would be a very young grandmother, if I were!!!!!!!!! ) This child will be living with parents old enough to be his or her great-great grandparents!
I hope there are some other (younger) relatives around to step in if/when health problems do occur.
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Congratulations Diana, Ashley and Ted! Welcome to our Abrazo family, Tucker!
"All good things come to those who wait."
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Just opened a fortune cookie, left over from Chinese takeout, and here's what the fortune predicts...
"You will be called upon to celebrate some good news."
No kidding!!
(Here are the lotto numbers too, in case anyone can use them
6 22 26 43 45, 13
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Maybe the Stork had to go in for her 15,000 mile tune-up!
Actually, whenever I think of the Stork, I always think of that Looney Tunes cartoon where the Stork got a little tipsy, and mixed up the deliveries. The deliveries were in egg form, so of course each family thought they got the correct one...until the egg hatched that is! Daffy Duck's egg hatched a baby alligator, and the alligator family got the baby duckling that was supposed to go to Daffy's house! The cartoon shows Daffy's attempts to "bond" with baby, and all the while baby alligator is snapping at Daffy the entire time.
It is hilarious if you've ever seen it. And in true momma fashion, the momma alligator and duck accept their babies just as nature brought them!
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Elizabeth Ann,
Thank you for updating us!!
The Stork has been working overtime lately....are your wings tired yet?????????
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Yes, it would help if the adoptive parents' names were also listed with the baby's name under "New arrivals."
With so many orientation groups on board at the same time, it's hard for me to keep everybody straight!!
Also, I'm with Sabrina and Heidi.......who are the "mystery parents" for baby Ashton??
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Don't forget that Daylight Savings Time begins this Sunday at 2 am. So since you'll probably all still be up into the wee hours Sunday morning, just set your watch ahead one hour then.
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This is so exciting!!
Congrats to the happy couple!
Is the Pea Pod full yet??????
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Tony and Donna,
First the Steelers win the Super Bowl, and NOW THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The year 2006 will certainly be a year to remember and to celebrate!!
Best wishes from fellow Steelers fans,
Martha, Jeff and Catherine
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He is beginning to notice the differences in values between home and the church and he is wondering whether he should be raised Jewish instead of Catholic. I wonder if it is because we are not a strictly Catholic home, as we also honor some Jewish traditions like the Jewish holidays, Friday shabbot dinners, engaging in mitzvahs, etc. And, our family values might be considered more liberal than other Catholic families.
Anne,
As I understand it, the Jewish faith is passed through the mother, so since you are not of the Jewish faith, there is really not a requirement that he be brought up in that faith.
We are Catholic (my husband is a "cradle" Catholic, I joined the Catholic church through the RCIA program in 1990 before we were married) and for many years our parish held a Jewish "seder" meal on the Monday of Holy Week. I believe many Christian demoninations have adopted the seder as part of Holy Week activities.
I think you can teach Judeo-Christian ethics without diminishing one faith over another. (For example, the Ten Commandments are timeless, and are used by both the Jewish and Christian faiths as a moral standard.) If you can approach it from the aspect of what the two religions share in common, then perhaps Josh will feel less "anxious" about which path to take.
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Yes, Karen, you are right! I checked the Gallery, and I remember Joe and Nancy from Camp 2004. I remember meeting and talking with them, and their son was just a mere babe himself then!
Congratulations, Joe and Nancy!
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Kenneth and Mary,
So happy for you! Our BOG also found her way to us 12 months after we completed orientation! I know the feeling!
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Congratulations Heidi! Who knew when you posted on the forum for the first time on Feb 1, that just a mere 10 days later you would be holding your new son!
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From Air Force Blue to Pretty in Pink!
CONGRATULATIONS KRISTEN AND JASON!!
Baby Announcements 2006
in New Arrivals
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Okay, I'll bite........
Is the stroller pink or blue?