I have a darling girl.
A real darling girl.
This is my Lauren.
Lauren is a miracle.
Everytday, I am reminded of this.
Here is our story:
In 1999, I gave birth to twins at 26 weeks gestation.
Powell Jame Moore
Mia Moore
We didn't take heroics.
They passed away June 13, 1999.
In the same year, my Relief Society President called me.
Giving me a special assignment to help a needy mother of 4.
She was single.
Her children had just returned from a year in foster care.
My job, was to check in on her. Help her. Teach her. Encourage her.
To my reply, "Nope."
(I mean, really....."I'm a grieving person over here. That's all I need. Someone who is "needy" and a bit disfunctional. This isn't my job. Why me?"
That lasted all of one second.
"Sure. Just let me know."
Over the course of a few months, I taught her how to:
make meals.
clean house.
bathe children.
braid hair.
plan ahead.
become reliable.
stick to a schedule.
follow through.
care about it.
She moved to a town far north.
I applied to Graduate School.
Paul consulted and applied for real jobs.
We chose the mid-west.
We went for a "scouting it" trip.
Looked at homes.
Talked to prospects.
Planned for the future.
(Without children.)
Upon returning late, late from our adventure.
A message was found on our phone from a lawyer I had worked with.
David McKonkie.
"Paul and Andrea, this is David McKonkie. I have received a phone call notifying me that there is an infant from the mother you helped several months ago. I know you are out of town. I have set up a "relinquishment hearing" for you at 7am in a town two hours away. If you want to adopt this infant, I will see you in morning at the courthouse. If not, call me anytime of night."
It was 1:00 am.
We were tired and on EST (3:00am)
We didn't sleep.
We talked a lot.
We got up and left just before 5:00am for a 2 hour drive.
We came home with our Lauren.
I knew. I knew right away....something was drastically different now.
This infant was so different from the infant I knew 6 months before.
Her diaper was SOAKED.
She cried constantly.
She was so tiny and a bit emaciated.
Her outfit was too small.
The bottle was sour.
She made no eye contact.
She didn't cling or hold onto you while being held.
Recognizably, to me, this child suffered from:
Failure to Thrive.
To Be Continued.......
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