Mono, Selflessness, and Cooler Scooters

I finally figured out what the mystery illness was that was making me so incredibly sleepy all of the time--the Epstein Barr Virus--aka MONO.  I was completely caught off-guard by the diagnosis because I didn't have any typical "mono-like" symptoms except extreme tiredness.  No cold, no sore throat, no swollen lymphs.  (Yes, I just abbreviated lymph nodes).  Nevertheless, it was mono. Don't worry, it's not contagious anymore, but I'm still sleeping like a hibernating grizzly every day after work.  Good thing I was working out and playing contact sports (co-ed soccer and flag football) without knowing that my spleen could have exploded at any moment.  So there's that.  I'm on the tail-end of my recovery, so I'm and praying for some much-needed energy very soon. 

Alright.  So there's been a ton of stuff going on in my pro-life, pro-open adoption world lately.  On Friday afternoon, I met with a 40-year-old woman who is the mother of the cutest little blue-eyed 5-month-old-baby boy.  Due to unforeseen circumstances, she can no longer care for him.  Without exposing her personal situation, let's just say that finances are the least of her worries right now, and it's not good.  I was asked to speak with her about my experience with open adoption, as she has decided that she wants to go the adoption route.  When I first sat down with her, I was surprised that she brought her baby with her to our meeting.  He was cute as can be, and he sat happily in his stroller during our entire meeting.  His bright blue eyes kept shifting back and forth between his mother and me as we talked, and even though he was cooing and smiling, he looked like he understood exactly what we were talking about.  I half expected him to start stating his requests, "I'd like a nice family with a big brother, a two-story brick house, and one German Shepherd, please." 

I listened as the woman spoke about her difficult situation, and we discussed all of her options.  I have to admit, I was trying hard to hold it all together.  I wanted to adopt her baby!  I asked her if there was anything that Triangle Right to Life or any local church group could do to help her until she got back on her feet.  She looked me directly in the eye and she spoke with confidence. She told me that she was not concerned as much about her financial situation but more-so being able to provide the emotional support that her son needed.  It was clear to me that she had made up her mind about adoption.

When I speak to women considering open adoption, I don't try to persuade them one way or another.  I would never want a woman to go the adoption route if it's not what she feels is absolutely right for her and her baby, and I do not think that adoption is for everyone.  But I do think it's crucial to be honest.  I told her that open adoption is hard, that it's not easy, and that she will most likely be very depressed and sad if she goes through with it.  But at the same time, I also told her that I don't regret my decision and that I still love Deanna more than life itself. And my daughter will always know that.  That's comforting to me. I stressed the importance of choosing a family who she not only gets along with now, but who she could see herself having a strong relationship with 20 years down the road.  I think the relationship between adoptive parents and birthparents is one of the most important factors in the success of the open adoption and the well-being of the adoptee.  I told her about my experience and how we worked out the arrangements for our open adoption. I showed her pictures and I gave her advice on realistic expectations and coping with her decision. We even talked about starting a local birthmother support group afterwards.


Life is funny.  I felt like I had been called to speak to this woman for a reason.  I felt like I had a true connection with her, knowing that we had been in somewhat similar situations.  And I felt like I had helped her tremendously by simply lending a listening ear.  Who knows, maybe that's all she needed.  I think every time I encounter these types of situations I realize even more just how important it is for me to keep spreading the word about open adoption, to keep sharing my story, and to keep on keeping on.

Please keep this woman and her babe in your thoughts prayers and pray that she makes the right decision for her child.  I think the moment a woman is able to realize that her child's well-being is more important than her own, she moves closer to Christ. Adoption is a selfless act of love and a commitment to giving your child more, and I admire this woman for choosing to give her son more than she could provide. 

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11 

In other news, I witnessed Deanna's first bee sting (yes, it was absolutely horrific), I had a great time eating fruit kabobs with Don, De, Deanna & friends at their tailgate, and I took my first ride on a motorized cooler scooter with my roommate, Emily, at the NC State football game Saturday. Great times.

