Personal Narrative: My Birth Mother

A long time ago, in about 2004, I was born to two drug and alcohol addicts. We lived in Plano, Texas, in a disgusting apartment. We had cat and dog feces everywhere, and overall it wasn’t the best environment to raise a child in. But when I was about four and a half, my mother put me up for adoption without telling me. I ended up being adopted by my aunt and uncle, but although being four and a half, I will always remember that day vividly, because that was the first day I had experienced real love.

A new year had just arrived. I can still picture January in my mind, the mood was sullen and dark, I could feel the cold reaching my bones, but now I know that was the best feeling I‘d ever had. I had only a few weeks left to start college, which had been my dream since I can remember. My dad had already paid for my tuition, I was so exited I had promised to do my best. Then, I realized there was an obstacle in my way. I knew I needed to make a decision on whether or not keeping my pregnancy, it sounds rough, but it was definitive. I did not want to miss school, so I was definitely not taking this to the last term. I just could not think of myself being prostrated in bed for so long, as an impediment to start school. Never, nothing would

In 1992, a woman gave birth to my sister and I. Due to unknown reasons, at some point during the first year, she left her twins at the doorsteps of a local police station. My sister and I were eventually placed in an orphanage in Addis Ababa, where we would then go on to be adopted and brought to the US. We grew up in a loving home with loving parents, and all of our needs met. Our childhood was ideal in many ways and I grew feeling up very blessed. Our adopted mother loved us so deeply, and our father was always a provider, stable, loving father.

My interviewee is a second generation immigrant with one parent who was born in El Salvador and the other who has Mexican roots but was born in the United States. For the purposes of confidentiality my interviewee will be addressed as Ana from here on out. In this interview paper I will discuss the experiences that Ana faced growing up in a tri-racial household. I will also evaluate her experiences regarding assimilation to the lectures and reading assigned through out this course.

After the initial shock and awe of finding out I was pregnant after 10 years of struggling and wondering if I would ever have the baby I had been dreaming of for so long, I began to plan every detail of my birth. I found a midwife and birth center when I was 8 weeks pregnant. I hired a doula at 12 weeks. My birth plan was written and finalized at 24 weeks. Every detail was planned-I had even planned the song that would be playing when my son would make his appearance. I'm a recovering control freak.

Imagine a couple flying millions of miles to adopt two children who have been abandoned by their parents. They gave me a second chance at a better life in the US. It all started in 2001, Saint Petersburg Russia, Carrie and Brendan flew over the seas. Traveled to a tiny town called Luga to pick up my brother and I. I was dressed in a child's dress and two hot pink bows. I was too young to remember most of these events but I’ve been told many times how it went. I was very curious when my parents came to meet me in the orphanage that I stayed in.

The parent interviewed is middle aged mother of two, which both are in their late twenties. She informed me that prior to having children she thought that she would never experience the joy of motherhood. Mrs. Digat married young at seventeen years of age and longed to have a family of her own. Unfortunately, pregnancy did not come easily. She saw countless doctors and underwent numerous procedures in effort to become a mother. There was nothing she wanted more out of life that to have her own little bundle of joy. Many years came and went without a baby that she so desired; Mother’s Day was especially difficult to endure. Then, unexpectedly after thirteen years of trying she became pregnant. This was the beginning of a

I have for months been in apprehension that David would volunteer. Yet, joining the Army will be a terrible trial to me. He joined the Washington County Company commanded by Capt.Willet. They are now at Camp Cummings, the Fair ground. David sold his Pistol, got $25 for it, paid some of his little debts and we are preparing shirts with crochet work. He is very serious and deliberate about it, and the poor boy, he will be more so as the hardships thicken upon him. He was anxious to be called in.

