Becoming a mother at 46 and the adventure of having a baby unicorn!

Friday, June 05, 2015

I can't find the right group.

I'm trying to find peace. I've searched high and low for a local support group or network of people who have been unable to have children. I'm not talking about the people that are struggling with fertility. I've been one of those too and there are actually a lot of groups out there supporting people who are giving themselves shots every day, popping tons of pills, and forking out tens of thousands of dollars to try to have a baby. It's awful. I've done it. So I feel for those people, having been one. But now I'm on the other side of that. Not on the other side of the pain but on the other side of that journey because I can no longer try fertility treatments. I'm looking for people who have not been able Key word "able" not "didn't want" to have kids. Does anyone know of a group like that. Whatever the reason whether it be because, fertility treatments didn't work, or because they never found that special someone to have a baby with, or it just never happened, whatever the reason. I'm looking for people like me, that I can talk to who I can maybe even help through healing arts. But that definitely want and need to share.

Do you know anyone like me? Are you like me?

Please don't send me emails or messages about adoption. I am so grateful to those of you that have reached out to me in that way and shared your stories of adoption success. I think that is very special . Adoption is not something I'm considering right now.

Thanks for reading :)
Elena@charitywings.org

Friday, May 08, 2015

When Mother's Day approaches .

It is the day to honor my mother who is the pillar of decency, hard work, goodness, support, and love, and I admire and honor her everyday.

But every year around this time I get completely schizophrenic because this is the day that I have spent years wishing could be my day too. I posted about it a few years ago. And this year with my body changing because time stands still for noone, and the hope of having my own child come out of my own body going away (please do not write me about adoption please) I see that this day will never be one where my own child writes how much they love and respect me and how much I guided and loved them into the person that they are.

It's the little things that make us the craziest isn't it. I guess for me this is just the biggest thing.
If you want to know something about what it's like to be childless on mothers day click this link.


Thank you for reading and for your friendship and support. I know I am not alone.

Monday, March 23, 2015

Sadie's 10th birthday party.

What a super fun time these girls had at Sadie's birthday party. 18 kids decensed on the Center this Sunday and The awesome Kelly wowed them with polymer clay techniques and guided them to make beautiful flowers. It was so great to hear the collective "wow"  as the clay color became veriaggated and another as the cane was coming together!
We havr the best events! Host your party here! It's always fun and always a hit!
Click here for more info
http://www.charitywings.org/private-parties-and-gatherings/

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Dear Artists, Crafters and Scrapbookers...

Dear Artists, Crafters and Scrapbookers,

Imagine

A place where you can gather and be inspired regardless of what medium, technique, form, style or genre of creativity you choose.
A place where you can come alone and create with little interruption, or with friends and share and enjoy the company.
A place filled to the brim, with every kind of supply, tool, and technique readily available.
A place supported by The Community, Manufacturers, Designers and Artists that believe in sharing the gift of Art and Creativity.

Now imagine this place is not just for creating but also for giving.

This place brings together people from all walks of life, facing all kinds of adversity, from all over the world with one purpose...

...To experience the joy of exploring your creativity.

This is what I am trying to build for you. I can't do it alone.  But I can do it with an army of creative minds that believes in the mission and take a little time to help spread the word.

Spread the word.




ALS ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE FINISHED!

Elena Lai Etcheverry of Charity Wings ALS Ice Buc…: http://youtu.be/vRY7h9hZQMA

Adoption and the truth

I realized after my last Facebook post about infertility a lot of people have a bit of a misconception about adoption. Adoption isn't always an option for people who have not been able to get pregnant. 

Here is a list that might help those of you that want to support your friends that are struggling:

1. Adoption is very very expensive.  Some of us have spent tens of thousands of dollars on fertility treatments. For some of us, we have gone in to serious debt or spent our life savings or a huge part of it already.  Now some of you may be thinking, "Well, if you have a kid, that will be very expensive too" YES.  I know this  but getting pregnant naturally is A LOT less expensive.  and natural.  You are not getting stabbed poked and prodded and forcing what is supposed to come natural.  (ok. save that for another post) In fact, other than the money you might have spent on that vacation or those drinks, it was probably free. :)  I know kids cost money but it is very different to pay for a child's living expenses and save for a future for them, then to have to fork out another $10 or $20K to adopt a child.  I personally have paid for very "pregnancy friendly" health insurance for many years in hopes of getting pregnant. I wish health insurance would cover adoption, God knows it is a mental health issue, but it doesn't.

2. Adoption may not replace the desire to be pregnant and give birth to a child. There is something very real about the innate animal instinct to bear children. Not everyone has it, but for those of us that do and can't it's excruciatingly painful.  Having gone through the amazing roller coaster of pain and emotional stress of infertility treatments, some people are not ready to go through the emotional roller-coaster of adoption as well. For some people knowing that adoption is an option does not alleviate or replace the desire to have your own child.

3. Adoption to single parents. As a single woman, I have the hurdle of trying to adopt alone.  
  • In a study undertaken by the Los Angeles Department of Adoptions, researchers found that single parents tended to have more difficulties in completing their adoptions. Thirty-nine percent had made three or more previous attempts to adopt, compared to only 18 percent among the couples.(Feigelman and Silverman, 1997) 
Now this statistic is a little old and progress has been made but I have done my research and it is still preferable for agencies to place young children with 2 parent families.  If you want to adopt a special needs child, or an older child, this option becomes more viable, but if you are looking to adopt a new born or infant, and have the experience of having a child from birth, the percentage drops significantly.  Also, adoption is another emotional roller-coaster. You have to be prepared to be picked over with a fine tooth comb. Important, YES! but still another thing that natural parents don't have to go through and may not understand.  I think some parents should have been scrutinized before allowing them to procreate but again, that is another blog post.

4. Life still goes on.  Adoption is a process and during the time that someone is trying to get pregnant and going through the hell of not being able to, life goes on. You try to build a life for yourself with the thought that you might never have a child.  I am going to speak for myself now and say that I built an organization in the time that I was trying to get pregnant. It grew just like a child would have grown and now if I was to become pregnant, I would have to change a lot of things that I am doing to grow Charity Wings. I am no longer married and would be raising a child on my own.  I WOULD ABSOLUTELY CHOOSE MOTHERHOOD OVER THIS LIFE.  But I also have committed myself to the people I serve through this organization and deciding to adopt is not a decision I would take lightly nor could I "just adopt" as many people tell me to do.

So why do I feel sad and why do I post about being infertile?

Because there are so many people out there suffering like I do.  Just because I am not ready to go the adoption route alone right now, does not mean I don't think about it every day.





And if I am being completely honest... 

Sometimes I feel like maybe,  just maybe,  I don't deserve to be a mother. And sometimes,  just sometimes,  I feel like people look at me and think that same thing. 

These thoughts are haunting and they come from a dark place inside me. I don't know them to be true but I have them all the same....

So if you hear of someone suffering from infertility.  Just hug them and say, "I'm sorry'.