Ready or Not

Pro-Choice and Right-to-Life? Why do we need to be boxed in by these words of human pen? Let’s take the log out of our own eyes honor all people and be wise. Let’s not be divided anymore and let’s not judge to even the score. Stop the polarization and come to God’s nation. These adoption stories are true showing support to the weak too. Meeting people in their need and also spreading God’s seed. Let’s be joined in selfless love, a rare treasure trove. Unconditional love is shown to those adoption is known. Love at First Sight Sandee Jenkins Sandee Jenkins, Sue Anne Philson’s birth mother wrote, “The Hole in my heart can only be filled by you.” The ‘you’ is Sue Anne whom she placed for adoption 26 years before. Sandee realizes now it was not a mistake to give birth to her daughter and give her up for adoption. The hole has been there a long time, but now it is full with a lovely daughter. Sandee answered these questions from the bottom of her heart: What would be the most wonderful gift you could receive? Why? “I have it already. My life is complete. I have a relationship with my long-lost only daughter. I have the Lord in my heart. Others will pass away, but I have my rock to lean on.” Tell me about a time when God answered a specific prayer for you. “That’s easy….I prayed for 26 years that God would bring my daughter and I together. He did. I prayed that she would be safe and healthy. She was. I prayed for 26 years that she would be in a happy, secure family with lots of love. She was. Thank you, Lord, for answered prayer!” What is your most vivid memory of being pregnant? “I remember sitting in the bath, stroking my swelled tummy with the warm water, talking to my baby. I took long walks near Mamaw and Papaw’s house. I spent a lot of time alone. I read “Gone With the Wind” during the day and dreamed about it at night. I mostly spent time wishing things could have been different, that I could have been married, kept Sue Anne and lived happily ever after.” Did you choose the baby’s name and why? “I named her ‘Jill Ann’ because I loved the name. I always thought it funny that her adoptive parents named her ‘Sue Anne’ – so close.” What would you do differently if you could? “I’d do some things differently, but then my daughter wouldn’t be here- so never mind! Mostly I would have listened more to my elders and teachers. I would have kept my body chaste and treated it like the temple of the Holy Spirit that it is.” What was the hardest thing you ever had to do? “Release my precious little baby girl to adoptive parents when I was only 16. I’ll never do anything harder than that. It took super-human strength and it was the ultimate sacrifice.” This birth mother, Sandee, had only 30 minutes to hold Sue Anne, her daughter, in the hospital as it was against the rules for mothers who had signed adoption papers. She wanted to keep her baby forever. A day never went by she didn’t think about her little one. Sandee married and had step children but Sue Anne was her only child by birth. Sandee was a dancer and worked in creative, artistic jobs. She liked needlework, especially cross stitch and needle point. During the pregnancy she made her baby a blanket and sent it with her to her new home. Best of all she claims a wonderful relationship with the Lord. Sandee was one of seven girls in her family. Sandee is ecstatic about having her daughter in her life as an adult. This all didn’t come about easily. It was horrible coming up with the courage to tell her parents she was pregnant. Her mother was angry and told her father. The parents decided she would adopt the baby out and sent her to grandmother’s house a couple of months later. There were no vacancies in the home for unwed mothers in Florida where they tried to place her. Sandee’s grandmother convinced the mom to let the youngsters get married. Once they got permission, the young man missed coming to see Sandee twice. After awhile, Sandee walked to a great aunt’s house, made a phone call to him and called the wedding off. This was actually a big relief for Sandee. She understood why later when she found out he had another girlfriend who was pregnant too. The waiting for the baby began and Sandee gave birth to Sue Anne on November 6, 1967. Soon after, she flew back to Omaha and all pretended nothing had ever happened. The subject was taboo. Sandee proceeded to go back to high school and graduate with her class and with honors. She was blessed with being elected Vice President of her senior class. In college Sandee danced ballet, tap and modern jazz along with teaching younger girls. At 18, Sandee was mature and moved out into an apartment and soon departed for Washington D.C. on a dance scholarship. Her dance opportunities took her to several states but she always sent a letter to Catholic Charities telling them where she had moved in case her daughter would want to meet her. The adorable baby was never far from her mind. When Sandee was engaged to be married, she was very open with her finance’ Mike about having a daughter earlier who had been placed for adoption. It was only about four years after she married and became the step-mother of two children that she received a phone call from Catholic Charities and learned her daughter was trying to find her. Photos and letters were exchanged and Sandee felt the same excitement Sue Anne did about the pending reunion of mother and daughter. They talked for an hour and a half on their first phone call. Sandee flew into Lincoln to meet Sue Anne and no one was there to meet the plane. She was so nervous and so excited in the little commuter plane and now Sue Anne wasn’t there. Had she misinterpreted the conversations? Sandee saw a handsome man coming toward her. It was Brad, Sue Anne’s husband, followed by her sister Sue and family who live in Lincoln. Brad told her the plane bringing Sue Anne back to Lincoln was late. They watched when the late plane arrived and saw the 100 passengers file out before Sue Anne. They had heard about her reunion and wanted to watch. Sandee handed Sue Anne a teddy bear Sandee had kept since her pregnancy days which caused everyone to clap and laugh. The reunion group traveled to the small town where Brad and Sue Anne lived to meet her family. This proceeded to be a pancake supper for most of the town. Sandee was amazed at how friendly everyone, including Sue Anne’s adopted parents, sister and brother were to her. The pains of separation began to fade. The hurt and fear of telling her parents about her teen pregnancy seemed so long ago. The joy of talking about her daughter without the subject being taboo was enormous. Sue Anne was able to enjoy both her families and finally had her own genetic history. The fears of both families were dissipated.