HAPPY BIRTH MOTHER'S DAY

Tomorrow is Birth Mother's Day. It is traditionally the Sunday before Mother's Day. It is the week before Mother's Day because birth mothers are "the first mother". I would like to pay tribute to the wonderful birth mother in my life. Almost 8 years ago we had the opportunity to meet a wonderful and very, very special young woman who had a very hard decision to make. She was a beautiful, spunky and strong girl of 19 who found herself pregnant with twins and was not married. She had strong ideals and wanted the best for her children. She wanted them to have two parents and to have them sealed in the temple as soon as legally possible.

Although this was the hardest thing that she has ever done in her life her decision has blessed our lives every single day for the past 8 years. I love Ginger so much that I cannot even describe it. I feel blessed to know her and I love seeing the twins show little sparks of her personality, especially Hannah! It warms my heart to the core when I see Hannah do something that I am quite positive Ginger had done at that age. Many years ago Ginger also sensed that Hannah would be a lot like her and actually gave me some advice on raising her and handling certain situations. I never forgot this advice and it will help me raise my little spunky monkey.

I am also thankful that Seth and Hannah know and understand who Ginger is and love her. I remember when they were able to meet with her for the first time since they somewhat understood things. They were about 2 at the time and all they cared about was that they had to make her a gingerbread girl. So we did.

Shortly after the twins were born I was very upset by someone's very insensitive comment at a baby shower, i.e., "How could that mother have given away these beautiful twins?" I was immediatley incensed. "What???!" Do you think this was what she wanted to do? A birth mother never gives up her children because she doesn't want to care for them; she does it only because she loves them and wants the best for them. Placing a child for adoption is never the easy choice; it is the hard choice. It would be easy to keep the baby and make it all work out and not have to go through such a tramatic event. But a wonerful girl like Ginger and all other "birth mothers" out there had the strength to go through the hardest trial of their lives and I believe that they will be infinitely blessed by the Lord for such a selfless and courageous act.

I know another birth mother; Janel, my nephew's birth mother. I had the wonderful opportunity to know this amazing young woman through her pregnancy and be there when she told my sister that she had chosen her to adopt her son. I was able to witness first-hand the love and devotion that this birth mother had as well and I also love her very much.

Likewise, I was able to be with Ginger through some very hard times and get to know her on a deep and spiritual level. Over the years we have let more and more time pass between visits; it has been a natural progression to let her move froward with raising her own family and to make sure Seth and Hannah are in a good place as far as their relationshp with her. Recently we had the opportunity to have a little chat on the phone about a hereditary heart condition that was a concern and we chatted on the phone forever like old friends. It was so much fun. I love this girl as much as any member of my immediate family.

I sent her so many pictures that first year to help us all heal emotionally and she in turn actually made them into two wonderful scrapbooks for Seth and Hannah. What a wonderful and selfless act. She made quilts for them before they were born and they have other special memorabilia from her as well. She loves them still and will always have a very special place for them in her heart, even though she is now married in the temple (to a wonderful man) and has three children.

In case you have never had the opportunity to know a birth mother firsthand, think about all of them tomorrow. There is not a more selfless person on the earth than a birth mother and I thank the Lord for these angels on earth.