Beech Tree News Network

This is a true story that happened about 5 years ago.  I share it with you because, well for one thing, it’s one of my favorite stories about my in-laws and secondly, when Michael and I decided to adopt, I worried that his family, because they are another culture, would not be open to accepting our children as “one of their own”.  Why I had these fears is beyond me because they have always welcomed me, funny accent and all, with arms wide open and true to form, they have done the same with our boys. 

I always wanted to marry the proverbial tall, dark and handsome man.  What I got was short, bald and Greek.  Before I can tell you my story, I have to give you a little background information.

My husband, Michael, was born in the country of Cyprus and immigrated to the United States when he was eight years old with his parents, four sisters, and brother and did not speak English.  I like to joke with my husband that seeing how they were “foreigners” they didn’t realize that there were 49 other states to choose from when they got off the boat (okay, it was plane), so his parents probably figured that New Jersey was the Promised Land.  With that being said, my husband grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey across the river from the big apple, New York City.   

Flash forward to November 2007.  It is our turn to go to New Jersey which is 14 hours and 850 miles one way, with 4 boys ages 11, 7, 4 and 2, two of whom had decided that the other could not look out “his” window as we were backing out of the driveway, to visit Michael’s family.  We were very excited about the trip because this would be the first time that Michael’s family would get to meet 3 of our sons that we had adopted the previous year plus.
 
There we are in NJ, at my sister-in-law’s new house “in the woods”.  My sister-in-law’s definition of “in the woods” and my definition of “in the woods” are not the same.  Her definition is basically the equivalent of having downtown Louisville traffic, in your back yard, on a night when the UK Wildcats are in town to stomp the Cards, all the time but with trees. 

It’s usually cold in New Jersey by Thanksgiving but the weather was unseasonably warm and beautiful, so we were able to spend the majority of the day outside on the deck.  I had just stepped inside for a moment when all of the sudden my sister-in-law, Kitty, YELLS, “Oh my God, everybody!  Hurry!  Come outside and see the deer!” (Which with a Jersey accent would sound like “Oh mah Gawd, ev-uh-ree bahdee, HUH-REE, come outside and see the deee-uhhh!”)  I do not hunt; therefore, I do not get excited over deer unless they are running towards my car as I drive down the interstate.  Apparently, to Michael’s family, deer are a big deal.

Everyone proceeds to line the deck of the house to look at the 5 deer that are clearly emaciated and scared out of their wits because they probably just played “Frogger” across 6 lanes of highway.  A hush falls over the crowd as they ogle these magnificent flea and tick covered creatures. 

Out of the blue, my 4 year old son, Dakota, who has never hunted a day in his life, yells out, “HEY! WHEN WE GONNA SHOOT EM’?  BANG-BANG! BANG-BANG!”  A horrified gasp erupts from my in-laws and slowly everyone turns to look at ME!!  My husband then proceeds to make a snarky remark about marrying someone from Kentucky and it’s my fault his kids are going to end up as a bunch of rednecks. 

Slowly I turned my head at my husband and gave him the look that clearly said, “You know, you have to go to sleep at some point big boy”.  I then just smiled at him and turned to my in-laws and calmly said in my best Kentucky twang, “Hey, where I come from, that’s some good eatin’ right there!  I wonder what that big one field dresses at?” 

Needless to say, I don’t think I have to worry about my in-laws coming to our house for Thanksgiving Dinner, ever.

***
C. Denise Lambrianou is the Program Coordinator for Family Enrichment Center-Adoption Resource Program, which is funded in part by a grant from the Cabinet of Health and Family Services, Department of Protection and Permanency and Wendy’s of Bowling Green. If you would like information about becoming a foster or adoptive family, please call (270) 781-6714 x 3 or (866) 842-9032 x 3.

***

Meet Chris!
Chris (06/97) is an outgoing, fun loving, friendly and affectionate child with a great smile. He loves his Game-Boy and board games, but also enjoys action figures, reading and being outside. Chris does best in a smaller classroom. The relationships he has with adults are generally positive, but like most teens he can test boundaries. Chris is very bright and his favorite subject is reading. He’s even earned Student of the Week. Chris can play with others, but at times he does have some problems when interacting with his peers. He desperately wants to belong, but sometimes responds to others in a manner that pushes them away. Chris does best with peers his own age. He craves one on one attention from an adult who will make a commitment. Chris is apathetic when it comes to adoption procedures, as he focuses on the present and not the future, but this could be an obstacle he could overcome with a positive, patient and nurturing family. Chris needs to know that someone is there to care for him and to keep him safe even though he sometimes tests those when placed in new surroundings. Chris said he would want an adoptive family that has pets. He would like for them to have some animals such as dogs or turtles. Chris is making progress dealing with his past, and he needs that special family who is persistent, and willing to tough out the hard times. Chris really wants to know what it’s like to be an important part of a family, in which he can give love and be loved.