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Forever Lily-An Adoption Story

April 17, 2009 by

Beth Nonte Russell went to China to be a support system for her friend Alex who was adopting a baby girl. Little did she know that this was the beginning of an exciting adventure that will change her life forever.

Forever Lily is the story of Beth Nonte Russell stumbling into motherhood when her friend decides she cannot handle the situation. The depictions of China are vivid and help you truly imagine her surroundings. The instant bond Russell has with this frail little girl is heart-warming.
“Russell, watching in disbelief as Alex distances herself from the child, cares for the baby — clothing, bathing, and feeding her — and makes her feel secure in the unfamiliar surroundings. Russell is overwhelmed and disoriented by the unfolding drama and all that she sees in China, and yet amid the emotional turmoil finds herself deeply bonding with the child. She begins to have dreams of an ancient past — dreams of a young woman who is plucked from the countryside and chosen to be empress, and of the child who is ultimately taken from her. As it becomes clear that her friend — whose indecisiveness about the adoption has become a torment — won’t be bringing the baby home, Russell is amazed to realize that she cannot leave the baby behind and that her dreams have been telling her something significant, giving her the courage to open her heart and bring the child home against all odds.

Steeped in Chinese culture, Forever Lily is an extraordinary account of a life-changing, wholly unexpected love. “

While I don’t understand how Russell can step in and “take” her without the years of paperwork and home-studies and waitlists I guess the book wasn’t meant to explain these things. Adoption has been a big part of my life so I’m familiar with some of the legalities and red-tape, that is the only reason I wonder these things.

Overall the story is touching and sweet and a fantastic glimpse into this life-changing journey.
Using this experience, Beth Nonte Russel was also able to capture the moments and essence of her daughter Lily in a fragrance called Forever lily.

“An enveloping Oriental blend created to aid the wearer in opening the heart and reaching the for the highest within them.”

I found the scent to be sweet and warm not overpowering like other Oriental blends I’ve experienced. I’ve worn it a couple times and actually really like it.

If you want more information on Beth Nonte Russell and her experiences or to purchase Forever Lily the book or fragrance, visit GoodTrueBeautifulInc. Here you can read about Russell’s organization Golden Phoenix Foundation, formed to help end child abandonment around the world.




What Makes Me A Parent

March 19, 2009 by

I asked this question to my best friend Stacy. She is the mom of 2 gorgeous kids that were adopted from Guatamala. Stacy has been my best friend for over 20 years. She blogs about her family and their daily happenings at The Falone Family. She was recentlytelling me about another family, The Riggs Family and the terrible situation they are in right now. Their daughter has cancer and they are documenting the journey online. A nasty comment was made on their blog and it got us talking about other people’s views in adoption and being a parent. Here is Stacy’s answer to that question.

“If you define being a parent by sharing dna/blood with a child then I am not a parent. If you define being a parent with having legal documents from Guatemala, The United States, & Pennsylvania that say I am a parent, then yes I am a parent. But, since I was asked what makes ME consider myself a parent then I have to say one word makes me a parent…LOVE. Pure and simple love.

I did not feel my children move inside of me, I did not go into labor and feel the pain of delivering them. I did not feel the emotion that must be felt the first time you hold your child minutes after they are born. But I did fall in love with the idea of them first, then I fell in love with their pictures, then I was lucky enough to meet my children, to hold them and smell them and to know their cries and see their smiles and the love was immense after that.

Of course I can say I am a parent because I am there in the middle of the night with cries, fevers, illness, I have experienced many sleepless nights. I am there to provide and care for my children. I am there to teach right from wrong. I want only the best for my children. I want them to succeed, to be happy, to have wonderful lives. I pray for them to be healthy and to grow to be loving, caring, kind people. So I guess you can say I want what every parent wants for their children.

I can state every cliché out there. I would take the pain from my children, I would jump in front of a speeding car for them. I stay up some nights and worry that I wasn’t a good enough parent that day because maybe I was to harsh, or didn’t have enough patience with them, that I was maybe a bit to preoccupied with email, tv, the phone, that I did not spend enough quality time with them. So I guess what I am is saying that there are hundred’s of reasons why I can consider myself a parent but the most important reason to me is that I am a parent because I love my children with every fiber of my being and it is love that connects and bonds me to my children.”

This post isn’t meant to be a debate, if you have something nasty to say, say it somewhere else.