Halloween Pics

Ask Amstel

I received this email today: 

"Thank you for sharing your story.  It touches me to see two families become one.  I am writing to you for hopes of being able to see a situation from the birth mom's point of view.  My husband and I are adopting a baby boy next year.  My childhood best friend's sister became pregnant and is unable to care for the child.  When we initially all sat down we agreed that she would have a few hours with the baby to say good bye.  (We are having an open adoption with her visiting monthly).  Now we have run into a road-block.  She and her mother think that she should have the entire hospital time for her to say goodbye, allowing my husband and I to visit for two hours a day.  My husband and I don't believe that this is enough time.  I came up with what I thought was a middle ground where we could come in every few hours or so for feedings.  But the birthmother does not agree with this.  I understand that she needs time to say goodbye, but my husband and I also need time to say hello and to bond with our son.  Now I know you can't tell me what to do or what the right thing is but I was hoping to hear how your hospital stay time was handled and how you felt it went for you and the adopting parents.  I need some insight on this.  I would think the more time the birth mom spends with our son it may be more difficult for her to let go.  Please HELP!!"

Thank you so much for contacting me.  First of all, congratulations on the adoption!  You all must be so excited.  It's encouraging to know that you are reading about my experience with open adoption. Unfortunately, while open adoption has the potential be incredibly positive for everyone involved, that doesn't mean that there won't be road-blocks along the way.  This is a really tough situation you have described, and I completely understand where both parties are coming from.  The hospital experience will be one of the most difficult and delicate times that you, your husband, and your birthmom will experience throughout the entire open adoption journey.  It's completely normal for the adoptive parents and birthmom to have different ideas of what the hospital experience should be like.  

I had a close relationship from the start with our adoptive parents, Don and De, and while I was originally very protective of "my baby," I began to slowly open up to them after getting to know them better.  After becoming very close with them, I wanted Don and De to be a part of the hospital experience because I wanted to be able to share that with them. But not all birthmothers are alike, of course.  Your birthmom may still be protecting what she believes is hers--her son--and rightfully so.  She may not be willing to open up to you completely because she is still struggling with her decision.  And that's normal!  Remember that any adoption is only a verbal agreement until the papers are signed, and that the birthmother or adoptive parents may change their minds at any time until then.  That being said, I clearly remember a standout remark from Don and De before Deanna was born.  They told me that no matter what decision I made, to keep the baby or to place her with them, they would be so happy for me and they would accept my decision.  That spoke volumes.  Really?  They won't be mad at me if I keep her?  That said alot about their character, and it showed me that they didn't just care about "getting a baby" but they cared about Amy Hutton as a person. I immediately knew that these were the people who I wanted to raise my daughter. 

Have you expressed interest in your birthmother's well-being?  Does she know that you care about her too?  The bottom line is that she may decide after the baby is born that she wants to keep him, but that most likely won't be affected by the amount of alone time she has with him.  In fact, there are some states that allow birthmoms to spend days, even weeks alone with their baby before adoption is finalized.  If anything, she may even realize how difficult it is to take care of him by herself.  I think (and hope) that your birthmom will be very appreciative if you and your husband allow her to have the space and time she is requesting to have alone with her baby in the hospital.  After all, if you don't honor her request, can you really expect her to compromise on other issues you may have?  Will she be able to trust you with her child?  These are all tough questions she may have if you don't show her that you can respect her wishes. 

I think that bonding with the baby is very important for you and your husband, but I also think that honoring your birthmother's wishes is more important.  Remember, you are laying the ground work for a long journey ahead.  It will take compromise, but this will be the first step in figuring out how things will work.  I encourage you to ask birthmom more questions about the hospital.  Is she afraid of anything?  Will you be in allowed in the hospital room during the birth?  Who will cut the cord?  Will you be able to hold him first or will birthmom?  Could you possibly take a hospital tour with birthmom beforehand to ease fears and to become accustomed to the environment?  There are so many other issues that you may be able to compromise on in exchange for giving her time and space.

It's tough to pinpoint an exact solution because each open adoption scenario is different.  I know it will be difficult to have to wait a few days to really bond with your son, but keep in mind the other side of the equation:  Birthmom is probably thinking that while she only has a few days alone with her son, you and your husband have the rest of your lives with him.  No matter how you look at it, the hospital experience will be a time of intense emotions, uncomfortable situations, and endless compromise.  I think it's excellent that you and your husband are preparing for this time and really thinking about how to compromise fairly.

