SAHM I am (5 page)

I also make a point to never be guilty of the same offense myself. After all, Proverbs 16:24 says, “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”

Sweetly,

Rosalyn Ebberly,

SAHM I Am Loop Moderator

Dearest Ronnie,

You might want to be careful about how your little stories come across. I knew what you meant, but someone who didn’t know you might have thought you were being unkind. Since you don’t read the Bible, you won’t be familiar with this verse, but I always find it helpful to keep in mind. Consider it a friendly bit of advice from your loving big sister:

“As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.” Proverbs 11:22.

Lovingly,

Rosalyn

Dear Brenna,

Anyone who knows me knows I’m very open about my adoption. I’ll be glad to answer whatever questions I can for you, but my parents’ experience of twenty-three years ago is bound to be much different than the process today. I know it’s still pretty expensive, though.

One thing that doesn’t change is the ignorance of some people. Shortly after my parents brought me home, a couple stopped them at church. “Are you going to tell her she’s adopted?” the wife asked my mom.

Mom tells me she looked down at my chocolate-brown eyes and wavy, dark hair and swallowed her smile. “I don’t know. Lawrence and I are blond and blue-eyed—do you think she’ll notice?”

According to the story, the lady blushed like a bouquet of roses. “Oh! I guess so!”

My dad couldn’t resist adding, “Well, Maureen, maybe we won’t have to tell Dulcie she’s adopted after all. I mean, if no one else can see the difference…”

My folks had a good laugh about it later—but that’s only one of our family’s “stupid comments about adoption” stories. I’ll have to tell you more sometime.

Z e-mailed me that you’re chatting with us tonight! I’ll talk to you then.

Hugs,

Dulcie

Dulcie,

Chatting with you all last night was fun. Thanks for including me. And thanks for being willing to talk about adoption, too. We could have a great time swapping “stupid comments” stories because there is an entire set for infertility also. My favorite is “Well, I get pregnant if my husband just looks at me.” I’m always like, “Really? What happens to the other women he looks at?”

I know, I know—as a Christian, I shouldn’t return rudeness for rudeness. But if they only knew how much their words hurt!

Brenna

Hi Brenna,

I’m sorry to hear people are so insensitive. I get dumb remarks about my twins, too, but I’m sure those don’t sting so much compared to what you have to deal with. I will pray for you and your husband—that’s got to be very painful.

Here’s one of the funniest twin comments I’ve received, just to make you smile:

Lady in Grocery Store, peering at Haley and Aidan in their baby seats: “(gasp!) You’ve got TWO babies!”

Me, after a difficult day, with no patience remaining: “Yeah! There’s a buy-one-get-one-free sale in the next aisle over. If you hurry, I think there’s still a couple left!”

She about fell over her cart in her hurry to get away. I should feel guilty, but I feel guiltier about not feeling guilty. :)

Grins,

Dulcie

Thanks, Dulcie, you have no idea how much I needed a smile today. :)

Brenna

Darling Dulcie,

I was on a break here at work and was thinking about you. Imagining those dark eyes, and the sweetness of your lips. I just wanted to send you a note and let you know I’m counting the minutes until I can be with you again, to feel your arms around me, to hear the melody of your voice. I can’t
wait to plunge my fingers into your thick tresses and sweep you off your feet so we can lose ourselves in the paradise of our love.

Love,

Tom

You guys, I think someone hijacked Tom’s computer. Or his brain. You
have
to read the attached e-mail. I’m freaked out! (By the way, I added Brenna to our Green Eggs alias. Hi, Brenna!)

Dulcie

To quote the bard:

“Beshrew me, but his passion moves me so, that hardly can I check my eyes from tears…”

What on earth did you do to that poor man, Dulcie?

Freaked out with you, babe,

Z

FREAKED OUT? Do you know what some girls would do to get an e-mail like that from their husbands? In fact, I don’t believe he wrote it. I think you made it up to make us jealous. :)

Jocelyn

Hi Becky!

You’d be proud of me. After patching things up with Dulcie on Monday over the phone, I sent her an e-mail today. And not just any e-mail—a LUV note. Can’t show it to you—it’s too personal, just between me and Dulcie.

You didn’t tell me it would be so hard! I started over about six times before I finally got smart. The secretary here always reads romance novels during her lunch break. I swallowed my pride and asked to see it. She looked at me like I was crazy, then she got all gooey-eyed on me. Told me she thought it was real touching to meet a guy who liked romance and wasn’t afraid to show it. BRU—THER! Anyway, I snuck the book to my desk and just copied some of the stuff I thought a girl would like. Piece of cake!

By the way, you don’t read that junk, do you? Some of it made me blush! If I ever catch Dulcie with a book like that, I’ll burn it. It was hard work finding things to write that wouldn’t get me fired! Anyway, I’ll let you know how she responds—IF it’s appropriate for my kid sister’s ears, that is.

Thanks again!

Tom

I do
not
read those sort of books! :)

Good for you for trying your hand at writing a love note. However, I think one written in your own words would have just as much impact, and then you don’t have to worry about borrowing any more novels from the secretary. How about that, okay?

Are you and Dulcie hosting Thanksgiving? I know it’s only August, but Mom was wanting to know, and Jordan’s got to get that Wednesday off. Mom wants to bring Morris, just so you’re prepared. They’re coming this weekend—I think it sounds serious.

Love,

Becky

P.S. Jordan says you’d better fork over the note or else. You might as well—she probably passed it around to all her friends anyway. Which means all their husbands have seen it, too. Why keep your sister and brother-in-law in the dark? :)

Dulcie wouldn’t do that. Trust me. I’m the one who’s known her almost six years, remember? She’s got more sense than that. You can tell Jordan neither of you are EVER going to see that e-mail. Writing it made me really miss her. I should think about trying to get a job with less travel. It’s just that with the programming market being what it is right now, it’s not a smart time to be looking. Did you know they’re talking about sending me to Alaska this spring?

Tom

Tom, honey,

That was a very interesting note! Are you okay? I mean, I can ask Dr. Conner for a referral in KC if you’d like to see someone. I know you’ve been under a lot of stress lately. I hope you aren’t getting sick. But if you are, don’t worry about anything except getting well. The girls and I will hold down the fort here. Everything will be fine.

Love you much!

Dulcie

I’m not sick! I wrote you a letter trying to show you how I feel about you, and you think I need to see a doctor? What is your problem, anyway?

Tom

Sorry, sweetie, I didn’t mean to offend you. But really—“lose ourselves in the paradise of our love”??? You NEVER say things like that! Did you copy that from a romance novel, or what?

Your devoted (though somewhat suspicious) love,

Dulcie

HE COPIED FROM A ROMANCE NOVEL! Can you believe it? After I e-mailed him, he called and confessed. I asked him why he would do something so silly. His response: “I wanted to tell you how I felt, but my words all sounded
stupid. You deserve better than that, so I figured someone who writes romantic stuff for a living would be able to say it with more flair.”

Isn’t that sweet? I told him next time he wants to copy something, try
Sonnets of the Portuguese.
Or Shakespeare. But that his own words are really the ones I want most. He’s coming home this weekend and taking me on a REAL date! Imagine that!

Now, if only he’d get a job here in Omaha so he could be home more often….

Blissfully,

Dulcie

Oh, please. The only things more nauseating than your e-mail, Dulcie, are Rosalyn’s weekly topics. But I still love you. :)

Z