Something to be thankful for. I'm getting a daughter!

[Bluzmann57]

The wife and I have something to be very thankful for this Thanksgiving and I wanted to share with the DU community. Hope you don't mind this personal bit of thankfulness.
Around two years ago, we petitioned the U.S. Government to bring my wife's adopted daughter here to the USA. The little girl was, and is living in the Philippines. After a LOT of hassle and money, the youngster is coming to America! The immigration laws in this country are unbelievably strict and do not let anyone else tell you differently. And the government of the Republic of the Philippines is about as corrupt as any on earth. And we got through all of that so that a little girl could have a reasonably good life here in America with two parents and some loving (not to mention spoiling the kid rotten) grandparents.
We are about as happy as anyone can be right now. My wife is flying out on November 30 and returning on Dec. 6 with our little girl, Tiffany Joy. And yes, I plan to raise her as a staunch Democrat.
One more thing. Some of you may be asking, "who cares about this drivel?" And some others may be asking, "Why is a middle aged man going to be a father again?" That is a question I have asked myself several times and I guess the answer is that I feel I have something to share. Not a lot of $ but some solid values and a lot of love. Am I perfect? Of course not. But I will do my level best to see that this young lady has a roof over her head, clothes on her body, and food in her belly. I will also do my best to see that she grows up to be a good human being. That is what I can offer and that is what my wife can offer. Thank you for indulging me and have a great Thanksgiving! Remember, we can all be thankful that Obama will be PotUS for another four years.

[hedgehog]

1. Thank you for giving me a smile today!

[randome]

2. Good for the two of you!

And good luck!

[Spazito]

3. Congratulations on being successful in bringing your daughter home...

I am sure this will be both a Thanksgiving and Christmas to remember!

Beautiful OP!

[Turbineguy]

4. This is good.

[Carigal]

5. I was adopted

I was adopted many years ago and was always so very proud of that fact. I would tell my friends that my parents got to choose me (and my twin sister) and their parents did not! Since I had such a great experience I adopted one of my children. So one is mine by birth and one is mine by adoption. There is no difference at all in how I feel about them.

[Smarmie Doofus]

6. Cambodia is MORE corrupt. (US won't even let kids in from there anymore.) But....

that's not the point.

The point is: You must be in hog heaven!

I know the feeling.

Savor the moment.

And... it really IS a great thing you did.

Great for you. Great for her.

[arthritisR_US]

7. What a wonderful post! She is a very lucky little girl to come into your family, I have

no doubt of what dear parents you two will be

[rivegauche]

8. How WONDERFUL!

Good for you, you both are awesome for giving this little girl a better life. Hope your holidays are fantastic.

[Ecumenist]

9. Oh,how Wonderful Bluzman! You and your wife are bringing this sweet little girl into your hearts &

home. Money isn't everything and as long as you can get the things you need, that's all that matters. If we had more folks like you, this world would be a FAR better place.

Middle aged is a wee bit too old to be a father? Nope, my husband and I are planning to use a surrogate to have a baby and I'm 49 in January- he's 51, 52 in June. So, you're in good company. Let me tell you a secret: the only time you're too old is when you DEAD.. Other than that. LOVE knows no age.

Tiffany is a VERY lucky little girl to be loved by two wonderful human beings and I'll bet my eyeteeth that she's going to be Daddy's girl! Congratulations and happy, HAPPY Thankgiving and many, MANY more! It's people like you who make believe that there is a God. God bless you and your family!

[Tikki]

10. Yeah...Tiffany Joy is coming home.

Happy family..you'll do fantastic DAD....


The Tikkis

[abelenkpe]

11. Awwwwwwww, congratulations! nt

[Tommy_Carcetti]

12. Congrats!

And Happy Thanksgiving indeed!

[karmaqueen]

13. WONDERFUL! CONGRATULATIONS!

Happy for your family! What a wonderful Thanksgiving blessing

[RiverSong]

65. Much happiness. nt

[nolabear]

14. This ain't drivel, Baby. This is the best stuff life has to offer. Congratulations!

What a holiday! You don't say what the circumstances have been or how old she is but I hope adjustment goes well. And love will get you WAY further than $$ where kids are concerned.

Wonderful post! Hooray!

[ceile]

15. wonderful news!

Be sure to keep us updated on her arrival!

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. Enjoy your daughter

And be willing to work through culture shock.

[me b zola]

17. Transnational adoptions are the hardest on adoptees

It is supposed to be about the children...right?

[BlancheSplanchnik]

18. with a DU name like yours,

I'm sure T.J. is going to become a real music fan!

T.J. sounds like a good name for a blues slinging' chick!

Congratulations!!!!!

[irisblue]

19. Mazel Tov

a daughter! and she's finally with mom and dad. this is such a joy, and I'm glad you shared with DU.

[Samantha]

20. That is indeed something to be thankful for

Congratulations to all of you.

