I've decided to take a walk to explore the world around me. If you'd like to come along, I'll share my thoughts with you on what I've found on this journey.
I’m not talking about a smile where the corners of your lips slightly curl.
I’m talking about not caring who sees you jumping for joy, screaming like a 7-year-old child who’s about to go to Disney World for the first time, or a high school senior who’s been accepted to the college of her choice.
What causes you to celebrate like that?
A child’s birth. A good report after surgery. Keeping your job when layouts take place.
Yesterday, I wrote about dumb things reporters say and editors approve. Well, there’s not a lock on stupidity to just editors and reporters. Here’s a case in point.
New Zealand police say they have charged the Samoan mother of a girl born during an international flight for abandoning her baby on the plane. [That’s terrible, really is.]
Detective inspector Mark Gutry says the unnamed Samoan woman faces up to seven years in prison for abandonment under charges laid Wednesday, and the same term for allegedly failing to inform air officials her pregnancy was so advanced. [Okay, this woman has some serious issues, obviously, and deserves either jail time or mental health treatment—one or the other, or both.]
Cleaners found the baby in a toilet garbage bin on a Pacific Blue flight from Samoa to Auckland. [Did no one hear her giving birth? Really? Have you ever sat within 5 rows of an airplane restroom? You hear everything that goes on in there! How did no one hear this!]
The infant was located lying amid bloodied paper towels after the woman had left the airplane. [This breaks my heart. How about yours?]
But, here’s the really, really, really, did I say really, stupid part. Again, word-for-word what is reported and happened: The child was later reunited with its mother, but welfare officials are still deciding whether the mother should get long-term custody.
Reunited with its mother! Are you kidding me? She gave birth on an airplane. In an airplane's restroom! She didn’t tell anyone. Left the child for dead in a garbage bin. Now, police have returned the child to her! And, they are having to decide whether or not she should have long-term custody of the child? What’s to decide? How long before she abandons the child again? Or, this time, worse!
One year ago today, my wife and I were at the hospital, going through labor (ladies, please don't correct me here--while she went through physical labor and I am not downplaying that in ANY way, I too went through unbelievable labor pains just watching, waiting, supporting, not getting in the way, and not having my hand squeezed off!).
One year ago today, Evan William Heartsill made his grand entrance into the world--9 days early--at 3:43 PM.
What a beautiful baby he was! And, how full of life he was from the very first moment of life. He immediately looked around the room, as if to survey his new environment, to determine whether he liked it or not. While he was getting cleaned off by the nurse, he held onto my finger, as if to say, "Dad, as long as you are here, I'll be okay." I think in that moment, while his hand was wrapped around my little finger, what was really happening was that he was wrapping me around him.
Evan's birth was fairly uneventful, as far as births go. Everything went by the book. And, within three days, we were home. Introducing Evan to Peanut (our dog). And, we settling into our new life.
These months have passed quickly. Well, the first two months are still a blur of little sleep, going to work, and trying not to fall asleep in meetings. Feedings every few hours, dirty diapers, regular crying, and total dependance on us was all expected, but certainly exhausting. But now, oh what a joy! Evan is now beginning to eat table food, he is laughing all the time, and the only thing he does more than eat and laugh is smile! There's hardly a moment when a huge smile isn't on his face! He loves people, going to day care, going to church, and he especially loves to go to the mall and just sit and watch people go by! He flirts with all women, smiles at the men, and gets excited when anyone talks to him.
Now, the biggest new adventure for Evan is that he is now walking (see the video below for one of his first attempts at solo walking)! Well, stumbling is probably closer to the truth. But, he's trying. And, he is so proud of his accomplishment! He loves to walk between Tonya and I and then plop down on his rear end. Then, he's back up and ready to go again.
You know, at my age, babies generally don't come along--unless we are talking about grandchildren. Evan doesn't seem to care about my age. All he seems concerned about is playing with his mom and dad and puppy. And, seeing what new adventure he can discover today.
Happy Birthday Son! I hope you never lose that sense of adventure! And, I hope you never lose that smile you have when you see your old dad across the room.
The woman who gave birth to octuplets this week has six other children and never expected to have eight more when she took fertility treatment, her mother said. Angela Suleman said her daughter expects a big challenge raising 14 children. The good news, she said, is all the babies appear healthy.
Suleman’s daughter who gave birth to the octuplets Monday has requested that doctors keep her name confidential. Media knew little about the woman until a family acquaintance told CBS’ “The Early Show” on Thursday that the mother is “fairly young” and lives with her parents and her six children.
Within hours, media had camped out at the family’s home in Whittier, where the babies’ grandfather pulled up in a minivan in the evening and briefly spoke to The Associated Press. Beside him were two children—a 7-year-old and 6-year-old—who said they were excited to have eight new siblings. But the grandfather warned that media may have a tougher time finding the family after the babies are released from the hospital.
The mother also has two children, ages 5 and 3, and 2-year-old twins, neighbors told the Times. Suleman said her daughter had embryos implanted last year, and after finding out she was pregnant with multiple babies was given the option by doctors of selectively reducing the number of embryos. The woman declined.
What do you suggest she should have done? She refused to have them killed,” Suleman told the Times.
I have so many questions about this. First of all, this mother is young? What does that mean? How young? She has six other children—do the math, it takes a few years to have that many, with only one multiple birth. And, why is she living at home with her parents? Also, where is the father? Was a father involved in the conception of the babies or did the embryos come from a donor? And, with six children already, why was she going through embryos being implanted? Knowing how expensive that is, who paid for that?
I don’t mean to sound judgmental and I realize I probably do. But, 14 children! Is 14 enough? Too many? Is she going to want more?
I pray that God will bless those precious little babies and all of the people who will provide care to them. Especially those who have to change that many diapers!
There were 124 passengers on Northwest Airlines Flight 59 when it left the Netherlands. There were 125 when it landed in Boston.
A woman went into labor and gave birth to an apparently healthy baby girl over the Atlantic Ocean during the eight-hour flight Wednesday from Amsterdam, said Phil Orlandella, a spokesman for Logan International Airport.
The plane landed without incident in Boston about 10:30 AM, and the mother and baby were immediately taken to Massachusetts General Hospital.
Orlandella said for customs’ purposes, the baby was considered a Canadian citizen because she was born in Canada’s airspace. He could not confirm media reports that the mother was a Ugandan national.
When my wife was pregnant and nearing time for Evan to be born, the doctor wouldn’t even let us travel out of state to see family. This woman was permitted to fly from Uganda to the United States? I don’t get it. Did they not assume that she was getting close to delivery? Did she not realize she was putting herself and her baby in danger?
Can any one think of a rational reason for this woman to be flying?
