Evaluate

We all develop a story on what we think is going on.It is a story with our emotions feelings and actionsWe can often be wrong how we size up and determine a situation because we are biased for our own good.We need to evaluate our part  in the situation we need to look for solutions to end the conflictWe have to clear away misunderstandings misinterpretations hurt feelingsSo we can contribute to what’s going on with the real problem. We need to walk in the shoes of others so we can see how they view the world.  Every conflict between two people has one side the other side and the truth which lies somewhere in the middle. Things become very difficult when you opened yourself up a loud people in and find out that it is actually harmed you your family and your children Because of your poor judgment in someone’s character.There are many titles that people give to each other in life husband wife brother sister and mom and dad and to me those are the most sacred titles anyone can ever have is to be mom and dad. Just because you grow a human and give birth does not make you mom nor does the fact that you contributed to the making of that child make you a dad.I kept my expectations to a minimum and didn’t ask very much choose wisely, work hard, and be honest.For the most part choosing wisely worked for a little while working hard that remains , but honesty , sadly that is not a quality or a trait that has been obtained by some.  When you use the term real mother that it’s exactly what I am I’m not fake I’m not imaginary and I’ve stayed by his side from day one a mother doesn’t sign a piece of paper and not fight for her child. So I have stepped back and evaluated my part in the situation and what I have concluded is, I put too much trust I looked blindly did not have my eyes open and I did not listen to the people around me who said things weren’t right. All I can do now is move forward be the best mom to all of my children that I Canby I am far from perfect but what I am is honestly devoted to all of them and that will never change.

Well adjusted

 12 years ago we entered into an open adoption with our oldest son‘s birth mother things have not always been easy ,we’ve had ups and we’ve had downs ,but through it all we made a commitment to allow her to be part of our sons life .  We found out not too long ago thatwhen  he was alone with her she was manipulating feeding him wrong information and miss leading him .one of the things she had said to him was when he gets  A bit older he could choose to go live with her because she is his real mom . he was very upset by that statement and told us .there of been times in the past where we’ve had to limit contact because of the people she chooses to associate with ,people who have been arrested for assault and battery breaking in entering and drug distribution . with that being said we cut down contact but things of changed .sadly contact will now be limited it’s sad really when you put enough effort to keep a relationship going and you find out that in fact it was not helpful to your child but harmful I received a text message that stated my son told her he was upset with her because she was raising his two brothers  and she thought that would bother me but it actually didnt because he is mad he is extremely mad at her that she was unwilling to  put in the effort  for him but didfor those two .and not my son he said to me with tears in his eyes mom” thats pathetic and mom I love you “to the moon and back and boy did that melt my heart knowing that he is well-adjusted . it’s all I can do for him is love him stay on his side and help him become the man he wants to be

LIFE... IT SUX

So I've been toying with the idea of begin a stay at home mom. I love my kids, foster adopted, and bio. I have always worked even having a lot of kids, I've always felt compelled to contribute to our house hold finically .   I posted my question on FB should I stay or should I go, hoping my friends would way in on this big decision. Instead of it being just a random question, i was questioned and basically made to feel like complete SHIT!!! excuse that!  ITs MY DAM DECISION!!! if i choose to ask for advise on FB so freaking be it!! i know a lot of my friends who left jobs to stay home and was hoping for good advise, but what i got was dam freaking grief!!!! UGHHHH I post a DAM random post about a dream i had,, it was freaking  funny if you ask me,, but all of a sudden,, I'm a bully!!! who the hell did i bully in MY DAM DREAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I'm so sick and tired of validating MY feelings, MY thoughts, MY what ever the hell i want to say basically!!!! If a post i make bothers you,, maybe you need to look at yourself. I don't judge any one.. I'm as messed up as the next. but  i ADMIT it.. i don't pretend to be perfect, good, great or what have you. Im human, with feeling, thoughts and ideas.  i WILL NOT EVER curb my values for yours! EVER!! and if that bothers you so freaking be it!!! Im DONE.   So very done worrying about what others think of me,, love me or hate me.. because at the end of the day.. i could give two shits!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!! NOT!

 Today is a bitter sweet day for me. Most people celebrate their birthday with cake, ice-cream, presents. I on the other hand try to forget mine for not 1 but 2 reasons.  The first, its the day my biological mother decided,, AH, I don't want another child and signed over her rights to me, and second, the day mom MOM MY REAL MOM passed away!! Any one who knew her knows this isn't that weird, because well, my mom was weird lol!!!! In a good way!

The first reason really should not bother me because I had a fantastic life and would not be who I am today if i was raised by my incubator.  But as a mom times 7, 5 bio and 2 adopted, How the HELL can you walk away from a baby? I mean, Im a firm believer in open adoptions, which I have with my oldest son.  Sometimes a woman just couldn't do it,, but she TRIED. Didn't walk away.  She's still involved.  Ya sure, i get it ,, drugs could be a factor,, but , it wasn't, alcohol could be a factor, but it wasn't, poverty could be a factor but, it wasn't.  I was just the fact of doing whats best for me (as she stated) but in reality it was best for HER.  ANY HOO, that was my rant of the day on reason number one.

