Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: Guppy35 on January 13, 2010, 10:40:01 PM
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Well Elmo anyway :)
Matthew Johnson, adoption finalized 12/14/09.
Note he's only got one of three engines turning too! A chip off the old 38 parts distributor!
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s199/guppy35/Matthewflies.jpg)
His aim with a spoon is about as good as mine in a cartoon 38
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s199/guppy35/MatthwFood.jpg)
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Congratulations! :aok
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Cute kid, congrats man!
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Congrats Dan, but his plane has all the parts!
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Great pics, brought a smile to my face!
His aim with the spoon looks to be on par with my aim in the game......in the general area, but not quite on targer! :D
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a new wingy :banana:
grats btw :aok
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Congrats! :aok
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Congrats Dan, but his plane has all the parts!
Wait til Dan gets up to take a leak at 3 a.m. and it's left in the hallway in the dark... it'll lose some parts lol
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Wait til Dan gets up to take a leak at 3 a.m. and it's left in the hallway in the dark... it'll lose some parts lol
:rofl :rofl Beat me to it.
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Well Elmo anyway :)
Matthew Johnson, adoption finalized 12/14/09.
Note he's only got one of three engines turning too! A chip off the old 38 parts distributor!
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s199/guppy35/Matthewflies.jpg)
His aim with a spoon is about as good as mine in a cartoon 38
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s199/guppy35/MatthwFood.jpg)
Congrats :aok very cute pics, but in the last pick he eats far better then the muppets. :D :bolt:
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Man that is great. Glad to see a young boy with a nice future ahead of him there...looks like he is gonna be hell on wheels though with those eyes in that last photo.
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It only gets better to. Daddy what are you doing. What does that button do. Look how that handle moves. Big Hug in the middle of a furball. Fathers face turns red. Yep maybe now I have a chance. Caddie don't touch that. Damn there goes my bombs again.
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Nice thread, it rocked me back in my chair lol.
Congrats to you and the family Dan.
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:rofl
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Congrats Dan. :aok
Looks like the little guy has more parts on his plane than you usually do on yours. I'm sure years of your personal training will remedy that. :D
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Congratulations! I haven't had the pleasure of meeting you in the game but you sir have made the greatest difference someone can make in another persons life...to become the parent of someone that needed it most.
I :salute you and your family for making that difference and we should all aspire to do the same.
V/r
Changeup (who can speak 1st handhand about about what your son will think of you when he's 44 years old...you will be his hero)
PS - Catching your son flying with the Muppets must have been like my father catching my sister trying to score backstage passes to Motley Crue!! DOH!!!
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Nice...that boy has mischief written all over that face...congrats and good old Kiwi....swweeeeeeeet mate....... nothing beats family.......Beautiful post.... :cheers: Guppy and family
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My first thought was grounding! :lol Hey congrats Guppy!! Gives me faith in the world.
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Congrats on the new addition. Even if he is hanging out with a bad crowd. :bolt:
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:rofl
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LOL. Good looking kid Dan congrats :salute I see he fly the same plane as SkyRock :devil
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WTG Nice Landing,I see some day he will start sinking CV`s
(http://1.1.1.1/bmi/1.bp.blogspot.com/_OL3uYkaw1P0/SNqJ4wZ5c7I/AAAAAAAABTg/3jaMI9DGGaM/s400/1222281178762.jpg)
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What a awesome way to start the new year off Dan! Just don't let those thugs in the 80th around him and he'll be ok :lol :salute
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Adopted one day after my birthday. Grats! :aok
Prior cleft palate?
PS: I wouldnt let him hang around those puppet types... sets a bad example far, faaaaar too early.
(Well take him when he reaches the age of seven; at which point his maturity level will be on par with ours.)
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Congratulations on the addition to your family! :aok
As far as flying with the Muppets.... :uhoh
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Thanks for a big morning smile. Every day should start that way.
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awwwwww congrats! hes a lil cutie! how old is he?
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The story of this young man and how he was found by simply walking through the wrong door is what miracles are made of. Dan's wife set things in motion as soon as she could contact him at home to confer on what they could do.
