And speaking of giving birth--it's a BOY! February, 1, 1973

Baby boy Zielke

Thirty-eight years ago, I was alone, I was pregnant, and I was overdue. I had a weird doctor who thought that because I was pregnant, I couldn't attend highschool. I told him in no uncertain terms where to shove his advice. I was finishing Grade 12, and I had only 7 months to do it.

This same doctor was not into Mother Nature doing her own thing, in her own time. So, at 11:30 at night, I was told (against my legal rights and without any signing authority -- I was underage, so they made me a fast ward of the court), that I was too long overdue and that I was going to have an emergency C-section. I already hated doctors--he cemented the deal. 

In those days, unwed pregnant mothers, with plans to give their babies up for adoption, were kept away from their children. So, I lay in bed recovering from been ripped open against my will, and wondered what happened to my baby.

A tiny British nurse came in one day; she could see I had been crying. She listened to my story, and then she said, "We'll do something about that. You want to see your baby? Let's go." This was 8 days after the birth of my son.

I remember how tiny she was, because she had to help me out of the bed. And I could barely help myself. She took me to the nursery, we walked inside, and she pointed out a baby to me. "That's your baby," she said. "Do you want to hold him?" I had no idea what to do. I had no idea how to feel. "I said, NO."

I also said, NO," to the social worker pushing the adoption papers at me, along with the pressure to sign quickly because the parents were waiting.

I kept my son against all odds. And, today, I had lunch with him.

He's a great kid--a man, now. And I am so proud of him.  He is strong in the Lord, he cares for others weaker than himself, and he is a hard-worker. He throws lumber every day, even in sub-zero temperatures.

Happy birthday, Ryan. May we share many more birthday lunches together.

Love, Mom

PS Didn't write a single word on the Vine today, but did meet with the bookstore manager at West Edmonton Mall, where I will be signing books on the 19th of this month.

Ryan shows off his birthday "cake":

The "apple bird" served on birthdays: