Just because.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Also Enamored
Monday was my Birthday, and Cowboy STAYED for it! COULD the man be any more amazing?!
I have these wonderful friends, the Portmans. I LOVE them. Jeff and I were HRA's together at ORU (FOREVER ago) and I first met Kelli MY Senior year, her Freshman year. We went down to Desti*n, FL together on Fall Break. PIDC - her van had a "Honk if you Love Jesus" bumper sticker. Excellent.
I have a pretty wonderful history with them - wonderful in that we have been friends throughout the years. I got to spend the night with their oldest, when the middle was born, and then I got to go over the morning that Kelli was induced with Julia and hang with the boys, this past November.
For probably the past five years, the Portmans have celebrated my birthday with me. They have had me over for lunch or dinner, and it has truly been a special time for me. A few them were particularly hard birthdays for various reasons, but these dear friends have never failed to love me, hope for me, pray for me and celebrate me.
So you can imagine the thrill of pleasure that ran through me when they STILL wanted to have me over for dinner Monday night - in spite of a 2 1/2 month old, and the fact that I had Cowboy with me.
We had a grand time. Daniel sang "Soul Sister", Michael WON at Apples to Apples (there wasn't even any cheating), the BRISKE*T was the most tender I have ever had, and I got to hold Julia.... sigh.... she is, perhaps, the most beautiful baby I have ever seen. And I don't mean to diminish anyone else's baby, but seriously... have you SEEN her?
Although, I must admit, I didn't see much of her face. She was all eyes for...
do you see how her neck is CRANED towards Cowboy?!
And not out of fear or curiosity or terror...
Pure adoration.
Darling, I TOTALLY get it. Me too.
I have these wonderful friends, the Portmans. I LOVE them. Jeff and I were HRA's together at ORU (FOREVER ago) and I first met Kelli MY Senior year, her Freshman year. We went down to Desti*n, FL together on Fall Break. PIDC - her van had a "Honk if you Love Jesus" bumper sticker. Excellent.
I have a pretty wonderful history with them - wonderful in that we have been friends throughout the years. I got to spend the night with their oldest, when the middle was born, and then I got to go over the morning that Kelli was induced with Julia and hang with the boys, this past November.
For probably the past five years, the Portmans have celebrated my birthday with me. They have had me over for lunch or dinner, and it has truly been a special time for me. A few them were particularly hard birthdays for various reasons, but these dear friends have never failed to love me, hope for me, pray for me and celebrate me.
So you can imagine the thrill of pleasure that ran through me when they STILL wanted to have me over for dinner Monday night - in spite of a 2 1/2 month old, and the fact that I had Cowboy with me.
We had a grand time. Daniel sang "Soul Sister", Michael WON at Apples to Apples (there wasn't even any cheating), the BRISKE*T was the most tender I have ever had, and I got to hold Julia.... sigh.... she is, perhaps, the most beautiful baby I have ever seen. And I don't mean to diminish anyone else's baby, but seriously... have you SEEN her?
Although, I must admit, I didn't see much of her face. She was all eyes for...
do you see how her neck is CRANED towards Cowboy?!
And not out of fear or curiosity or terror...
Pure adoration.
Darling, I TOTALLY get it. Me too.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
The Letter
So, back on December 20th, I believe, I received a letter. THE letter. The one that gave me "non-identifying" information on my Birth Parents. Very interesting letter.
To be honest, it told me WAY more than I expected in some areas, and NOTHING in the areas that I was really looking for information in. But, nonetheless, I learned things. And have a decision to make. And I'm finally writing it today, because I've wanted to for awhile, and sweet Katie asked me to update her blog for her birthday... (love you!)
So - for starters, my Birth Mom isn't from Bismarck, North Dakota. She's from a "far away state" - I'm going with California or New York, but probably California. Here's why I think that: She and her brother and her parents are all 100% Austrian. And Russian Orthodox. And my birth father and his immediate family is 100% Armenian. Well, I know, very well, that there is a HUGE population of both of these in California.
So, here's the story (According to her - and it may not be true, but then again, only cynicism causes me to think that, so I'm going to lay that aside and go with it... for now)
She went to a party and says her drink got drugged, because she was a virgin, and although she knew my Birth father, she was engaged to another man. When she realized she was pregnant, she told a close friend who told her to talk to her priest (She was not Catholic, but that's what the heads of Russian Orthodox churches are - priests). He made arrangements with a nun he knew in Bismarck for her to go there and live with a family, doing light housework and babysitting, until she had the baby, at which point she would give it up for adoption and return home. She told her entire family and fiance, that she was going to North Dakota for additional job training. The case worker said that she kept in close contact with her family, etc the entire time she was in ND, but never told anyone what was really going on.
A short time after arriving, she met another single gal, and they got an apartment together and she got a job at the hospital where she worked until the baby was born.
The baby was born January 24, 1967. The baby was discharged from the hospital on January 29, 1967. The birth mom's rights were relinquished on February 2, 1967 and the baby was placed in foster care.
I was adopted on March 12, 1967. My parents arrived and were sent to the room where I was in a bassinet. According to the case worker (And this is my favorite part), my mother seemed so overcome with emotion that as she bent over the bassinet she didn't seem to know whether she could/should pick me up or not. And my father chattered happily about his new responsibilities as a father starting today, in a very wholesome and enthusiastic manner. (perhaps from nervousness, said the case worker)
She was 25 at the time of my birth. The information also says she had a brother who was 25 at the time of my birth. Does this mean she was a twin?
