{Straight From the Heart} *2 Moms - One Heart* 1/26/00
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It is with great pleasure that I get to introduce another writer who
has joined the list! If you enjoy Kathryn's story below, please take
a moment and let her know.
A great big thank you to Kathryn for sharing her writing with all of
us here at Straight From the Heart!
Michael
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2 Mom's - One Heart
by Kathryn Lay
We had waited 7 months for that call from our caseworker. We had
ultimately waited ten years to hold a child in our arms and take on
the role of parents. Then, just three days before Thanksgiving, the
phone rang and changed our lives forever.
"There's something you've been praying for, isn't there?" she asked.
The phone shook in my hand. "Yes," I finally gasped.
"Well, I have a wonderful Christmas present for you," she said.
"Are you ready to meet your daughter?"
I sat on the floor, figuring it would be better to sit than to fall.
"Oh yes."
I called my husband and laughed when he yelled into the phone. "Cool
it, Dad," I said. "We've got to set examples now."
Within a week, we were sitting in the livingroom of our 9 month old
daughter's foster parents. Nothing could have prepared me for the
way I felt when my daughter crawled into my lap. Gayla Michelle.
How perfect. My husband and I had chosen the name Micheal or Michelle
for our first child over ten years ago. I hoped she could get used to
the name change.
"She's beautiful," I said.
Her foster mother smiled, the way I'd seen so many mother's smile in
pride. "Yes, and she's very smart."
Her smile froze and I saw her expression change. She stood quickly.
"I've got a box of things you might want to take. Some of her clothes
and a few toys and things.
I followed her into the nursery, imagining how our daughter would feel
about her new room. Yellow and white, my favorite carousel pictures
and figurines decorating the room. Would she love us? Would she be
afraid for a while? I wanted to cry and turned to Tammy and saw that
she was crying.
"I guess this pretty hard," I said. "You've had Michelle since she
left the hospital."
She nodded. "She's like my own daughter."
We stood at the door of the nursery, sizing one another up. Did she
resent me? Had she hoped for more time with the little girl who showed
off for my husband in the livingroom.
Inside the nursery, I carefully looked at my daughter's belongings that
would come home with us. A few clothes, a couple of toys, one stuffed
dog. And three carousel decorations.
"Her nursery is done in carousels," I whispered.
"Really?" Tammy said. "Michelle will feel at home."
"Michelle? I thought her name is Gayla?"
"It is," she said. "But my children couldn't say Gayla very well.
We've always called her Michelle."
I explained how we'd planned to name our first daughter Michelle.
Tammy smiled again. She grabbed my hand. "You'll really love her,
won't you?"
"More than my own life," I promised.
"I have her baby book, and some pictures," Tammy said.
My daughter's first days had been traumatic in the life of her
birthmother. But in reality, Michelle's first nine months had been
blessed. She had the love of three mothers. One who gave her life.
Another who gave her a home. And the third, me, who would give her a
mother's love and dedication. And a tiny girl united two women's
hearts in a special bond of motherhood, not limited by pregnancy and
childbirth, instead, with endless boundaries.
Kathryn Lay
rlay15@aol.com
Send Kathryn an email and let her know what you thought about her story!
A little bit about Kathryn:
Kathryn Lay lives with her husband of 20 years and her 9 year old
daughter. She has had over 350 stories and articles published and
has contributed to anthologies, CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE MOTHER'S SOUL,
STORIES FOR THE FAMILY'S HEART, STORIES FOR THE MOM'S HEART, THE
WRITER'S HANDBOOK, CHOCOLATE FOR A WOMAN'S SPIRIT II, and A GLORY OF
UNICORNS. She can be reached at rlay15@aol.com.
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REQUEST:
From: juliette@inetnebr.com (Liz Kilpatrick)
Dear friends,
Just got a message from Kelly.
She said her mom doesn't even talk anymore....just mumbles and no one
can understand her.
They are giving her a few DAYS more to live.
I had no idea it was going that fast.
I knew it was fast but....this is such a blow to me!
Anyway... Kelly says the stress level is very high there and they need
all the prayers that they can get.
I am so sad to pass this terrible news on to you folks....just keep
praying for Kathy and for her dear family.
Thanks for all you have done these past months.
Liz :)
REQUEST:
If anyone on this list has any ideas to help Julie out after reading the
following request, please email her and let her know. Her husband
Mark is the founder of Incredible People magazine (IncrediblePeople.com)
and has been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease. Both Julie and
Mark are extraordinary people, and any help you can send her way would
be most appreciated! Please remember to pray for their situation also.
Michael
P.S. I will be sharing some of Mark's writing in the near future!
From: jareiman@gte.net (Julie Reiman)
Hello Friends and Family,
I am writing to you in hopes you can brainstorm with me. I have
decided to take a leave of absence from Group Health starting sometime
in February. The reason for this is I want to be able to spend more
time with Mark. He does ok at home, but does need help with activities
of daily living......dressing, bathing, food preparation....I want to
be the one who is there for him.
Do you know of any work at home opportunities? I am not a salesperson, so
selling tupperware is not in my future. My experience and skills center
around computer, typing, customer service, and medical. I am leaning
towards some internet billing/medical transcription type of work....but I
don't know what is out there.
Soooooo....I am picking your brains. If you know of anything or have any
ideas I would love to hear from you.
Thanks as always for your love and support.....
xxoo
Jules
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Thought For The Day:
"An atheist is a man who has no invisible means of support."
(John Buchan)
Verse for the Day:
"The fool has said in his heart, there is no God."
Psalm 53:1
Kid's Thought For The day:
"Don't pull dad's finger when he tells you to."
Parent's Thought For The Day
"God sends children for another purpose than merely to keep up the race -
to enlarge our hearts, to make us unselfish, and full of kindly
sympathies and affection."
Coach's Thought For The Day
"The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken
places."
(Ernest Hemmingway)
Deep Thought For The Day:
"Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined."
_
/_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\ / THUNDER27@aol.com http://members.aol.com/Thunder27/index.html
/_/ \ "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
\_\/\ \ Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live for the Son
\_\/ of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20
"I thought of you first after my family sat down to watch the video
we gave them. They loved it, to say the least! Within thirty
seconds my mom was crying and my dad did too. They said it was
the best Christmas gift we could have given them!! You did such
a beautiful job! They were so suprised and so touched---they
really, really, really loved it. Thanks for helping to make it so
special to us all. My mom mentioned how the songs were perfect for
the video too! Thanks again!"
Kelli (RKaGe@aol.com) College Station, TX
Let me make you a video from your pictures or home movies!
Check out the web page for Michael's video production business!
Video Imagery
http://members.aol.com/Videoimg/index.html