Reason number two, a lot more emotional for me.  For the last 2 years of her life we all took a hand in helping her. Making dinner, making Tea, (and for the record it was never RIGHT LOL). Doctors appointments, chemo appointments. And the day b4 my birthday I had the wonderful opportunity to try out my CPR skills on my mom who decided to stop breathing in the back seat on the way to her doctors appointment! GO MOM!!! Did i get a THANK YOU melissa for saving my life? NOPE!! I got OMG what did you do to my ribs!!! You were so rough!!!! REALLY MOTHER!~!
 But that was her! lol. Even with her last few cognitive breaths, she still asked for her dam E cigaret which she was actually able to take a few drags of. AGAIN.. doesn't surprise me. lol. But in the end, she lost the battle, and with that , so did I!  I lost my friend, my greatest cheerleader, my MOM! So instead of cake and ice cream on my birthday, I reflect on my beginning, and her end. And in the words of my mom... GOD BE WITH YOU!
 RIP mom.. i love you

Times, they are a changing

Yesterday was a first. I went with my daughter to choose a WEDDING DRESS!!! Where has the time gone?  For so many years I had little ones running amuck in the house. Ages ranged from 5,4,2,1! Busy busy busy! During those early years I sometimes wished time would hurry because I was exhausted, frustrated, and just kidded out! Time did begin moving along and I found myself with a a few in middle school, some in elemementary school and preschool. With that life was crazy hectic. Softball practice, softball games, birthday parties, sleep overs, school dances! ughhh. Again I wished for things to hurry along. Then in 2003 We added a 5th to this brood. Ages 9,8,6,5, Newborn. What were we thinking?  From finally sleeping all night to up again every 2-3 hours with a newborn. But again things began to normal out, then i got the crazy idea to do foster care. i know what was i nuts ??? We added our 6th child in 06. Now with teenagers all the way down to infant, it was drivers ed, permits, licences!!! The times WERE changing. Instead of my worries be of diaper rash, runny noses, falls, cuts, homework,, It was are they safe? Are they were they said they were going? Did they arrive safe? Did any one drink? The worries became so different. Boy what i would have done for those early worries. 
Then comes the boyfriends,  proms, graduations, college! How different life was becomming. Why did i want things to hurry along? Why did i want them to grow up? So to lessen my slowly empty nest, introuduce child 7 in 2014!  Now i am sure people were thinking i should be committed at this point.
So yet again, sleepless nights, colds, falls, cuts, bruises, developemental milestones,,bla bla bla.
Fast forward to 2016.. 3 Highschool graduates, 1 hairdresser, 1 college grad in banking, 1 hs grad working full time and going to school, 1 senior, 8th grade 4th grade , toddler. All the while my oldest announces her engagement!!!
With one in diapers and one getting married... boy Times they are a changing. And now, oh how I wished they could stay the same !

Loss

15 years ago I wasn't feeling to well.  I swore i felt pregnant! But how?? I had an IUD. I mean they are about 99.99% effective so how could that be? Well it turned out to be true! I quickly called the doctor after the positive home test and was told to come in immediately for an ultra sound. Upon arrival at the doctor an ultra sound confirmed the pregnancy. I was estimated to be about 3 months along. When danny got home I told him about the events of the day and we were both stunned by happy. Happy to add child number 5.  I was told that being 3 months along it was to dangerous to attempt a removal of the IUD, so the pregnancy would have to continue with it in place.

The weeks to follow were bi weekly ultra sounds to check on baby #5.  Every other week I was able to see the baby get bigger and bigger.  We could also see the IUD which was strange. Baby had a strong heart beat, great measurements and all in all appeared to be a healthy pregnancy.  On October 9th I was going in for my routine ultra sound but with the excitement of learning the gender of baby #5.  All started as usual.  Exchanged hello's with the tech i'd grown to get to know over the past weeks, and she began my scan. About 1 minute into the scan I had a sinking feeling something wasn't right.  She turned the screen and got very quiet. I attempted to ask questions, but she just said she was very busy gathering measurements and getting good angle pictures.  At the end of the scan she asked me to stay put and wait for the doctor which i thought was strange, but I waited. What seemed like days, the doctor came in, said hello, and said he was going to re do the scan. I waited while the room was silent.
After a few minutes he turned the screen to me and showed me what he had been doing. He was anxiously looking for the heart beat. The screen was blank,, there was no beeping sound that I became used to hearing over the past few months. I was told the news, the baby passed away. I was just about 19 weeks pregnant, the GREY area in Ma for delivery or D&E. I was able to choose. I hastily  chose a D&E because i kept crying i can't deliver a dead baby.

I was given some medication to take for 2 days until the D&E. The medicine was to help dilate me , because to do a D&E you must dilate to at least 5cm.  The day came October 11,2001. Danny and i went to the hospital knowing this was the last time id be pregnant with baby5. Before the surgery, the doctor came in, went over everything, and we asked if he would please let us know the gender of this baby.  I was taken in, about 2 hours later i woke in recovery. The doctor came in, i asked how it all went, he said he would be unable to tell us the gender because the baby was bigger than anticipated and he had to be more Aggressive.  That was devastating news, but an autopsy had to be done so in about 8 weeks, we would have answers as to why this seemingly healthy babies heart just stopped.

Days, turned into weeks. I was in a fog.  I did what i needed to do , got up, took care of kids, cleaned, and went to bed.  I EXISTED. Thats it. Some time in Late November i got up the courage to call the doctors to see if they had any tests back yet. The doctor called me back later in the day and we had a long conversation. A lot i don't remember because as the doctor discussed with me the findings it went like this... "We have the results back from the autopsy.  HE was a perfectly normal healthy fetus, HIS organs were shutting down because HIS placenta was damaged by the IUD! HE... HIS... It was a boy! Our boy. I remember sobbing, blaming myself for not knowing i was pregnant earlier on. The doctor ended up telling me he knew the day of the surgery that it was a boy, but he didn't think we could handle that information at that time and wanted to give us time to process the loss.

We lost our son, my girls lost a brother. It was devastating . Im the product of adoption. i was adopted at birth. When i hear a birth mother say she LOST her child to adoption,, the ANGER in my wells up and its very hard to contain. NO MY DEAR you didn't LOOSE ME!!! You made your choice. I didn't have a choice and i LOST my son. Don't EVER confuse the two!!

OCTOBER 11,2011  Jonathon Botelho