A final suggestion I have is to try and bond with birthmom as much as possible during these next few months.  Have a family dinner together, get to know each others relatives, friends, and people they know.  What do these people have to say about each others character?  Encourage everyone to ask questions about anything and everything under the sun.  No questions should be off limits because the key is getting everything out on the table in order to eliminate fears and to build a solid foundation for your relationship to grow.  And who knows, perhaps she will open up and ask you and your husband to visit more often in the hospital once baby has arrived.  Of course, this is an ideal scenario, but only time will tell.  

I know that this probably isn't what you and your husband wanted to hear, but remember that I'm coming from a birthmother's perspective and I am partial to this side of the equation.  Please don't hesitate to ask me about any other questions or concerns you may have.  I'm happy to help in any way that I can!  Best of luck to everyone involved in your open adoption.  Remember, if you keep your child's well-being at the center of every decision you make, you will have so many positives to look forward to. 

National Right to Life Urgent Request

URGENT Press Release from National Right to Life:

WASHINGTON (UPDATED Nov. 4, 2009) --

Pro-abortion Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Ca.) is planning to try to ram the massive health care bill (H.R. 3962, previously H.R. 3200) through the U.S. House of Representatives this week. The most critical roll call will occur on a procedural vote -- called "the Rule" -- that is expected to occur late on Friday, November 6, or Saturday, November 7.

National Right to Life is urging every pro-life citizen to immediately TELEPHONE the Washington, D.C. office AND the in-district office of his or her representative in the U.S. House of Representatives with a clear and firm message: "I am a constituent, and I urge you to vote NO on the Rule on the health bill, H.R. 3962, because it does not allow the House to vote on the pro-life Stupak Amendment [pronounced STEW-pak]. The so-called pro-life language that Speaker Pelosi has put into the bill is completely phony. We are not fooled. A vote for this Rule is a vote to set up a new nationwide federal health insurance program, called the "public option," that will be authorized to pay for abortion on demand with federal funds. The only pro-life vote is NO on the Rule on H.R. 3962."

Even if you have already called and written your federal representatives about the health care bills, it is critical that you call again now. Pelosi's party currently controls the House by a margin of 256-177 -- but if as few as 40 Democrats are persuaded to vote with Congressman Stupak in opposition to the "closed rule," it would be impossible for Pelosi to ram the abortion-funding H.R. 3962 through the House. Time is short.

To read NRLC's November 2 letter to U.S. House members, explaining in detail the pro-abortion problems with the bill, click here.

TAKE ACTION NOW!

In order to register your opposition to Speaker Pelosi's strong-arm tactic, the "closed rule," that would allow passage of the pro-abortion H.R. 3962, please click the red phone above and then enter your zip code into the "Call Now" box. You will be shown the phone number of the person who represents you in the U.S. House of Representatives, along with specific suggested "talking points" for what you should say to the staff person who answers your call. NOTE: The best times to call the Washington, D.C., office of your representative is generally between 9 AM and 6 PM Eastern Time.

Encourage like-minded friends and family members to also make such calls.
After you enter your zip code, review the short talking points, then make your call. After the call, you will also be given the option of sending a short "feedback" report to National Right to Life by e-mail, telling us what response you received from the congressional staff person. These feedback reports are invaluable to the National Right to Life legislative team as they work day and night against enactment of this pro-abortion legislation. However, don't worry if you don't get an answer to your question - the most important thing is that your representative's staff registers that you want the representative to vote NO on the pro-abortion "Rule" on H.R. 3962, and that you INSIST on adoption of the real pro-life amendment, the Stupak Amendment.

NOTE: If you wish to also fax a letter to your representative in opposition to the "rule" that would allow passage of the pro-abortion H.R. 3962, click here to reach the page that, once you enter your zip code, will lead you to detailed information about your representative in the U.S. House of Representatives, including (in most cases) his or her fax number. Faxed letters are an excellent way to register your opinion. (But do NOT rely on U.S. mail to communicate with your federal representatives, because time is too short.) This link will also give you phone numbers for your representative's in-district offices. For maximum effect, phone your message to the nearest local office, during local business hours, as well as to the Washington, D.C., office of your representative, between the hours of 9 AM and 6 PM Eastern Time. The same page will offer you information on how your representative has voted on the key pro-life issues that have come up in the past.

