Tammy

Winne, I understand! Believe me---I have one biological daughter and 4 adopted children. The adopted children are 25, 24, 21, 20 and our daughter is 23. I guess I cringe at being so blunt but we have been put through alot of crap due to the 4 kids. We have decided that for our own sanity, we will pray for them continually, but we can not stay in close contact with them. It does hurt. We got them at ages 3, 4, 5, and 7. All those years of trying to help and to teach them just as we taught our own daughter. They have done nothing but hurt us. They continually lie, take from us, and will not be responsible adults. Our own daughter has had her share of problems, but there is a desire to do what is right and a closeness that we will never reach with the rest of them. I know it sounds as if I separate them from our daughter, but I only started doing that since all of the pain as a way of disassociating myself with it. We did the best we could, but free agency is a hard thing to accept when the ones who are misusing it are our own loved ones. In our case, distance is the only solace we have and peace comes with HIS love and time. Tammy

I loved those. I will have to do some more looking later. Thanks!

Heather -this all sounds great! Thanks! I love LDS TALK!!!

Thank you Heather! I like the e-card idea! I have made alot of good friends at this site.

I just loved this. Thanks!

Great story and a favorite amongst children's librarians involved in storytelling. It takes on a life of its own with a good story teller and it is often used in the school systems as a piece to help incorporate the moral you described so well.

I had played the tapes for my children when they were in the van traveling between gymnastics, wrestling, and music lessons. They loved it. They were 8 to 12 at the time. My husband and I listened to all 7 books on cd before going to see the movie recently. We absolutely loved it!!! It keep us teary eyed during parts (yes even my husband). Definitely one we would buy when it comes out on DVD. Speaking as an assistant librarian the movie and the book are really popular even among our more religious patrons. I hope they make more movies for the rest of the books.

I have been here for a few months now and I am glad to have met alot of you. I guess I am just wondering what all of you value as important in your lives right now. I know the typical answers-God, family, ect... I would like more of the honest true grit answers.... For me -I am trying to find my nitch now that the kids are grown and I haven't alot of friends. This season in my life is of readjusting and finding new meaning. My family use to be the most important thing to me and it stil is in a sense. BUT now I find that my connection to the Lord and finding a way to serve him best is the most important thing to me. Filling my life with service...

I have to say that I too don't agree with abortion. I take the same stance as the church on this matter. I was a young girl once and got pregnant--I chose to turn my life over to the Lord and have this child and raise her as a single mom. Boy what I would have missed if I had not. My husband and I married when she was 7 months old and he adopted her. Then we found out he could not have children. We later adopted a sibling group of four children who were 3,4,5 and 7. So I see this issue as both the mom who had the decision to make and the mom who adopted someone elses children who were unwanted and neglected. I have had a rough time with the adopted kids through the teen and early 20 years as I have with my own daughter due to their own choices BUT LET ME SAY THIS---I will never regret my decisions. The Lord truely knows what to work in our lives and I believe that even though getting pregnant was a mistake that I paid for--He blessed me with the only natural child I would ever have. I also have 2 wonderful grand daughters because of that and one on the way. They blessings far out way the struggles I have had in my life....

I just wanted to let everyone know that I sent out cards to the two people. I could not go visit today due to snow and the roads. I feel good about what I wrote in the cards. The one lady has been in charge of the Friends of the Library group for years. I asked her to pick a favorite book or author so that I could purchase it in honor of her and place a dedicated to book plate in the front cover of it. I so much want to do more, but the weather is not permitting it and I have family coming. I am keeping them in my thoughts and prayers.

Yeah! Have you seen Home Teachers??? It is rolling on the floor funny...

AMY calm down...........this is not a place to bash.......first of all i know people who make these movies and you are wrong....what do you know about them? Have you even seen them? and yes they are Mormon,.......Get your facts stait before you bash.............actually donrt even bashhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ← I don't think Amy is bashing the movie makers. She brings up a valid point. We think movies that poke fun at Mormon situations are funny when they are put out by Mormon movie makers but what if they were not members of the church?? Huh? I am puzzled as to how I would feel. I think I would still laugh if the situations in the movie were honest to real happenings or at least respected our beliefs. It is hard to say though. Being open minded is not always easy for us.

