4-13-10

In case you missed it...

BAD WEATHER, RUSSIAN ADOPTION SCANDAL AND JANETTE SHARES HER PAST
Rosie started the show signing in monotone to the Rosie Radio theme song and talking about how down she was because it was rainy and gray outside. She asked Deirdre, who once lived in Vancouver, how she dealt with the rainy days. Deirdre said it didn't bother her that much and the weather was great for her skin. Rosie pondered whether she had Seasonal Affect Disorder or just Spoiled Weather Person Disorder? Janette's hunch was the latter.

Rosie said that most of the past weekend she spent computer free and she talked about how freeing that made her feel. They talked about the International adoption scandal. An adoptive mother sent back her 7 year old adopted son to his home country of Russia on a plane alone. They talked about the horror of the story and Jeannie said how sad she felt for the little boy. They were outraged and wondered what the mother was thinking doing such a thing. Rosie said she couldn't understand how you can just adopt a child and send him back! There were some stories that the child had issues and Rosie wondered if the issue was the child or the mother because look how she resolved a problem she was having with the boy?! Rosie talked to several callers including one mother who lost her biological son in a boating accident and chose to adopt siblings from Russia two years after the boy's death. Rosie talked very sweetly to the mom and it was a great moment. Rosie can be so loving and understanding to her callers.

The story of the adoptive mother had a particularly strong impact on Janette. She shared with the studio and the listening audience that she was abandoned by her mother and there's still a piece of her that hates herself. She said she's often struggled with the thoughts that she wasn't good enough even for her mother to love her. She said she often felt angry that she wasn't aborted because she never felt wanted. Janette explained that the feeling never leaves, you adjust but it never leaves. The week before second grade started Janette was given away to another family for a period of time and she talked about the pain that stays with you after experiencing something like that. Janette said her father, who was a very tortured, sad, depressed man, visited her and her sister at the family's home every night and took them back after 6 weeks of staying there. Janette emphasized that kids know so much more than we think they do or than we think they are capable of.

MIKE HUCKABEE IS AN ASS, GAY PARENTING AND THE TEENS THAT TORTURE US
Rosie and the staff then discussed how Mike Huckabee recently compared same-sex adoption to experimentation and said "children are not puppies." The former governor and presidential candidate gave an interview regarding same-sex marriage and stated that he was very opposed to it. He went on to say, "I think this is not about trying to create statements for people who want to change the basic fundamental definitions of family." He also said "Children are not puppies," and "This is not a time to see if we can experiment and find out, how does this work?" He called same-sex marriage and civil unions, "not necessary." Huckabee said "You don't go ahead and accommodate every behavioral pattern that is against the ideal." This started a firestorm in the studio over the "ideal" marriage and whether any of the staff members has ever known anyone that has achieved this "ideal." None of them had.

Rosie also pointed out that gay people would be great parents for foster children who have been abandoned by society and their parents because they know what it's like to be ostracized from society. Deirdre says it pisses her off because many of her gay friends are fabulous parents and have fantastic bonded relationships with each other. Janette said she has always related to gay people and it is with her gay friends where she felt like she belonged. Rosie said "they're the land of misfit toys" and all are welcome.

Rosie pointed out that the character played by Lea Michele in the show Glee is raised by 2 gay men. A listener called in whose father is gay and she talked about what a wonderful father he is and how much she loves her father. This made Deirdre, Jeannie and Janette all cry listening to her story. The caller was 29 years old when her father came out to her and she was completely fine with it. The caller and Rosie take it very personally when people say these negative things about gay parents.

This led to a conversation about the difficulties in raising teenagers. Rosie and Chelsea went to the city last night to see Eve Ensler's new play, I am An Emotional Creature, and they stopped at Starbucks on the way. Chelsea walked out of the Starbucks a little before Rosie and a man said to her "hey baby, don't drink too much of that or you'll get jumpy." Rosie came out behind her and said to the man "She's TWELVE!" When they got in the car Chelsea said, "People in the city are so friendly!" Rosie remembered that she's only 12. Jeannie said it doesn't get better at 18. She talked about feeling very out of control when your kids become of legal age. She said she feels ineffective at this point as a parent.