For further information: Douglas Johnson Legislative Director National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) Washington, D.C. 202-626-8820 Legfederal@aol.com

To contact us by mail: National Right to Life, Inc. 512 10th St., NW Washington, DC 20004-1401 http://www.nrlc.org/ahc http://stoptheabortionagenda.com

I Love

Disney World

Guess who experienced Disney World for the first time last week?
Deanna Marie Dollar! 

Also present:
Deanna's mom and dad--De & Don
Deanna's birthfather--Robbie
Robbie's mom--Mary Beth 
Robbie's sister--Jacqueline
Deanna's birth 2nd-cousin--Caroline
Mary Beth's sister--Aunt Barbara  (Caroline's mom)
Mary Beth's brother-in-law--Uncle Todd (Caroline's dad)
And a whole gaggle of other friends and family.

No, Amstel didn't make the trip this time, it's always nice to see how our families continue to stay connected in each others lives--not because we have to--but because we want to!  

And yes, that's Mary Beth wearing the awesome pirate hat.  Arrrrrrr...

Project Rachel

I'm a bit of a hypochondriac.  Okay, I'm a huge hypochondriac.  There was the time two years ago when I was walking with my friend Natalie, and I felt an unusual bulge on the back of my knee/leg.  I reached down to feel the bulge through my jeans, and I freaked out.  I thought I had an abnormal growth or some sort of tumor.  Turns out, it was just a turquoise thong that had gotten stuck in my pant leg in the wash.  

Then, a few months later, I had an unusually sharp pain in the side of my lower abdomen.  I immediately got on Web MD, went through the "symptom checker" and I realized that my appendix was probably getting ready to burst.  I freaked out again!  I was minutes away from heading to the emergency room, when my friend Emily's mom, who's a pharmacist, suggested that I take a warm shower and see how I felt before taking such drastic measures.  Well wouldn't you know, after the shower I felt like a million bucks. 

Finally, just this past week, I thought something was seriously wrong with me.  I've been incredibly tired lately, and I could not figure out why.  I've been sleeping more than 8 hours a night and napping 1-2 hours after work every day.  I started thinking of all the worst case scenarios.  Maybe I have cancer?  I'm probably Anemic. I have mono. No, I probably got bit by a tick while camping a few months ago!  I definitely have Lyme disease.  As you have probably already conjured, my mind gets slightly carried away (okay, extremely carried away) when my health is involved. Finally, I went to see the doctor, and I had my blood tested.  No anemia.  No Lyme disease. No mono. Slightly elevated thyroid levels, but nothing to be too concerned about.  I worried myself into a tizzy.

During my time of anxiously waiting to get my test results back, I did alot of thinking.  I prayed alot, and I came to the realization that worrying gets nothing accomplished.  Nothing!  Easier said than done, right?  I always talk about trusting in the Lord and knowing that He is always good, but at a times like these when I feel that things are out of my control, I begin to worry, moving myself further away from God.  I'm human though, and I'll be the first to admit that trusting in God is not always easy, and practicing what you preach is not exactly easy either.

Back in November of 2004, I gave a speech to our entire school (for a mock presidential debate) about why abortion is morally, ethically, all of the above, etc. wrong.  Later that same night, I went to my best friend, Jena's house, and took my first pregnancy test.  Positive.  Talk about having to practice what you preach!  No, I wasn't ever considering abortion, but for the first time, I realized how a woman could actually think that abortion was necessary.  When I found out that I was pregnant, I felt trapped.  "But I'll never do it again," I pleaded with God.  It would have been so easy to secretly have an abortion and to continue swimming and just living the good life.  Nobody would have ever had to know. But instead, I realized that I had a moral obligation to give life to the child that God created.  (Jeremiah 1: 4-5 The word of the Lord came to me saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart") 
I knew that I had to practice what I had been preaching all along. That's big stuff for an immature, irresponsible 18-year-old.  But, somehow, I knew that this is what God wanted me to do.