The miracle worked both ways too..... they needed him as much as he needed them.
God Bless Them All.
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The story of this young man and how he was found by simply walking through the wrong door is what miracles are made of. Dan's wife set things in motion as soon as she could contact him at home to confer on what they could do.
The miracle worked both ways too..... they needed him as much as he needed them.
I'd love to hear the story.
Congrats, Dan. :salute
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grats to you and yours Dan :)
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Great to hear Dan. :aok
Most the muppets are really OK,just stay away from the cookie monster.......... :devil
:salute
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OMG what a cute kid, congrats dan
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Thanks for all the kind words. I'm very proud of Matthew and look for any chance to show him off :)
As for the story. For those that have heard it, my apologies for boring you again. I'll try and keep it short But I do like to brag about my wife too :)
After we lost our son and daughter in the car wreck in August 2005 it became very tough to be anywhere near home in August. We managed to be away the next two years. In 2008 I couldn't plan anything due to work obligations. My wife went looking for something she could do during that time. She is a nurse with both ER and Labor & Delivery experience. She volunteered for a mission trip to Liberia for the month of August 2008. She figured since Liberia was just out of 16 years of civil war, they would have some understanding of grief, and it seemed a good place to try and help.
So she ended up at a little hospital in the middle of nowhere, called Phebe. Not a hospital to our standards as it had no running water, limited time for electricity, no food, little medication etc. But she was able to teach nursing while working alongside the other staff at Phebe. She saw lots of bad things there but also was able to literally save some lives. On August 20th, which also was our anniversary she took care of a young mother who had brought in her baby. The little boy had a bilateral cleft lip and pallet. The mother was not able to breast feed the baby. Cathy helped her express milk and got her to use it to get some food into the little one. There was no formula at the hospital so it was up to the family. Cathy then admitted them to the pediatric unit. The little boy was 4 days old.
On the 25th of August Cathy went to work in Labor and Delivery. Again not like we know it, but a place where the most difficult births are handled. Infant mortality in Liberia is about 1 in 5. She helped the midwife on four births, of which 2 kids died and one mother. Cathy also saw that the little boy and mom were still there.
On the 26th she came back to L&D and happened to look into the closet that was used as the Peds ICU. The little boy was still there but the mom was gone. The boy was being fed sugar water through a tube in his nose. The tube was covered with ants and the little guy was soaked up to his neck in urine. When she asked what had happened, she was told the father had come and told the mother that it was really not their baby. The village elders had told them an evil spirit had switched the baby at 3 months. This explained the birth defects. Tradition in that case had the baby then being placed in a tree for the animals to eat or buried alive to kill the evil spirit. The nurses had talked the mom out of this but they had fled leaving the little guy behind. The nurses were using the sugar water to keep his tummy died until he died.
In typical of my wife fashion, she said "I want him." They looked at her like she was nuts, Why would she want such an ugly baby. She couldn't explain it, but she just did. She fell in love with him in a heartbeat.
Meanwhile our hero is back in Minnesota sitting on his backside wondering how he's going to get through August 28th which is the anniversary of the kids dying. In general I was feeling quite sorry for myself. Cathy has no phone to call, just intermittent e-mail. On the 27th I get an e-mail saying she is having a hard time writing with a baby in her arms. She explains that this little guy has gotten into her heart and asking what we should do.
Our hero sitting on his duff reading his e-mail while the Mrs. is working her tail off, replies, bring him home, that's our son. We couldn't save our two kids but we can save this one and give him a chance and give us a purpose again.
Easier said then done, but after all kinds of haggling with Liberian police & courts, homeland security, USCIS etc, we finally got Matthew into the US on a Humanitarian parole on September 11, 2008, which was also the birthday of our daughter Christina who had died in the accident. Matthew went right into the hospital where he spent the next two weeks. Since then he's had surgery seven times to correct his lip and pallet, his stomach and to put in cochlear implants as it turned out Matthew is deaf as well. It took about 16 months but we finally got the US adoption finalized on December 24, 2009 so he's officially ours. But he was ours from the second Cathy saw him that day. He's a great little guy and as Shuff said, as much as we might have 'saved' him, he certainly 'saved' Cathy and I.
