How old is Emma today?

Lilypie1st Birthday Ticker

My thoughts on Dateline

Many of you watched the Dateline special that was on last Sunday. We had many phone calls and people very thankful that Emma is home. We are so very thankful too. I am happy to see people who are doing wrong things in Guatemala are being held accountable. My heart breaks for the families that were affected by people and agencies who are not ethical.

There ARE good stories that come out of this process. Not everyone child is the product of something corrupt. There are birthmother who are just in a very difficult place in their lives and are unable to care for their child. They do not all "produce" baby after baby to "sell". Lawyers do not go and "steal" "trick" or "buy" all the babies they place. Does it sometimes happen???....I cannot say it does or does not but I think the media likes to focus on all the bad and looks right past the good. I have faith in our agency and in our lawyer. I do believe Emma's mom was in a tough situation and made the best decision she could for herself and her baby. She was present at a DNA test in June where she had to sign again and swear that she was making this choice because she was unable to parent this amazing little girl, she had to hold Emma for a DNA lab photo. (We have the picture and are not showing it to anyone until Emma is older and sees it first. We want her to be in charge of it because it is her story...her mommy...her choice who she wants to show and when.) She had to swear and sign off 4 times. She had to be present---so I do NOT believe for a second that Emma's mom did not want this process to happen.

Until you visit Guatemala you truly cannot imagine the condition of the people there who have NOTHING. It is so sad. There are little children standing by the road who look dusty from the traffic, hungry and tired. There are children you see working in the fields in the hot sun carrying carrots or other foods on their backs up a hill to the make shift "family store." There is no means for medical care for the people who cannot afford it. It is a horribly sad situation. But there are people there who have amazing spirits, are proud of their beautiful country, and are longing for better times to come.
Here is a link to more of what I would have liked to see on Dateline.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/22721799#22721799

Emma has been feeling the greatest the last two days. She is trying to adjust to Ohio weather---just like we all are. Alergies are HORRIBLE here...even when it snows! Here are two pictures of our HAPPY SLEEPING little girl!

2 comments:

Shelia said...

I saw the story on Dateline as well. My heart goes out to the families that had questionable agencies, lawyers, etc. So many people in our country and in other countries simply can not raise a child. We should all be thankful for loving, caring mothers who think beyond their own self needs and look at what is best for the child...as Emma's birth mother was able to do. I commend her for making such a huge decision to allow her daughter the opportunity to have a better future. We are blessed to have her in our lives. As you can see when she sleeps she is a little angel...our little angel to love forever. I love you baby Emma.

Katie said...

Love those pics -- so precious !!