Here's what the Bible says about abortion: 

Jeremiah 31: 15-17
"A cry of anguish is heard in Ramah--mourning and weeping unrestrained.
Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted--for her children are dead."

..But now the Lord says, 
"Do not weep any longer, for I will reward you.
Your children will come back to you from the distant land of the enemy.
There is hope for your future," says the Lord. 
"Your children will come again to their own land."

There are so many other examples of abortion throughout the Bible, but I like this one because it clearly shows how, although the slaughter of innocents is sinful and wrong, the children "will come back...from the distant land" and Rachel is comforted in knowing that her slaughtered children will be saved.  This verse offers HOPE and FORGIVENESS to post-abortive women, and guidance to those who are considering it.  We are all human, and yes, we are sinful by nature, but God tells us that He forgives us for our sins. The children will be saved. Doesn't that offer you great hope?  Yes, God is good!

Project Rachel reaches out to all women and men hurting emotionally and spiritually after involvement with abortion.  This ministry helps heal your wounded relationships with yourself, your child, and God.  Extending God's compassion, unconditional love, and forgiveness, Project Rachel offers hope and peace.
To find the location of the nearest Project Rachel near you, 
click HERE.  

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." Genesis 50:20

Sights and Sounds at the NC State Fair

As I mentioned in my previous post, I volunteered to man the North Carolina Right to Life booth at the NC State Fair yesterday.  What an awesome experience!  Here are some sights and sounds that I observed:

1) Many passerbys were intrigued by our "fetal development" display, which showed four realistic looking fetuses at different stages, (immediately after conception, 4 weeks old, 3 months old, 20 weeks old, etc.)

2) While observing the fetal development display, one woman said to her boyfriend, "I never knew that a human life could be so tiny!" Yes, girlfriend, you got it.

3) Pregnant women walked up to fetal development display and exclaimed excitedly, "I'm this far along!" while pointing to various fetuses.  I could feel their excitement, and that's exciting to me. 

4) Young boy was looking at fetal development display with his mother. Boy says, "Where dey're clothes be, mom? Those babies are naked in there."  Mom can't stop laughing and finally replies, "Babies don't have clothes on, Jamal!"  Boy exclaims, "You mean I wasn't born with no clothes?  That's gross!"

5) Engaging in an interesting discussion with a pro-life family.  The woman proceeded to ask me about which mascara I use, and I told her Maybelline Full 'n Soft.  She pulled out her own mascara and asked me to show her how to apply it properly so as to get her lashes long and curled.  Before I knew it, the pro-life display miraculously turned into a make-up booth.  I showed her how to turn the wand backwards while applying it to her eyelashes, and then I quickly moved on.  Gosh, I love people.

6) Inappropriate man commenting on the bumper sticker that read, "Abortion Causes Breast Cancer."  He suggested that we have a new bumper sticker made that should read, "Stay Pregnant, You're Breasts Will Be Larger."  I told him I would promptly pass that bumper sticker request along to the Right to Life president.

7) More than 10 whole pages of signatures received for the petition to make sure that taxpayer money is not used to fund abortion in any health care bill.  Ahh, success.

8) Morality/Ethics discussion with three male college students.  I liked listening to their points, especially that it should be a woman's right to choose, but I think I forced them to think harder about the issue, by explaining that the Declaration of Independence states that we are guaranteed the rights that are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.  Without the first right, "the right to life," there are no other rights an individual can enjoy. Individuals have rights only to the extent that their rights do not infringe on the rights of others. 

9) For the first hour, I was the only person working our booth.  As I grew more and more parched, I noticed that my booth was near another booth which had a large display of trickling water.  Isn't that so typical? My boyfriend came to the rescue with H2O just in the nick of time.  Then he helped me man the booth.  Yeah, I know, he's awesome. 

10) After 3 hours of work, tired feet, butter pecan ice cream, hamburgers, french fries, a variety of mullets in all shapes and sizes, and carnies galore, we finally got to enjoy the Eric Church concert later that night.  Eric Church had a broken foot, but that certainly didn't stop him from jamming out. He made a grand entrance by crutching onstage and hobbling around.  Priceless.

In light of the State Fair theme, I'm going to leave you with some of my favorite haircut pictures of all time.