Yeah I like to brag about my little guy and my best girl :)
Matthew when Cathy first found him and got him cleaned up a bit.
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s199/guppy35/_CAT7976b.jpg)
Mathew now
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s199/guppy35/Matthew2-1.jpg)
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It's great to hear this story again Dan. Words can't express what you and your wife have given little Matthew and what he has given you. I'm glad to see he's recovering well from the surgeries and looks like he's going to be a handful. Oh and great name too :rock :rock :rock, be sure to tell him that it's Hebrew meaning is gift of the Lord, kinda fitting for the little guy.
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Congrats and well done Guppy! :)
A few more people like you and your missus and the world would be a much better place. :)
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I've never heard the story, Dan. Profoundly touching. There is nothing that can be said that would do such a story justice. I'm looking forward to future updates so we can enjoy watching him grow with you.
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I've never heard the story, Dan. Profoundly touching. There is nothing that can be said that would do such a story justice. I'm looking forward to future updates so we can enjoy watching him grow with you.
Same here first time read, after wiping the tears away im truely touched, and at a loss for words. <S> Dan
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Quite obviously a young man of taste and refinement .
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Quite obviously a young man of taste and refinement .
Heyyyyy... hope things are going your way bud!!
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wtg corky! cool kid!, my half bro had a cleft palate too at birth, hospitals fixed him up good hardly noticeable anymore when he got a little older. maybe someday ur boy will be a NBA or NFL star! god bless ur wife for having a heart to take him in her arms. <S>!
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What is his call sign?
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I didn't know about any of that Dan. Wow is all I can say. It's strange how redemption can come to you from the strangest places. I hope he's a joy to you and your wife for the rest of your lives.
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What is his call sign?
I'd say either "Lucky" or "Blessed1".
Hmmm maybe we should all make suggestions. Dan and his Better Half can print them out, select their favorites, then let young Matt pick one out. :D
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Wow is all I can say. Thanks for sharing and for caring.
Best to you and family.
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Guppy, I cannot imagine what grief you and the Mrs. have suffered. My heart is so heavy. I just ache for you.
What you and the Mrs. have done will forever vault you to my highest respect and the respect all, I am sure.
Bless you!
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Amazing story. Funny how good can come from bad for good people. :salute to you and the missus.
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I am choked up and thankful for folks like you. I am sorry for your loss, but extremely joyful that you 3 connected. What a story, and thank you for sharing. All the best to you, mom, and the little 38 driver! :)
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I'd say either "Lucky" or "Blessed1".
Hmmm maybe we should all make suggestions. Dan and his Better Half can print them out, select their favorites, then let young Matt pick one out. :D
I like "Blessed1" :aok
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Congratulations. :aok
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wow what a story......
I have been blessed with many children and to hear that you lost two, I grieve for you, but at the same time I am happy that you have a new little one to take care of :salute
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Congrats Guppy. Thanks for sharing the story again.
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Well........He is flying in the same age group as the muppets. :x
:cheers:
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Wow Dan,
You and Cathy are two amazing people. I wish there were more people like you and your wife to spread around. I wish your family many years of happiness.
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Congratulations Dan.
A friend of mine took care of a special needs baby that was a ward of the court. You can imagine what happened, after a few weeks she wasn't about to give him back so she adopted him. I didn't see them for a couple of years until I ran into them grocery shopping, her son, now 3, took one look at me, yelled "Daddy!" and ran down the aisle to me. It was pretty funny since I look nothing like her husband or his birth parents. Never did figure that one out.
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:rock :rock
that plane needs to be introduced into the game (minus the muppets!!)
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FLS, not to hijack this wonderful thread, but are you by chance a milkman?
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Amazing story...congrats on the little guy.
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Call signs......How about "Monrovia"? :)
That story is like the ones they make movies about.....truly breathe taking :salute
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Dan you live in minnesota? where? i live in rochester!
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The world could sure use a lot more "Dans".
Congrats Sir,
God bless you and your wife :salute
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dude...that brought a smile to my face. i think it's the first pics you've posted with him smiling.