Sam

[renate]

21. congratulations!

What a joy! (And what an appropriate name she has!)

[badhair77]

22. Thanks for sharing this.

We can always use good news. I wish you and your family well. Hope there is smooth sailing thru the process.

[davidthegnome]

23. Fantastic! Congratulations!

I hope everything goes great for you.

[Aristus]

24. Congratulations, Bluzman! I'm happy for you!

That's wonderful. I know Tiffany Joy will have wonderful parents...

[Cairycat]

25. Congratulations, Bluzmann!

that is indeed something to be thankful for. Daughters are wonderful, and I wish you and your family much joy.

[NotThisTime]

26. When a child is wanted as much as Tiffany is she will thrive with you and your wife as her parents

Regardless of the why's, the how's, age, she will be your child. Congratulations on this wonderful joyous news. I think this is the type of news most people love to hear about, at least I know I do.

[Fresh_Start]

27. Congrats

and thank you for sharing your happy news with us.

[treestar]

28. How wonderful!

Lucky little girl!

[Waltons_Mtn]

29. That is just wonderful news.

Thank you for caring enough to share your lives with this small child.

[Surya Gayatri]

30. Beautiful and inspiring post...and what a lovely name for your new girl, "Tiffany Joy"!

[barbtries]

31. that is beautiful!

all the best to you, and thank you for sharing this with us.

[LoisB]

32. CONGRATULATIONS!!!

[Chorophyll]

33. Congratulations!

[skeewee08]

34. Congratulations.....

I love the name her name....her nick-name will be TJ...LOL...

[me b zola]

35. .

[Jamastiene]

36. Gratz!

K&R

[chloes1]

37. Congrats! n/t

[Liberal In Red State]

38. "I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection."

-- Sigmund Freud --
She is one lucky little lady! Congrats to you and your wife!

[lunatica]

39. You just made me cry Bluzmann57

I care very deeply that there are people like you and your wife and your new daughter. May your lives together be profoundly happy and meaningful.

You will make a great father what with all that experience behind you.

[peacebird]

40. Congrats! Wonderful news, and a very lucky little girl to have you in her life!

[Bluzmann57]

41. Thanks to everybody

Thank you for your well wishes and thank you to DU as well, the coolest political and humanity site on the world wide web.
Yeah I've come in and had fierce arguments with people about various things and probably will again because I'm an opionated a**hole. But in the end, we all are fighting for the same thing. Once again, thank you all.

[Odin2005]

42. Congrats!

[RogerM]

43. Congratulations

Noble act. Good luck.

[LibertyLover]

44. That is fantastic - congratulations

9 years ago, my husband and I introduced our 16 month old daughter to our family at Thanksgiving. We had just gotten back from bringing her home from China. All the best to you, your wife and your daughter!

[xxqqqzme]

45. Wonderful news

Of course you had to share it w/ the rest of the 'family'. We love hearing this news. Thank you.

[NOLALady]

46. O My Goodness.

What a wonderful Christmas Holiday you will have!

I am so happy for your family!!!

[progressoid]

47. Excellent!

[BeliQueen]

48. Wonderful news!

Congratulations! I'm so grateful that your Thanksgiving will be filled with thanks!

[Window]

49. That is indeed wonderful news. Thanks for sharing.

Tiffany Joy (beautiful name by the way) is a very blessed little girl to have you and your wife as parents.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

One of the greatest things i'm thankful for this year is President Obama's re-election.

[southernyankeebelle]

50. What a nice story. I remember living in the Phillipines as a kid. I started first grade there.

Also made my holy communion there. I have lots of fine memories growing up there for about 3 yrs. We were fortunate enough to have a married couple who lived with us. The lady (LaLa) worked around our house and her husband was a school bus driver. Those were great days. Then yrs later Our neighbors living across the hall from us in military quarters use to babysit for me. OMG her and her husband loved my son like their own. She took such good care of him and he sure loved her and her little girls. Her oldest was a little terror (LOL). But we really had good times with them. Nice you will get to enjoy your time during the holidays.

[WoodyD]

51. Congrats!

Something to be very thankful for!

[Rider3]

52. That was beautiful!

Congratulations!

[elfin]

53. SWEET on so many levels

Don't know her age, but be prepared for the commercial submersion into Primcess,crap, Barbie crap, etc. Smile throughout as you gently introduce her to more worthy interests.

If you get a genuine smile or laugh from her once a day, your task is done and she will live long and prosper.

[Freddie]

54. Congratulations! What truly joyous news!

Thirteen years ago my brother and his wife brought their daughter home from China. She has brought nothing but joy to the whole family. You'll never forget this Thanksgiving--congrats!

[flakey_foont]

55. Congratulations

[LiberalLoner]

56. Congratulations! I am so happy for you, for your wife and for your new precious daughter!

I know you will be such a wonderful father to her and I know she will be a blessing in your life!

