February 25, 2011
February 25, 2011
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Yes, I’m His REAL Mom

The other day on AnnArbor.com, I wrote this post about Christopher sending a handmade Valentine’s Day card to his birth mom — and made the exact same card for us.  Three adult adoptees wrote in comments on the article, each of them affirming that I am indeed my children’s “real” mother, and that one day Chris and Sarah will come to see me not as their “adoptive” mom, but simply their “mom.” I wish I shared their confidence. One of the down sides of open adoption (or any adoption in which the child is old enough and has the means to get in touch or stay in touch with his or her […]
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February 21, 2011
February 21, 2011
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Science Fair Syndrome (and other small miracles of parenting)

You could have knocked me over with a feather yesterday when a parent FB’ed me to say that Christopher had won “high honors” for his Science Fair project.  “Do all M&Ms melt at the same rate?” was Christopher’s idea — and he held to it while I continued to pelt him with what I thought were better ideas until his teacher said she thought his idea was a good one. Okay, then. Next, we had to outline the project step by step. We tried pancake grill, top of stove, and in a low-temp oven. We got lots of cracked candies — but they just didn’t melt, […]
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February 16, 2011
February 16, 2011
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The Woman in the Mirror

Today I’d like to reprise a few thoughts from my early days of foster care, in gratitude for the new friends I made today who are interested in becoming foster parents — even after I hinted that it could be JUST a bit more challenging than they thought when  they first looked into it! Foster parenting is tough. There’s really no getting around it. Unlike biological parenting, in which the mother gets to experience labor before delivery, with foster parenting (and adoption), the labor takes place AFTER the delivery. And it can be every bit as messy, painful, and embarrassing. But then — it can […]
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February 2, 2011
February 2, 2011
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Thoughts on a Snowy Day

“Stormaggedon?” Hardly. Woke up this morning with both kids and the dog in bed with us, excited beyond words about the prospect of a day at home with mom AND dad AND no school!  Woof. It’s almost over now. A pork pie is simmering in the oven, scenting the kitchen with rosemary and garlic. The picnic table on the back deck glistens with a thick blanket of white stuff; the birds all but disappear as they land to pick up the bits of bread scattered across the table top. They look cold, but clearly hunger is more compelling than warmth. The kids storm in from […]
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January 30, 2011
January 30, 2011
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“Part the Waters, Lord”

One of the best parts of my Evangelical heritage is the music–four part hymns, solid Gospel and contemporary Christian recording artists such as the Gaither Trio, Keith Green, Second Chapter of Acts, Michael Card, and Evie Turnquist. (In one of my most rebellious moments, I sneaked a contraband cassette tape of Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours.” I don’t remember actually playing it — just having it in my room was enough.) My taste in music is quite a bit more eclectic now — from Big Band sounds to Top Forty with a smattering of alternative and international and show tunes. Give me a little Cole Porter or Jennifer […]
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January 25, 2011
January 25, 2011
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The March: Now What?

Today at AnnArbor.com, I posted an article that was especially hard to write.  I actually drafted “The Face I Never Knew” (AnnArbor.com retitled it), anticipating the annual “March for Life” in Washington that commemorates the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.  This 1973 Supreme Court decision legalized the murder of over 52 million pre-born children.  As part of my thesis on adoption, I’m reading a book right now called When Children Became People: The Birth of Childhood in Early Christianity by O.M. Bakke.  This book deals extensively with the first century (AD) Roman practice of “exposio,” by which parents were legally able to dispose of their children […]
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January 22, 2011
January 22, 2011
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For Life

As hundreds of thousands of pro-life demonstrators converge on Washington Mall, protesting the laws in our country that have made legal the slaughter of over a millions children each year, I was dismayed to read this article on AnnArbor.com, urging “zealous Christians” to be more respectful of those who support abortion rights out of “love”.  I should note that it was not written by staff, but by a community member (like a “letter to the editor”) — and yet I was sorry to see it posted on this particular weekend. Because I couldn’t get it to post online I thought I’d post it here … I appreciate your comment about […]
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January 19, 2011
January 19, 2011
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Mother Antonia Brenner: A Story of Redemptive Love

In the next few days, I will be posting a review of a remarkable documentary entitled “La Mama” by Jody Hammond on the life of Mother Antonia.  Mother Antonia Brenner is the founder of “Servants of the Eleventh Hour,” an order for mature women (most ages 45-65) who serve the impoverished and imprisoned in Tijuana, Mexico and parts of the U.S. One aspect that I did not address — and felt I should do so — is the fact that Mother Antonia was twice divorced prior to taking the habit. I have not yet read the biography of her life, and don’t know whether one or […]
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January 9, 2011
January 9, 2011
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Paddling in Shallow Waters: The Invigorating Power of Forgiveness

A few weeks ago as I contemplated my New Year’s resolutions, I had an idea: I would make a list of twelve people with whom I have less-than-satisfying relationships. You know, something said or done along the way created hard feelings (on my part or theirs, or both). How would it be, I wondered, if invited each of these people to spend ten minutes — TEN, mind you — saying anything that they wanted to say to me. I would not comment, retaliate, or defend myself in any way. At the end of that ten minutes, I would offer a simple, heart-felt apology and thank […]
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