Pushka, I am so glad to hear that positive note in your post. I think you are already on the way to healing. The others are right who have replyed to you. The people who know they are dying are so much stronger than we can imagine. They are usually resolved with it and at peace with what is happening to them. It is the rest of us who don't deal with it so well. To everyone else reading this post--- I plan to visit one of the Ladies tomorrow on a lunch break. The man who's wife I mentioned, I will send a card to her expressing how I feel about her and her strength in dealing with her husband terminal illness and I will do something more on Friday before work. As an update--one of the daughters who hasn't called me much due to her situation, is coming to Thanksgiving dinner. At least she said she would. She is bringing her much older, abusive boyfriend but at this point I just want my daughter and I have set the rules for his behavior if he comes. We shall see. That only leaves the daughter who no one knows if she is alive (missing for a few months and no one has heard from her). Maybe a miracle can still happen and we will have her too.

I just want to go on record as saying that last night Tammy tried to sneak into my backyard and steal my goat. NO Comment! LOL Snow---I didn't steal your goat. You want me to help you find it????? Try looking in the mirror... JK you are too funny!!! Thanks for lightening things up!

I am sorry about your sister in law. I had an aunt pass away and I was not able to tell her all I wanted to out of fear. I am trying to change how I deal with it because of that experience. I think people understand our fear at times like these.

This is getting out of hand. What can I do to help stop this???? I enjoy the board and I admit to feeling hurt with posts but it was a misunderstanding that was partly my fault for not being more detailed. I wish I could have you all see the love and admiration I have for some of the people on this board who have been so kind when my depression sets in and I just cry at the out pour of concern and well meaning words. What happened???

Thanks to everyone. I was told that the person wasn't eating much or reading but you all have some great ideas.

Thanks that is really helpful. I will send the note tomorrow. Someone else also prompted me to make a short visit and I will do that too. I will let you know how it goes.

oh Thanks for clearing that up! My real name is Tammy, and so I was confussed.

Like that Tammy (aka Ari, aka Ari 2, aka LDSister)? What do you mean Jason??

Don't do that. Stay and help us make it better!!!

Thanks--I hope to find some way to tell her how much I appreciate her and her strength. Maybe a note in the mail or something??

I think it can be done!!

I am so blessed today. I have had many adversaties with my children in the past, but today my son is headed home for Thanksgiving. My oldest daughter is coming home from Texas on Wed. I am expecting a new grand daugher within the next 2 1/2 weeks. I have 4 other wonderful grand children too. As I pondered this I also am aware that many are suffering. I work in the library in a small town and I have patrons who are dying of cancer. The wife of one of the men is so strong. She just suprises me and blesses me with each visit. I am in awe of her. She just came in and brought me a basket of fruit for Thanksgiving! I wish there were more I could do for her. I have been ordering books on tapes for her for a while now due to an eye condition that prevents her from reading, but that seems insignificant. I have to look more at my blessings. I will be missing two children at Thanksgiving. One of them --I don't know if she is dead or alive. BUT look at the bounty the Lord does pour out on us. It certainly relieves the suffering. I am indeed blessed in his care. I come into contact with people each day who are not of my religion and they bless me as well as my church family. I am trying to remember that enduring to the end is not easy, but the blessings are there. I have always had trouble seeing them through the pain. I wonder what can you do for someone who is loosing their husband? and another patron is dying herself? I want to be appropriate but I really am at a loss as how to help? Any ideas???

Thanks Jason!! I mean it. I have had a lot to deal with and I am not perfect. I think perfect families are a myth. I use to think they were possible, but that was when I was a child and before my parents divorced and my sister decided to only communicate with me. I am the peacemaker and I try to do that with my family and others. Sometimes it keeps me from being able to look out for myself though. I spent some time in counseling after the kids left home and the counselor and I have tried to work out boundaries with my children in which I am protected and I can still love and support them. It is hard --I love them so much, but sometimes I can 't reach them. Self persevation takes over and I have the right to be happy and comfortable after all I have given them over the years. I can't dwell on their problems and let it affect my life. My meds are strong but not that strong. LOL