NC State Fair Tomorrow

Working the Triangle Right to Life booth at the North Carolina State Fair tomorrow....stop by our booth if you have a chance! 3-6 Sunday afternoon. Hope to see you all there!

Triangle Right to Life Website
Triangle Right to Life Blog

Bloggers Who Have Influenced Me

The Open Adoption Roundtable is a series of occasional writing prompts about open adoption. It's designed to showcase of the diversity of thought and experience in the open adoption community. You don't need to be part of the Open Adoption Bloggers list to participate, or even be in a traditional open adoption. If you're thinking about openness in adoption, you have a place at the table.

Here is Open Adoption Roundtable Writing Prompt #8:
Write about a blogger (or bloggers) who influenced your real-life open adoption and how. It might be someone who became an offline friend who supports and challenges you. Or a writer who makes you uncomfortable, but gets you thinking. Maybe a blogger who doesn't even know you are reading. Tell us about them and how they've affected you.

Okay, this is me now, Amstel, Stellie, The Amster, Amsters, Ames, Amiss, Maxima, Amakiss, what have you.  I decided to jump in on this Open Adoption Roundtable writing prompt because I've enjoyed reading the responses of some of the previous Open Adoption Roundtables.  They definitely make for some great discussion.  Okay, so a blogger who has influenced me....hmmmm.  This one's tough. I can't say that there has been just one blogger who has influenced me.  I am pleasantly surprised by the sheer number of people who are blogging about adoption in general.  Whether it be birthmoms, adoptive parents, adoptees, or families considering adoption, the stories about adoption on the Internet are plentiful (okay, you're right, I just wanted to find a way to use the word plentiful), interesting, and unique.  I have been influenced by every single adoption story that I have read.

I think I have been most influenced, however, by bloggers who have a negative view of adoption.  Bloggers who are opposed to adoption (natural family advocates) have influenced be because I never heard of any person who was opposed to adoption before.  I thought everyone would embrace my decision with open arms and realize that it was in fact a selfless act, not a selfish one.  After reading some comments from natural family advocates, I began to question my own decision.  Am I selfish?  Is Deanna going to hate me forever?  Is she going to have psychological issues, anxiety, depression, etc. as she gets older as a result of the adoption?  When I read more into these natural family advocates' blogs, I have to admit that I actually considered the "what ifs" alot more.  I thought about a worst case scenario of Deanna growing to resent me as she gets older, and I began to wonder if this could turn out to be a real scenario.

Then I turned back to the reason I chose open adoption for Deanna in the first place -- my faith.  Since the beginning of my pregnancy, I have relied on God to help me through this difficult open adoption journey.  "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11.  When I was in the hospital, signing the adoption papers, I made a deal with God.  I told Him that I would follow through with the adoption, as I believe He asked me to do all along, if He could promise that I would not regret my decision.  Ever faithful, He has not let me down.

I am thankful that there are so many different blogs out there about adoption because each one I come across educates me more about the decision I have made.  I love learning other people's perspectives, regardless of whether they are pro-adoption or not.  Each day, I learn something new about adoption, and I love that.  I am so thankful for bloggers with positive adoption stories to share, such as Heart Cries, the story of two Rebekas, Stephanie Jinelle's Journey, Andee Leigh, and The Story of A Girl.  These blogs carry me through when I'm having a tough day.  The Story of A Girl is a huge pick-me-up--because this young woman, who was raped in her own apartment and got pregnant, ultimately chose to carry her baby and place her in an adoption with a wonderful family.  She started Birth Mom Missions in an effort to "provide much needed (and often overlooked) service to women who have placed their child for adoption.  They offer guidance before, after, and during the adoption process to all women who ask, regardless of their choices made."  You can't tell me that's not courageous. 

While I'm definitely influenced by positive adoption stories by bloggers, I have been most influenced by those bloggers who oppose adoption because they have forced me to look deeper into my decision and to really come to terms with the "what ifs."  Make no mistake, these bloggers have not changed my mind about open adoption.  I still believe that open adoption has the potential to benefit so many people, including the adoptee, and I still believe, despite the negative stories, that Deanna will thank both Robbie and I someday for the difficult decision that we made.  The negative comments I receive often force me to think harder about other peoples' perspectives, to become more accepting of all views, and most importantly, to reaffirm my belief that I did the best thing I could for Deanna by choosing open adoption and placing her with Don and De.  There is absolutely no argument I have read that has changed the way I feel about open adoption. 

