Baby Blessings

John Travolta and Kelly Preston are Hollywood's elite. Everyone knows them, but they are just like everyone else. They experience the same joys and sorrows as everyday people. Last year, we were all saddened by the loss of their 16-year old son, Jett, after a particularly severe seizure in which he struck his head and was killed. It was revealed that he had medical issues including autism. John and Kelly were extremely close with their son, as they are with daughter, Ella. Last week, they suffered another family tragedy. Their two beloved dogs were struck and killed by a vehicle on a tarmac while waiting to board a plane. They were leashed and had no where to run. Amidst all of this tragedy, a ray of hope. The couple announced Tuesday that Kelly, now age 47, is pregnant. They have had their share of heartache and they deserve a blessing in their lives. Congratulations John and Kelly.

Happy New Year!

Today is the last day of 2008. It's a time for reflection and renewal. It's been a year of joy and also sadness. Perhaps that is true of any year. I stumbled upon a quote that I found relevant when reflecting.

"They whom we love and lose are no longer where they were before. They are now...wherever we are."

I wish everyone a peaceful and prosperous new year. I hope you will join me in praying for peace and also for the well-being of those who are helpless -- babies, animals, the elderly, and the disabled. Please pray for our soldiers, officers, and firemen, who protect us even as we sleep. Blessings and love are wished for each of you and I hold all of you in my heart. Happy New Year 2009! I challenge you to pay it forward and do good things.

The Christmas Spirit

When it gets close to the holidays, I love opening my mail. It's not the usual junk mail and bills. The holiday cards start arriving and, with them, the pictures of our babies and children, with news of their year. It's the highlight of my day when I get to sit down and read over all of the cards. Today, I opened my mail and, as usual, posted all of the pictures of families and the children and cards on a wooden cabinet in the main hallway of our office where everyone can see them. As I got to the last envelope, I was disheartened by what I found myself reading.

Suzi and Jeff adopted Katie 11 years ago. When they decided to adopt again, along came Jillian, now a spunky 7 year old. Their family complete, they settled into what should have been an idyllic life. Then Jeff got sick. This year, the cancer that made Jeff so ill took his life, leaving Suzi to raise the girls by herself. To go through life, chapter by chapter, sharing the pain, the joy, the heartaches and the triumphs, only to be unable to finish the book is profoundly unfair. But, life isn't fair. Katie and Jillian are learning this at a tender age. This will be their first Christmas without their father there to put together toys or eat the cookies left for Santa.

Unfortunately, many of us have experienced losses that cause us to understand how precious life is. It's not a club that anyone wants to be in and, yet, only those who are in it truly understand. Suzi, I am supremely saddened by your loss and I pray that you, Katie, and Jillian will heal and receive blessings beyond whatever you thought possible after such a difficult time in your life. The holidays can be a tough time, especially so soon after you've lost someone you love. You will continue to see Jeff in each one of the girls as they grow.

Jeff, just like Suzi, wanted to be a parent and worked hard to achieve that goal. He had to leave too soon to see his girls learn to drive, go on a first date, or walk them down the aisle. But I am certain that he is watching them every step of the way and cheering every accomplishment from the sidelines. I'm sure he would say he is so proud of Suzi and his girls. I'm sure he would say we should all cherish our loved ones and never take them for granted. We should love one another and spread the Christmas spirit all year long. That's really what Christmas is all about. Rest in peace, Jeff.

Welcome Alec and the New Year!

It seems I have barely gotten used to writing "2008" and it's already December! We'll be writing "2009" before we know it. I am amazed at how quickly the year has passed. It's been quite a year. We've had good times and bad times. The economy seems to be at an all time low -- at least within our lifetime. And yet, life goes on, the cycle is unbroken. Loved ones pass away, people who are important to us vanish from our lives, and new babies are born. Our lives change and time marches on. Sometimes we look back and it's hard to believe it's just been a year because the landscape of our lives is so different than it once was. We find ourselves at crossroads where decisions are made to take one fork of the road or the other (we can go down radically different paths). Either way, we don't stay in the same place. Hopefully we end up in a better place for the decisions we've made. I am looking forward to 2009. I believe it will be a very good year for all of us. The economy will likely get better (could it really get worse?), and at A Labor of Love we have some plans to expand our footprints on the adoption world. It's been a generally slow year for adoptions, pretty much everywhere as far as I can tell. Some major adoption agencies have closed their doors. We're still here! For this, we are thankful. And every day brings new promise and more opportunity. This past week, we have been able to reflect on what we are thankful for. I am thankful for my clients, my friends, our birth mothers, and the ability to do the amazing work I have been fortunate enough to fall into. It's not always easy and it can be highly emotionally charged, but more often than not, we see miracles in the making. I see God's hand in my work every day, without fail. I know that I am blessed by being able to help (in some small way) to build families. In fact, I want to wish Alec Braden Summa a happy birthday! Alec was born here in California on 11-26-08, at 8 lbs., 6 oz. Since he was born on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, he was released from the hospital on Friday, the day after. His birth mother promptly went home on Friday, and on Saturday - three days after giving birth - cooked a Thanksgiving Dinner for her family and the adoptive family of little Alec. What a gift she gave -- and she just kept on giving. That's really a shining example of what Thanksgiving is all about. She was giving thanks to the adoptive family and they were giving thanks to her -- all were thankful for the birth of little Alec. He couldn't be more loved. He couldn't be more wanted. Everyone is blessed. That's what I mean about seeing God's hand in our work. Thanks, God! We're all grateful for your most recent miracle.