I was at the Families Supporting Adoption conference this last weekend in Salt Lake City. Glenn Beck was the keynote speaker, because he has adopted through LDSFS, but I couldn't help but think, 'oh great, another speaker they got just because he's famous. I like Glenn Beck, but I don't know if he could be that spiritual.'
Boy, was I wrong.
His wife Tania spoke first, giving background on the situation that led to their adoption and a few generalities of the adoption itself. She cried some and it was good. But then Brother Beck got up. He couldn't stop crying, from the get go. Except when he was making some quip, which became obvious was a long-established habit of his to help him get control of himself. I had heard their adoption story on the radio before, but I had no idea how spiritual it was and it was truly inspirational to me. It was something they went into with much prayer and many visits to the temple, and the spirit was with them all the way. He announced their adoption intent over the radio (we are told to advertise our intent as much as possible...which, by the way, I'm telling you right now that WE ARE LOOKING so please send heroic birthmothers our way), with his wife, and it just so happened that some lady was listening in Texas. Actually, she was half-listening, because she didn't hear a thing Glenn said but totally tuned in to what Tania said. Not 10 minutes later her daughter called, devastated, to tell her she was pregnant, and she told her, "I think I know where this baby is supposed to go." So the e-mail got sent to Brother Beck. He gets thousands of e-mails every day, so it could have easily become lost. But the woman who pre-screens all his e-mail happened to be attracted to this particular e-mail one night after she had downloaded the day's messages. She forwarded it to Glenn's manager for investigation. That was the only e-mail she looked at that day. The next morning when she got on the computer, it crashed and every other e-mail she had received the day before was totally lost. The girl was so sure this was their baby that she started the e-mail with, 'Dear Mr. Beck, I believe I am carrying your baby." But after the delivery, she was having a very hard time. It was getting close to the 72 hour limit and she said she couldn't sign the papers to give her baby up. Then a nurse, not knowing what she was doing or why, felt prompted to go in the room and talk to the girl and comfort her. She doesn't even remember what she said, she knows the words were not from her, but afterwards the girl said to call everyone back, she was signing the papers and was going to sign the baby over. Since then, the Becks have been able to have another child of their own, but this story was amazing to me. I was extremely impressed with Brother Beck's humility and spirituality. I had no idea when listening him on the radio or watching his program on CNN that he was so strong -- he seems so flippant.
But I thought those of you that might be fans would be interested to know that.
Oh, and I got an 'in' to get e-mail directly to him now. and yoooooou doooon't.
While I may not always agree with Brother Beck (I don't think that there's a radio personality anywhere that I always agree with), he does seem to be a nice, intelligent, guy. Dyany, if I run into anyone who is pregnant and thinking about giving up their baby to adoption, I'll send them your way. You might also consider international adoption (I'm sure that you've looked into that option, but I'm mentioning it anyway). If you adopt from Ukraine, for instance, I'll do free translations for you (up to a point; I still have to deal with my own everyday trials).
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
I would LOVE to adopt from the Ukraine. My brother is on a mission right now in Vladivostok so he could even help translate. Trouble is, the church can't subsidize that expense as well as domestic adoptions, so they are really cost prohibitive. We just don't have over $20,000 lying around. :( That's why I put international adoptions on my 'if you had unlimited funds' wish list. :)
It's my sincerest hope and wish for you that there is baby out there waiting for you and a birth mother who would like nothing more to make that possible. Cat really likes Glenn Beck, he used to be able to listen to him on his way to work, but can't tune in anymore. I didn't know he and his wife had an adopted child. We went to see him in concert a couple of years ago and he was a stitch! It was hilarious, but he also showed his spiritual side a little bit even though he was addressing a diverse audience. It was well worth it.
I've been listening to Glenn Beck since he just appeared on the radio this last couple months. It's really good stuff. He was talking about his visit to the White house, for example and that was hysterical, how he was mr. adhd, and everyone else of the radio personalities were all talking about house bill this and house bill that... and he's noticing that the lamps have flourescent lightbulbs... hehehe... That's a bit like me...
--Ray
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I'm not slow; I'm special. (Don't take it personally, everyone finds me offensive. Yet somehow I manage to live with myself.)
Dyany, thank you for sharing. From the title, I did not expect something so inspirational. Maybe that was a reference that people who listen to his show on a regular basis might know. I do think that there are times when a baby is adopted into the family that was meant for them.
Aye, Zealia, Glenn Beck calls his listeners/viewers 'sick twisted freaks' because...well because they listen to him. :) He is different from most conservative talk show hosts in that he is darned funny most of the time.
I read something very upsetting in a magazine yesterday regarding the policy against foreign adoptions in Romania. People were profiting from the adoptions so the ended the adoptions. However, there are children in dire need in that country and so much poverty. Children run away from orphanages and foster homes and live on the streets. I know that happens here as well with older children.
There are humanitarian missions where adults pay to go there and take care of the children for a time providing for their needs. This has been a life changing experience for some who give of their time and service.
I know that there is a risk of adopting older children who have been instituationalized and may have a lot of neuroligical problems as well as attatchment problems. I think that they should allow children to be adopted before they experience "failure to thrive" or before they become institutionalized. And if people want to adopt older children and understand the risks, I think there should be a means to do so. I don't think it is right to punish children for the behavior of adults. I don't think people should profit from adoption by charging unreasonable fees. And yet, they are robbing children of potential bright futures and loving families with their policies. One would think that there could be regulation of agencies. But regulations or no regulations, they should not justify letting children suffer like this by prohibiting adoptions. I know I am repeating myself as it makes no sense to me why a country would do this. I have heard of prohibitions in our own country at times that kept children from families because they did not want to place a child with a different race.
We adopted our 2 boys, grown now (at least they think they are), thru the LDS Social Services. By going that route, we felt in each case we were giving the Lord control over which child we got.
Interesting perspective, lundbaek. As we've never adopted, it is always interesting to hear the perspective from adoptive parents and adults who were adopted. We have several families in our ward where several family members are adopted.
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It seems to me the only thing you've learned is that Caesar is a "salad dressing dude."
But after the delivery, she was having a very hard time. It was getting close to the 72 hour limit and she said she couldn't sign the papers to give her baby up. Then a nurse, not knowing what she was doing or why, felt prompted to go in the room and talk to the girl and comfort her. She doesn't even remember what she said, she knows the words were not from her, but afterwards the girl said to call everyone back, she was signing the papers and was going to sign the baby over. 