"Once we give our hearts to Christ, believing and trusting in Him alone for salvation, God says we become part of His family-not through the natural process of human conception, but through adoption.  "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship (adoption).  And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father'" (Romans 8:15). Similarly, bringing a person into a family by means of adoption is done by choice and out of love.  "His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ.  And this gave Him great pleasure" (Ephesians 1:5). As God adopts those who receive Christ as Savior into His spiritual family, so should we all prayerfully consider adopting children into our physical families."
-What does the Bible say about adoption? 

 

AMAZING VIDEO!

Wow, this is crazy--two posts in one day!  But this video that I just saw warrants a second post.

Please watch this video...I know this woman, and she is amazing. 

Pam's testimony on how her Post Abortion Testimony saved the life of a beautiful baby that she now helps to take care of. 

Amen!

Holy Moly, 1 in 8?

Wow, I just read an article titled, "Why are 1 of 8 Girls Pregnant at Robeson High?"  Can you guess what the article's about?  Apparently, 115 of the 800 total females at a Chicago high school are pregnant.  That's astounding.  Officials say that the pregnancies are occurring despite prevention talks. What's going on here?

According to the article, officials say that a mix of factors is to blame.  "It can be a lot of things that are happening in the home or not happening in the home...Absentee fathers are another factor."  According to LaDonna Denson and several Robeson students, "parents not talking to teens and, in some cases, the pursuit of public assistance also factor into the pregnancies. Non of them thought they'd be moms at such a young age. They said they have support at home.  But not all girls do.  In fact, some girls get thrown out of the home."  

I think a positive in this story is that 115 women are not having abortions.  That's wonderful news!  But the problem is that teen pregnancy is a scary thing.  No matter how you choose to deal with an unplanned pregnancy as a teenager, no option will be easy.  Adoption, parenting, abortion.  All three choices have lasting consequences.  Once you get pregnant, there is not an "easy way out." I can't help but wonder what type of "pregnancy prevention" this school is doing?  Are they simply telling kids in health class, "don't have sex, don't do this, don't do that?"  Because I heard the exact same thing, and I didn't believe it would happen to me. I thought that birth control was a safe bet.  Obviously, now we all know that I made a wrong assumption. 

I have begun working on a letter to students, a slide show from my pregnancy, and a brochure about teen pregnancy and open adoption.  I think it would be absolutely amazing to be able to speak to these students at Robeson High School, but at the very least I would be more than happy to send them the teen pregnancy prevention materials in hopes that they would use them to educate students.  I'm not sure what the solution to this problem is, but I do know that if I heard someone like myself speaking about my experience with unplanned pregnancy, I believe that I would have made a different decision five years ago.  I think when a teacher or an adult tells a teenager to do something or not do something, it's easy to simply tune that message out.  When a peer or a young adult shares a personal experience, it is sooo much easier to relate to that. 

On another note, I came across a blog called, "After Abortion."  The more I read personal testimony from post-abortive women, and the more I meet and speak with post-abortive women, the more I believe that "abortion is a reflection that we have not met the needs of women" (Feminists for Life).  I read through some of this blog today, and I realized something that I never thought about before: Post-abortive women are afraid to speak out against abortion because they fear being shunned by both pro-lifers and pro-choicers.  What an excellent point!  When pro-life people bash women who have had abortions, they are only adding salt to the wound.  There is not reason to shun them; after all, don't we all make mistakes?  Redemption.  Post-abortive women are the people who have so much power because they have personal testimony about the lasting emotional, psychological, traumatic effects of abortion.  For example, Annie's Story, Pamela's Story, and Deanna's Story all share their personal accounts of how abortion has impacted their lives.  How wonderful it is that these women have had the courage to share their stories and to tell the truth about abortion.  