:aok
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All I can say is WOW! Big <<S>> Dan and Cathy :aok
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dude...that brought a smile to my face. i think it's the first pics you've posted with him smiling.
:aok
This is truly a profound observation. Just think, that very human being had a tube in his stomach crawling with ants (and that was a gesture of mercy so that he wouldn't be eaten by wild animals) and now he smiles. Truly priceless.
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You can see Elmo's thoughts in that picture.... "Oh crap, he is going to prang this thing just like dad!
Thanks for sharing +Tiff, and congratulations on the new family member!
Money
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This is truly a profound observation. Just think, that very human being had a tube in his stomach crawling with ants (and that was a gesture of mercy so that he wouldn't be eaten by wild animals) and now he smiles. Truly priceless.
The really sad part is he's just one of many many kids. The only reason we were able to get him out is that he was dying. Had he not had the health issues that were immediate, he would be like lots of other kids there suffering from lack of food. They put the clamps on adoption as to the powers that be the orphans were their 'future work force". That and there was enough illegal trafficing that no adoptions are allowed. Because Cathy found him and there was no orphanage involved, we were able to work around the system. In the end the US system was the bigger pain, but we finally got that done too.
In the hospital where Cathy was working there was a room that was labeled the "Play Room". It in fact was the room where they brought the starving kids. Cathy still doesn't think she was supposed to see it, but she brought a family there and when she went in, it was just a long dark room with little ones. They were not moving as they didn't have the energy. She said the room went on and on and all she saw were eyes looking at her, but no movement and no sound.
The people there, once Cathy said she wanted Matthew and this was going to happen, went from avoiding him to getting caught up in the story as he was going to be the exception and get out of there to America. Unlike so many of the kids he was getting a chance.
Breaks my heart to think of all the other little ones like him that don't get a chance. Not sure what to do about it :(
Again, thanks for all the kind words. We don't feel like we've done anything that other folks wouldn't do in the same situation. I do thank my wife every day for finding Matthew though.
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I've never heard the story, Dan.
+1
Amazing. No other word for it.
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I cannot imagine losing 'any' of my kids.
What a great story. Absolutely love that 2nd picture of him. What a cute, happy looking boy! :aok
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The really sad part is he's just one of many many kids. The only reason we were able to get him out is that he was dying. Had he not had the health issues that were immediate, he would be like lots of other kids there suffering from lack of food. They put the clamps on adoption as to the powers that be the orphans were their 'future work force". That and there was enough illegal trafficing that no adoptions are allowed. Because Cathy found him and there was no orphanage involved, we were able to work around the system. In the end the US system was the bigger pain, but we finally got that done too.
In the hospital where Cathy was working there was a room that was labeled the "Play Room". It in fact was the room where they brought the starving kids. Cathy still doesn't think she was supposed to see it, but she brought a family there and when she went in, it was just a long dark room with little ones. They were not moving as they didn't have the energy. She said the room went on and on and all she saw were eyes looking at her, but no movement and no sound.
The people there, once Cathy said she wanted Matthew and this was going to happen, went from avoiding him to getting caught up in the story as he was going to be the exception and get out of there to America. Unlike so many of the kids he was getting a chance.
Breaks my heart to think of all the other little ones like him that don't get a chance. Not sure what to do about it :(
Again, thanks for all the kind words. We don't feel like we've done anything that other folks wouldn't do in the same situation. I do thank my wife every day for finding Matthew though.
Yes, it is heartbreaking to know that this kind of thing is happening in the world. You made a difference for one of them though. I was reminded of this story that many of us have probably heard. I think it applies to this story very well.
Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.
One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.
He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"
The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."
"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.
To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."
Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"
At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "It made a difference for that one."
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:salute Keep him away from Burt and Ernie. :t
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Contraz Dan! :cheers:
The second picture is fantastic, what a cheeky smile!
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To reiterate what Guppy has posted adopting children or a child is very rewarding. My youngest Son is adopted. We had 3 children already from
previous marriages. My adoption was not as involved as Dans' it was done in state and county. The gist of it was that he was just not wanted by his parents.
