All About Andrew

I wonder if this day twenty years ago was snowy or mild? Was it below zero with a scary ride to the hospital, or was it an easy and exciting trip? Today is not only blustery,cold and gray, but finally we awakened to SNOW on the ground, and schools were closed across the region because of the ice predicted to follow later today.

Did Andy's birthmom dread the 'all-too-quickly-happening' hello and good bye of her son? I wonder if she knew before the delivery day if he was a boy or did she just keep it a surprise? Who knew this baby before he became my own? Now that I am a Grammy, I even wonder if his birth Grammy knew him for a moment in time and holds that memory close to her heart? How many times have I tried to imagine their state of mind as together they made the decision to relinquish the raising of a son to another unknown family? Wow. This is a very difficult imaginary/real life scenario!

Simultaneously in another part of Cincinnati, Ohio our family was growing and loving and thriving in a new location. Dad had recently taken a new job, Mom[yes, me] was busily loving every minute of child-rearing and homemaking. We had adopted son Joshua 2 years prior who was added to our birth children to make an even half dozen kids. Since Josh was African-American, we were Hispanic, Latin American,so we decided to continue the blending a bit more and went to our local Children's Home for an interview. I will never forget that they excitedly asked us if we would MIND taking another healthy black son? We had been so blessed with healthy children thus far that we thought perhaps it wasn't fair to even ask for a baby, but rather an older son. What a surprising twist of events.

In a matter of days the magical phone call came. Some siblings were playing and some were attending school, and Dad was at the doctor with an earache, I was doing my Mom things. Two lives were about to intersect, two worlds combining for a moment, two cultures and races united for a single cause. We both desired one baby boy to reach adulthood in a loving environment with as many advantages as humanly possible stacked in his favor.This baby boy, whom we named Andrew, arrived at our home when he was exactly two months old,tiny and dear, cuddly and sweet.

Andrew is twenty years old today, not so tiny anymore, but wonderfully dear. Still cuddly and always sweet, he is by far the best of both worlds that joined forces with love and sacrifice and selflessness to grow him up. Andy is the baby in the family , trying to become the adult son, while continually struggling with sisters and brothers who insist on telling him what is best for him in order to spare him of any more pain than neccessary. He has a smile that will win over even the grumpiest person, and he genuinely loves people. People love him,too. He is a faithful friend, a fantastic son and a terrific brother. There has not been a single day that my heart has not filled with total gratitude to God for allowing me to be part of Andrew's growth plan! What a privilege and delightful way to end the active job of parenting I signed on for 35 years ago!

My hope and prayer today is for Andrew's birthmom to be at peace with her loving decision made those twenty years ago. I hope she will someday know this man child of ours, and understand that in both of our lives there was One who guided the choices to produce the outcome that He alone intended to happen. I, for one, am glad He did, because my life is much richer as a result of loving and knowing Andrew.

Happy Birthday son.I love you.
Mom