That's REALLY REALLY old in the 60's to be still single. My parents were adopting me at that age.
I understand how frightening it must have been for her: pregnant, engaged to another man. The shame, the fear... these, however, are not mine to carry.
The case worker said that she seemed to be well educated and intelligent, and very concerned about making the right and best decisions for me.
I received no real health information, except that 44 years ago, everyone was healthy (with the exception of HER mother who had ulcers). This is the area that I wanted to receive much more information.
Her one request was that I be placed in a Protestant home.
After my parents said yes, they wanted me, we all went to a Methodist Church where I was adopted.
I DO wonder if I'm still a secret. The case worker has said she doesn't imagine that she will want to acknowledge me, particularly if she's kept me a secret for all these years. However - I think I need to see this through as far as I can. Cowboy agrees.So, we'll see.
Also - I was given the name Maureen Francis. Name meanings are important to me, so I looked up the meaning: Maureen means "bitter". Francis means "Like a man".
Sohailah Houri: Sohailah means "Morning star". Houri means "heavenly being". Thank you Jesus for redeeming me in every. single. area.
I'm not sure I've really processed all of this. So much is happening in my life, these days. Good things, to be sure.
To be honest, it told me WAY more than I expected in some areas, and NOTHING in the areas that I was really looking for information in. But, nonetheless, I learned things. And have a decision to make. And I'm finally writing it today, because I've wanted to for awhile, and sweet Katie asked me to update her blog for her birthday... (love you!)
So - for starters, my Birth Mom isn't from Bismarck, North Dakota. She's from a "far away state" - I'm going with California or New York, but probably California. Here's why I think that: She and her brother and her parents are all 100% Austrian. And Russian Orthodox. And my birth father and his immediate family is 100% Armenian. Well, I know, very well, that there is a HUGE population of both of these in California.
So, here's the story (According to her - and it may not be true, but then again, only cynicism causes me to think that, so I'm going to lay that aside and go with it... for now)
She went to a party and says her drink got drugged, because she was a virgin, and although she knew my Birth father, she was engaged to another man. When she realized she was pregnant, she told a close friend who told her to talk to her priest (She was not Catholic, but that's what the heads of Russian Orthodox churches are - priests). He made arrangements with a nun he knew in Bismarck for her to go there and live with a family, doing light housework and babysitting, until she had the baby, at which point she would give it up for adoption and return home. She told her entire family and fiance, that she was going to North Dakota for additional job training. The case worker said that she kept in close contact with her family, etc the entire time she was in ND, but never told anyone what was really going on.
A short time after arriving, she met another single gal, and they got an apartment together and she got a job at the hospital where she worked until the baby was born.
The baby was born January 24, 1967. The baby was discharged from the hospital on January 29, 1967. The birth mom's rights were relinquished on February 2, 1967 and the baby was placed in foster care.
I was adopted on March 12, 1967. My parents arrived and were sent to the room where I was in a bassinet. According to the case worker (And this is my favorite part), my mother seemed so overcome with emotion that as she bent over the bassinet she didn't seem to know whether she could/should pick me up or not. And my father chattered happily about his new responsibilities as a father starting today, in a very wholesome and enthusiastic manner. (perhaps from nervousness, said the case worker)
She was 25 at the time of my birth. The information also says she had a brother who was 25 at the time of my birth. Does this mean she was a twin?
That's REALLY REALLY old in the 60's to be still single. My parents were adopting me at that age.
I understand how frightening it must have been for her: pregnant, engaged to another man. The shame, the fear... these, however, are not mine to carry.
The case worker said that she seemed to be well educated and intelligent, and very concerned about making the right and best decisions for me.
I received no real health information, except that 44 years ago, everyone was healthy (with the exception of HER mother who had ulcers). This is the area that I wanted to receive much more information.
Her one request was that I be placed in a Protestant home.
After my parents said yes, they wanted me, we all went to a Methodist Church where I was adopted.
I DO wonder if I'm still a secret. The case worker has said she doesn't imagine that she will want to acknowledge me, particularly if she's kept me a secret for all these years. However - I think I need to see this through as far as I can. Cowboy agrees.So, we'll see.
Also - I was given the name Maureen Francis. Name meanings are important to me, so I looked up the meaning: Maureen means "bitter". Francis means "Like a man".
Sohailah Houri: Sohailah means "Morning star". Houri means "heavenly being". Thank you Jesus for redeeming me in every. single. area.
I'm not sure I've really processed all of this. So much is happening in my life, these days. Good things, to be sure.
Monday, January 24, 2011
So Much to Tell
Seriously - how pathetic that it's been so long since I've blogged. And I have so many fun things to tell - and I've even taken pictures to illustrate... sigh....
so for now, I WILL be posting soon - I know - lame.
p.s. Cowboy got me a Kitchen Aid Ice Cream Maker for my Birthday... it works really well on the Kitchen Aid Mixer that my parents got me for my Christmas/Birthday present.
pictures soon.
love you all!
so for now, I WILL be posting soon - I know - lame.
p.s. Cowboy got me a Kitchen Aid Ice Cream Maker for my Birthday... it works really well on the Kitchen Aid Mixer that my parents got me for my Christmas/Birthday present.
pictures soon.
love you all!
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