We wanted him and adopted him at the age of one. Considering I was learning to change diapers again in 1990 at the age of 40 I think I did very well. He doesn't like sports,
I do....we both love music....and now to make a long story short he is a junior at Youngstown State University. His GPA is 4.14 and never takes less the 22 hours a Semester.
He works weekends part time (he doesn't have to) as a Waiter. We invested wisely when he was young to enable to cover his college tuition when he was ready.
He is studying to be an Anesthesiologist. For Christmas as a joke I purchased some material to make an Anaesthesiologists starter kit which was a brief case and three
ball peened hammers of varying sizes (light anaesthetic, medium, and heavy ) as I explained it to him as he opened his present.
He is mine! I love him as deeply as I love my other children. He has rewarded me by being a fine young man who is caring, intelligent and respectful
Adopting is very very rewarding. I am deeply thankful that the good Lord enabled us to do so.
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One last thing sir, my children are involved in "The Smile Train"...if you get a moment, take a look at the video on Youtube....it will make you and your wife smile in a way only you two will understand.
www.smiletrain.org
V/r
Changeup
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One last thing sir, my children are involved in "The Smile Train"...if you get a moment, take a look at the video on Youtube....it will make you and your wife smile in a way only you two will understand.
www.smiletrain.org
V/r
Changeup
Dewd looked the place over . Set aside desire for a new stick for awhile . I can't do what Dan did but I sure felt small not doing what I can .
PS you are blowing your cover man !
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:lol :salute
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One last thing sir, my children are involved in "The Smile Train"...if you get a moment, take a look at the video on Youtube....it will make you and your wife smile in a way only you two will understand.
www.smiletrain.org
V/r
Changeup
There was a group at Phebe to do cleft surgeries about 8 months before my wife was there by herself. They also were from Minnesota so we ended up having some contact with them. They were surprised at how few clefts there were and ended up doing other surgeries instead. Of course the answer was that the cleft kids were, as mentioned on that website, seen as evil spirits etc and more often then not, killed or left to die. Cathy talked about how she didn't see any other people with birth defects outside of one young adult, who was considered an outcast.
It's a tough one to ponder from my comfortable home in the US. But the cold hard realities of that kind of world, leaves little place for kids who can't keep up :(
Watching Matthew grow, and seeing what a spark of life he has, it again makes me feel for those kids who never got the chance to show that life. The world is a better place with my little man in it.
Matthew the night before his surgery and the day after. His surgeon was amazing. Also an Army Doc who did Matthew's lip right before deploying to Afghanistan and did the pallet right after he got back.
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s199/guppy35/MattBeforeAfter-1.jpg)
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To reiterate what Guppy has posted adopting children or a child is very rewarding. My youngest Son is adopted. We had 3 children already from
previous marriages. My adoption was not as involved as Dans' it was done in state and county. The gist of it was that he was just not wanted by his parents.
We wanted him and adopted him at the age of one. Considering I was learning to change diapers again in 1990 at the age of 40 I think I did very well. He doesn't like sports,
I do....we both love music....and now to make a long story short he is a junior at Youngstown State University. His GPA is 4.14 and never takes less the 22 hours a Semester.
He works weekends part time (he doesn't have to) as a Waiter. We invested wisely when he was young to enable to cover his college tuition when he was ready.
He is studying to be an Anesthesiologist. For Christmas as a joke I purchased some material to make an Anaesthesiologists starter kit which was a brief case and three
ball peened hammers of varying sizes (light anaesthetic, medium, and heavy ) as I explained it to him as he opened his present.
He is mine! I love him as deeply as I love my other children. He has rewarded me by being a fine young man who is caring, intelligent and respectful
Adopting is very very rewarding. I am deeply thankful that the good Lord enabled us to do so.
Too true Hajo. Thanks for sharing the story :)
Starting again at 49 is a bit different then first time around at 23. I don't get up off the floor from playing nearly as fast :)
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Good man Guppy, good man! :aok
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I'm sure he lands more sortie's than you do Dan lol. What a beautiful baby boy !
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:salute Dan