Thank you for sharing this good news, you really made my heart happy with this story!

[lillypaddle]

57. Congrats to you and Mrs. Bluzmann

Much love to your and your daughter! Wonderful news.

[Liberal_in_LA]

58. k&r

[ReRe]

59. Congratulations to your family!

What a beautiful name, Tiffany Joy. You are walking on air, aren't you? I'm so happy for you and your family. What a wonderful Christmas present for everyone... for life! Yes, we all have so much to be thankful for this year. Thanks for your family's joy, thanks for the reelection of the POTUS and the First Family, and thanks for all of our DU family as well. Is is good to count our blessings.

[a kennedy]

60. Extremely happy for you all.....

[Duval]

61. Thanks for sharing. It's marvelous! n/t

[musical_soul]

62. congrats.

[brer cat]

63. Wonderful news!

And of course you should share it with your DU family.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

64. This will be a Thanksgiving you'll never forget!

Congratulations and best wishes to your whole family...such a wonderful outcome for all of you.

for the family

: for Tiffany Joy

for your wife

for YOU!

[roguevalley]

66. awesome!!!!!

[meti57b]

67. CONGRATULATIONS! ... and may your family have the very best of everything!

[gkhouston]

68. Congratulations! Sounds like Christmas came early for you this year! n/t

[Heathen57]

69. Definitely something to be thankful for.

I am always seeing hate, violence, and fear everywhere so I enjoy seeing something kind and good when I can.

Daughters are always special to their fathers, and from your post, I figure you are going to treat her as your own. they can break your heart, but they can just as easily fill it with so much love and joy that you can't hardly stand it.

Congrats to you and your family for putting up with all the red tape and garbage you had to put with. A daughter is worth all the effort.

<and just an aside, I feel just the same way about my son, I'm proud of them both>

[Arkansas Granny]

70. Congratulations to the three of you.

I wish you much Joy and happiness.

[lonestarnot]

71. Excellent! Congratulations.

[myrna minx]

72. Wonderful news and congratulations!

[Cha]

73. Happy for you, Bluzmann! Wishing you and your family a long healthy life

together.

And, I most certainly am thankful we have Obama as POTUS for Four More Years!

[Piazza Riforma]

74. Mazel tov!

All the best to your family this holiday season.

[libmom74]

75. Congratulations!

[panAmerican]

76. I am thankful for people like you

I have great respect for people who endure the international adoption hardships to bring a child out of even deeper difficulties.

[JNelson6563]

77. Beautiful post!

You and your wife are obviously wonderful people!



Enjoy!

Julie

[madrchsod]

78. congrats!

[Ilsa]

79. Congratulations! This is wonderful news!

Thank you for sharing it with us.
Happy Thanksgiving!

[Stellar]

80. Congrats to you and the wife...

and of course to the sweet gift of life of this little one that God has granted you.

[NewJeffCT]

81. Congratulations

Best wishes to you and your daughter for a lifetime of happiness.

[dexterborg]

82. Great Stuff!

Congratulations!! Best of wishes
[img][/img]

[davsand]

83. That is a wonderful reason for celebration and giving thanks!

Brightest Blessings on you and your family, Bluzmann! Best wishes to you all!!!






Laura

[Bluzmann57]

84. Once again, thank you to all

Thanks to all of you who responded to this and sent along your best wishes. We will do our best to help Tiffany become a productive member of American society. But I just thought of something, what if she's scared of me because I'm so much bigger than her? Boy, the weird stuff going on inside my "mind" now...

[itsrobert]

85. Of course the laws are tough

This is the greatest country in the world and many commit fraud to try to get a piece of it. Those laws are there for a reason.

[calimary]

86. YAY!!! Such great news!

Congratulations! Thank you so much for sharing this new beginning for your family. I'm an adoptee myself. So I can tell you what a lucky little girl Tiffany Joy is. No, your household isn't perfect. Neither was mine. But I knew I was wanted and loved. My adoptive parents never hid that fact from me. I only recently found my birth siblings. But until I was old enough to start learning about the birds and the bees, that's where I thought babies came from. You went down to the Baby Store and picked out your baby! 'Cause whatever my parents always told me, they always finished it with the bottom line: "...and we picked YOU!!!" And even when I didn't understand it completely, I still appreciated that they told me the truth. She'll grow up knowing she was wanted and loved. And she'll cherish you more deeply as she grows into adulthood and is able to appreciate the technicalities and struggles involved in an adoption like hers - when she discovers how hard the two of you fought to give her a better start in life.



MAN, this is gonna be a nice Thanksgiving! Several DUers have really wonderful stories to share at the moment - of achievement, renewed or improved health, employment, other positive things, some of them hard-won. Very reaffirming and downright savory! We're approaching winter and yet it feels like spring inside. The election, too, and so much other good news on marriage equality and legalized pot measures.