Rosie said that Tracy often tells Rosie that children are their own people and they have their own destiny. She tells her that they as parents are here to help guide them and them you, but there's not a rule book to follow and it really has nothing to do with you. Rosie mentioned her son Blake who has Auditory Processing Disorder and how this is his first year of playing a team sport because before he wouldn't have understood the concept of the rules until now. Jeannie said she struggles with what is detaching and letting her daughter find her own way (which she knows is normal as a parent of a teen) and what is giving up entirely.

Rosie said Tracy is having similar problems with two of her teens, one of whom is skipping classes now and one who has chosen to move back to their home state of Texas. Deirdre wants Jeannie to go to lunch with her mother because she said she was the same way to her mother as Jeannie's daughter when she was a teenager. Janette wondered if all this was her daughter's rebellious nature. It was a long deep emotional conversation from all the staff members about the struggles moms of teens face. Poor Jeannie was so sad. :(

KELLE HAMPTON

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW HERE!

First read THIS. Then read THIS. Rosie read aloud from both links. The first link is a direct link to the blog entry that prompted Rosie to ask Kelle Hampton to be on the show and the second link is written by by Emily Perl Kingsley (a writer from the show Sesame Street who has a child with Down Syndrome).

Rosie had blog writer, photographer and mother Kelle Hampton on the radio via the telephone to talk about the beautiful blog entry she wrote about giving birth to her daughter who has Down Syndrome. Rosie said she thinks Kelle's blog is gorgeous and said she was so moved by her birth story. Kelle's daughter Nella is 11 weeks old now and she has another girl named Lainey who was 2 when Nella was born. Rosie mentioned how much she loved the beautiful way the doctor told her about her daughter's diagnosis. Kelle wished they had it on video so that every pediatrician could deliver the news in such a beautiful compassionate way. Kelle talked with Rosie about her wonderful friends and how they carried on the celebratory mood the day her daughter was born. Kelle said she feels like her friends carried her when she had no legs to walk.

Rosie asked Kelle about what her husband's response was to the news was and she said the first thing he said was "We can still take her home with us, can't we?" She remarked at the love he has for both his daughters, regardless.

Kelle talked about the blog and how in the beginning when she was contacted by parents of children with Down Syndrome she remembers thinking "I don't want to be part of this club." Since then, she's been amazed and loves the people she has met. Kelle said she finds comfort in that life, overall, hasn't changed. Kelle said she's received many books on Downs Syndrome and some advise her to read everything she can about the disability and some say to just love her daughter. One blogger recently told her the best book she can get is Oh, the Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss.

Jeannie asked Kelle if she had passed all the prenatal screenings and Kelle said she did. She said that all the ultrasound markers were normal but she did not have the triple marker blood test. She said that she's found many women who did not find out that their child had Down Syndrome until the day of their birth.

Kelle started her blog in 2007 as a way to connect with family and as a keepsake for her family to have later on. Rosie asked Kelle how it felt when her blog went viral. Kelle said she's still not able to digest it all other than the fact that the response has been so welcoming and so comforting. She said she's met so many amazing people and has come away with the realization that there are many, many wonderful people in this world. She's still amazed at how many people have been touched by her story.

Kelle tearfully recalled when her eldest daughter Lainey came in to meet her sister. She said she walked in with a beautiful, shy, grin; climbed up on the bed and she just smiled the proudest smile. She hugged and kissed her sister and it was through seeing that unconditional love that her daughter showed her how to love.

Rosie called Kelle a "remarkable human being" and told her of her own experience since Tracy's son Wyatt (who also has Down Syndrome) has come into her life. She said seeing Tracy love Wyatt has changed her definition of what it is to love. Kelle briefly mentioned at the end of the interview that her story is going to be a book! Rosie thanked Kelle for her blog and for calling in.

After the interview Rosie read from Kelle's blog. She read the part when she first realizes that her daughter has Down Syndrome and is looking her in the eyes like she is saying to her "Love me love me, I'm not what you expected but oh, please love me." Rosie said before knowing Wyatt she had always been wary of children with Down Syndrome. Rosie told a story of sitting on the beach when a little girl with Down Syndrome came and sat on her blanket. She said it was before she had kids. She saw this as a defining moment for her and had always thought she would somehow have a child with Down Syndrome in her life. And now she does, Tracy and her son.

Tracy and her adorable son, Wyatt - - - - - - - - ->

photo belongs to Rosie.com

Rosie closed the show.

and that's what you missed -kw