About three years ago I attended a women's conference and one of the speakers was a woman named Ellen Salter. Ellen's young daughter, Meghan, is seriously incapacitated for unknown reasons. She is unable to move on her own or communicate with others. Meghan requires constant nursing care to make sure continues to breathe. She has had multiple surgeries in her short life and has nearly died several times.
One might be tempted to say, "Poor dear, what kind of life can that be? " Let me assure you Meghan in an active member of her family. They make sure she is included in family events. They even converted the living room into her bedroom so she can be in the middle of all the action.
It was hearing about Meghan that made me understand that out intrinsic value as humans is not in what we do or accomplish in life. Meghan is valuable because she is Meghan. She doesn't need to cure cancer or become the president. All she has to be is be.
Meghan opened my eyes to the value of all God's children. Not that I look back I can see how hearing Ellen Salter planted the seeds for me to be able to pursue special needs adoption. What a gift!
http://meghansmircles.com
http://babymeghan.org
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
In light of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I thought I'd look into some disturbing facts that I've heard about.
1. Susan G. Komen affiliates donate quite a lot of money to Planned Parenthood. Komen states that the national organization does not give money to Planned Parenthood and that the money given is not for abortions. In my opinion, though, that is not enough. Any money given to one area of Planned Parenthood let the organization shift other money to providing abortions. If it were me I would want NOTHING to do with an organization like that. The end does not justify the means. We can't do good (providing cancer screening for some) at the expense of being complicit in evil.
2. There may be a link between breast cancer and abortion. Many researchers have questions, although result are not conclusive.
http://www.abortionfacts.com/online_books/love_them_both/why_cant_we_love_them_both_23.asp#But
http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com/medicalgroups/index.htm
3. There may also be a link between using birth control pills and breast cancer. Breast cancer is highly influenced by hormones, and any substances that manipulate the body's natural hormone level could increase cancer risk.
I bring these things up for a couple of reasons. No one has to do any of these things. No one has to donate money to Komen (although it can be hard to avoid). No one has to have an abortion-- there are crisis pregnancy centers in nearly every community. There are are pre-adoptive parents longing for a baby. No one has to risk there health and fertility with birth control pills (and yes, I believe that birth control pills seriously hurt my fertility and made it very difficult to conceive Wonder Boy). Let's guard our physical and moral health aggressively, not only for our own sakes, but also for our family and society in general.
1. Susan G. Komen affiliates donate quite a lot of money to Planned Parenthood. Komen states that the national organization does not give money to Planned Parenthood and that the money given is not for abortions. In my opinion, though, that is not enough. Any money given to one area of Planned Parenthood let the organization shift other money to providing abortions. If it were me I would want NOTHING to do with an organization like that. The end does not justify the means. We can't do good (providing cancer screening for some) at the expense of being complicit in evil.
2. There may be a link between breast cancer and abortion. Many researchers have questions, although result are not conclusive.
http://www.abortionfacts.com/online_books/love_them_both/why_cant_we_love_them_both_23.asp#But
http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com/medicalgroups/index.htm
3. There may also be a link between using birth control pills and breast cancer. Breast cancer is highly influenced by hormones, and any substances that manipulate the body's natural hormone level could increase cancer risk.
I bring these things up for a couple of reasons. No one has to do any of these things. No one has to donate money to Komen (although it can be hard to avoid). No one has to have an abortion-- there are crisis pregnancy centers in nearly every community. There are are pre-adoptive parents longing for a baby. No one has to risk there health and fertility with birth control pills (and yes, I believe that birth control pills seriously hurt my fertility and made it very difficult to conceive Wonder Boy). Let's guard our physical and moral health aggressively, not only for our own sakes, but also for our family and society in general.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Thoughts on Health Care
Who looks at Medicare and says, "Wow, that's worked out so well. Sign me up. Let's see what the Federal government can do for me?"
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Zero Tolorance?
I love Cub Scouts/ Boy Scout. This program has built into everything that American boys need to be learning: teaching children to be brave, active, and honorable. American schools leave alot to be desired, though. I am so upset to see this news story.
Boy, 6, Faces Reform School for Carrying Camping Utensil to School
First Grader: 'I Wasn't Really Trying to Get in Trouble'
By CHRIS CUOMO, SUZAN CLARKE and SARAH NETTEROct. 13, 2009
A Delaware mother whose 6-year-old son was suspended for 45 days for carrying a camping utensil to school is speaking out against the suspension and saying he should not have to face reform school as a consequence.
Debbie Christie's son Zachary, a first-grader at Downes Elementary School in Newark, Del., was suspended for carrying a camping utensil that contained a spoon, fork, bottle opener and knife to school.
"I wasn't really trying to get in trouble," 6-year-old Zachary said. "I was just trying to eat lunch with it."
"I got a call from the principal, telling me to come down, that Zach had carried a dangerous weapon into school and was going to be suspended," Christie told "Good Morning America" today.
School administrators deemed Zachary to be in violation of their zero-tolerance ban on weapons, and he may have to attend the district's reform school.
The decision has been widely criticized as being too harsh, and Christie started a Web site with a petition of support that has garnered more than 29,000 signatures.