Deanna says that her blog "is a vehicle to express my opinions on choice as a woman who has been on both sides and now sees no other way but to recognize that LIFE is immediate and not to be discriminated against due to how early his/her development is. Life is a gift from God and His to give or take, not ours.....We do believe that God forgives and offers a momentum to post-abortive women to healing.  It is a process and different for each woman but my hopes are to make sure that if women don't feel they can ever tell another soul about their abortion experience, then at least they can view these videos and posts and identify with my experience knowing that they are not alone and that healing is theirs for the taking as well."

I think it's time that we stop shunning people for their mistakes, actions, sins, etc.  We are all sinners, we are all human beings, and we are all subject to temptation and sin.  We have no authority to judge others, to shun, or to criticize.  Let's leave the judgment up to God, and let's concentrate on working together to protect the innocent human life that He created. 

And now, I'd like to leave you with a stupendous video that I made with the help of Julia & Mary Beth Leonard to help you all prepare for the North Carolina State Fair this year:

Funny Thankfuls at the NC State Fair

Enjoy!

Public Speaking, Educating & Such

Last night, I had the amazing opportunity to speak with a group of adults in the Stephen Ministry Continuing Education Program at Grace Community Church in North Raleigh.  Stephen Ministry is a program that equips lay persons to provide distinctly Christian care to individuals who are experiencing all kinds of life needs and circumstances. Stephen Ministers are a group of gifted and dedicated volunteers whose mission is to provide personal, confidential, and caring support for a wide variety of concerns.  

I always get nervous before I speak to a group of people about open adoption.  I'm not sure why, but I'm always afraid that I'll blank out and forget the rest of the story.  I have this incredible fear that I'll be talking and suddenly I won't be able to remember what happened next.  It's silly, since I actually lived my experience, but nonetheless, something that makes me really nervous and anxious. 

I've learned that prayer has an amazing power to calm fears.  I prayed yesterday that God would help me to find the exact words to say to get the point across about open adoption--and He did!  The Lord has shown me time and time again that He is always good and that He is in always control.  I can only leave it up to Him to guide me in educating others about open adoption.  Blogging is easy for me.  I just isolate myself with a computer and a cup of coffee and words just start coming out.  Public speaking is different because all eyes are on you, and you have to speak about your sins and mistakes to a group of complete strangers.  "Hi guys, I got pregnant out of wedlock five years ago" isn't really the best way to start a speech.  Although it would be pretty funny if I did.  Last night was the first time that I feel as if my story flowed logically and naturally.  I wasn't nervous after I began, and the audience was intrigued and very interested.  I got lots of great questions and I even remembered to bring my gigantic book of pictures from the day Deanna was born up until present day Deanna Dollar.  I felt the presence of the Lord, and it was awesome.

I really enjoy speaking to people in a small, intimate setting like the high school class at Broughton and the adults at Stephen Ministry.  I like to simply sit in a chair, surrounded by my audience, and just speak from the heart.  I run into trouble when I'm given a microphone and a large audience that expects me to stand up.  A few weeks ago, I was asked to give a personal testimony about my experience with open adoption after a pro-life play in Cary.  I stood up with the microphone and looked out at a sea of about 200 faces staring at me.  Yikes!  Let me go home now!  Have you ever had a word vomit?  You know, when words just start coming out and you can't stop them?  That's what happened to me.  I can't remember exactly what I said, but I remember feeling very faint and light-headed.  What I actually said was probably somewhere along the lines of, "I..errrr...uuuuhhh, hhhh...hhhhh...hhhhheeeelllo. Welcome welcome welcome welcome!" I do remember that I forgot to mention what Robbie and I are doing now, the fact that I have started a birthmom blog, and some pretty major details of our story. I think the audience got the point, but this whole personal testimony thing has just been a huge learning experience for me.  I'm still learning how to let go of my fears and to stop worrying about making everything perfect.  Yes, I'm still a recovering perfectionist.

I'm thinking of starting a program for high school students to educate them about the consequences of teen sex.  I loved the class of high school students I spoke to at Broughton, and it has really inspired me to think of new ways to reach out to young people.  I want it to be different than just standing up and telling my story, though.  I want it to be unique, memorable, and more than someone coming to tell students, "don't do this!"  A video would be awesome, but I'd need some help. 
Anyone have any good ideas? 

Pictures from the State game this weekend:

You've gotta love the Family Circus classics...