I was an only child for six years. I basked in the glory of my parents’ attention. One day my mother interrupted my enthralling game of Polly Pocket’s to inform me that we were going to adopt a baby. I had no idea what that meant, but boasted about it on the playground anyway. For a while after this news, our lives were pretty uneventful; a baby didn’t suddenly appear in our house, and I wasn’t a big sister. This changed suddenly, my mother received a call from an adoption agency that informed her of a soon-to-be mother who thought we were the perfect fit. My parents were elated, yet frantic; they had received the news nine days before the child’s due date and hadn’t begun the required paperwork yet. This late notice was followed by even later nights. I

Hey Nandi, just letting you know that you're a really amazing person. Honestly you're a unique person there is no other person I could meet on the planet that could out weight your personality. I've decided that since the day I was born, BAM, mother-child bond. You've always been a strong woman you've done everything from working two jobs, to go our every school events, and handling our family problems. You're extremely happy even in bad situations and your not afraid to show us discipline that has an impact. You're a woman of few words but when you do open your mouth something extraordinary comes out. You fight for us, love us, your kind to all people, help raise strong people by putting reality in front of us since we were little. The most valuable lesson you've taught me so far is, life's going to be extremely difficult at times but you have to be strong, because you are strong, you can fight, and if you go down swinging better make worth your while. Couldn't ask for a better woman in my life.

Growing up, I had spent about 4 years as an only child. On my fourth birthday, my parents brought home my brother Tim. Tim came from a small town in Ekaterinburg, Russia and I had no idea how adoption could have such a large impact on my life.

My prenatal development was normal. There were not any concerns or worries about my development. My mom had a fairly normal pregnancy other than preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a medical condition in women who have not experienced high blood pressure, and developed in during a pregnancy (Preeclampsia and Eclampsia, 2016). High protein levels in urine and swelling of the hands, legs and feet are other symptoms of preeclampsia. My mom had an ultrasound at fourteen weeks. She did not have any other testing like an amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. It was unnecessary.

“What the hell do you mean he moved away 4 months ago?” I yelled at my mother and she shushed me. “Babe, it’s important to keep calm at this time during the pregnancy.” She said as she took me back inside. I didn’t care but I did care at the same time. This was my only child, it was a miracle I had even kept this child and not had a miscarriage. This baby kept me alive, and in return i kept her alive.

Alexus Casidy is out of her teenage years and now twenty, with a whole life ahead. The name Alexus may be a common but, the story of how it was picked, was not. Her father named her after a nurse at a Psychiatric Hospital, that he said was pretty. Not only did he name her after a nurse but, he chose the spelling of the car, Alexus. She grew up with her two younger siblings in Beloit WI, and I am yet to wonder if her sibling’s names have a comical story behind theirs as well. My peer went to high school at Beloit Memorial, graduating in 2015. Where she was an active cheerleading and softball player, also where she met her boyfriend, of three years, Ryan. Most don’t see that she is a mother, student, girlfriend, and employee; holding many different roles in all statuses. Alexus studies at UW Rock County and is undecided with fulfilling her dreams for becoming a children’s nurse or a teacher. Also, is hard-working employee at the factory Prent Corporation in Janesville, WI as an Inspector Packer. Where the money pays for the house her and her boyfriend own, with their one year old, Brooks.

After my mother and I have an argument she usually smiles at me and says, it’s because we’re so much alike that we argue. She reminds me that our lack of communicating often stirs more trouble than why we were arguing. I used to get upset that my mom didn’t set time aside for our family to spend time together or make us eat together at the dinner table. I was upset because I was comparing our family to my friends’ families. I valued those things and assumed my mom didn’t, but I was wrong. My mom had so much on her mind everyday it was breaking her on the inside. Not only had I wanted my mom to be like my friend’s moms, now I had wanted my mom to be different because she was depressed. Bonhoeffer mentions that we desire images of others that we want, but aren’t the true image they bear as Christ’s (pg37-38). At first I was puzzled. How is a good image of mine, not Christ’s image for her? I learned that His image is neither right nor wrong, but simply uniquely divine. My mom could have done those things, but her whole life would have had to be different, and I would never want to change who my mom is.