"They are using black and white rules and applying them to everybody," Christie said, "and there is a lot of damage to the kids that happens in between who are innocent victims of this zero-tolerance policy. "
George Evans, the president of the Christina School Board, defended the decision to suspend Zachary, citing student safety, but he told The New York Times that the board might make changes to its regulations for cases involving younger students.
His parents bought Zachary the camping utensil for his trips with the Cub Scouts. They said Zachary has always been an enthusiastic student.
"Most fun is having to do work," he said, "and playing all that fun stuff and work and recess and math and science and all that and reading."
School policies should be a tools to manage student and teacher actions. However this is not a tool but a tyrant-- something used to bludgeon this child and possibly harm him worse by exposing him to discipline and behavior problem at his "reform school ."
Boy, 6, Faces Reform School for Carrying Camping Utensil to School
First Grader: 'I Wasn't Really Trying to Get in Trouble'
By CHRIS CUOMO, SUZAN CLARKE and SARAH NETTEROct. 13, 2009
A Delaware mother whose 6-year-old son was suspended for 45 days for carrying a camping utensil to school is speaking out against the suspension and saying he should not have to face reform school as a consequence.
Debbie Christie's son Zachary, a first-grader at Downes Elementary School in Newark, Del., was suspended for carrying a camping utensil that contained a spoon, fork, bottle opener and knife to school.
"I wasn't really trying to get in trouble," 6-year-old Zachary said. "I was just trying to eat lunch with it."
"I got a call from the principal, telling me to come down, that Zach had carried a dangerous weapon into school and was going to be suspended," Christie told "Good Morning America" today.
School administrators deemed Zachary to be in violation of their zero-tolerance ban on weapons, and he may have to attend the district's reform school.
The decision has been widely criticized as being too harsh, and Christie started a Web site with a petition of support that has garnered more than 29,000 signatures.
"They are using black and white rules and applying them to everybody," Christie said, "and there is a lot of damage to the kids that happens in between who are innocent victims of this zero-tolerance policy. "
George Evans, the president of the Christina School Board, defended the decision to suspend Zachary, citing student safety, but he told The New York Times that the board might make changes to its regulations for cases involving younger students.
His parents bought Zachary the camping utensil for his trips with the Cub Scouts. They said Zachary has always been an enthusiastic student.
"Most fun is having to do work," he said, "and playing all that fun stuff and work and recess and math and science and all that and reading."
School policies should be a tools to manage student and teacher actions. However this is not a tool but a tyrant-- something used to bludgeon this child and possibly harm him worse by exposing him to discipline and behavior problem at his "reform school ."
Monday, September 28, 2009
Decision Made
We found out, shortly after the last post, that another family had requested information about one of the kids that we were interested in. Since they were equally desirable to us we decided to get the other child's medical records looked at. The whole time we were trying to make a decision, we said if there was something that would make one child harder to place, we would pursue that child.
His records came back without anything unexpected on them, so we are asking our agency to register us in Stavropol so that we can adopt him. It's a big change from Ekat, which is known for being difficult and slow. I'm hopeful that the speed in which the process will speed up considerable.
The doctor had many encouraging things to say about this little boy, including the fact that the Russian doctors imply that he is healthy because they immunized him, and they wouldn't do that if they thought he was sickly. He was also developmentally right on target at the time of the medical report.
By the way, we used Dr. Jerri Jenista and really liked her. She cut right to the chase and let us know if there were any issues.("You see all this stuff? It's meaningless. Ignore it.") I also really like that she is local and we could actually see her in the future.
His records came back without anything unexpected on them, so we are asking our agency to register us in Stavropol so that we can adopt him. It's a big change from Ekat, which is known for being difficult and slow. I'm hopeful that the speed in which the process will speed up considerable.
The doctor had many encouraging things to say about this little boy, including the fact that the Russian doctors imply that he is healthy because they immunized him, and they wouldn't do that if they thought he was sickly. He was also developmentally right on target at the time of the medical report.
By the way, we used Dr. Jerri Jenista and really liked her. She cut right to the chase and let us know if there were any issues.("You see all this stuff? It's meaningless. Ignore it.") I also really like that she is local and we could actually see her in the future.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Hard Decisions
Sadly there is no time out period after losing a referral. We know that we are called by God (and who am to argue) to adopt. I feel a little bit like the Blue brothers "We're on a mission from God!" At our request our agency sent out possibilities almost right away. Right now we are examining the files of two wonderful kids. Their medical histories are more complex that Sweet Pea's was, but we could choose either one of them. There are two main problems: 1.) in order to choose one, we have to say no to the other. Still, we could get past that except that Charlie and I are leaning in opposite directions.
That's just not fair.
The thing is there are no criteria for choosing one other the other. Their medical conditions are different, but equally complicated. We physically have space for either. They are both very cute and personable. We would have to re-do some paperwork for either child. There are no straight forward answers. I will keep praying and hope we receive guidance.
That's just not fair.
The thing is there are no criteria for choosing one other the other. Their medical conditions are different, but equally complicated. We physically have space for either. They are both very cute and personable. We would have to re-do some paperwork for either child. There are no straight forward answers. I will keep praying and hope we receive guidance.
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