Monday, March 5, 2012

Good, Bad, and Ugly

The good: Isaiah signed the legal documents giving away rights to the child. DNA testing will be done after the birth, but it will be done only for information purposes and to give the legal documentation MORE merit. Essentially, the way I understand it, Isaiah lawyered up and our lawyer discussed it with his lawyer. They came to an agreement that Isaiah isn't saying he fathered the child but that if he is the father, he gives up all rights to the child and places decision making rights in Rachel's hands. There's more to it than that, I'm sure, but it will work. Isaiah is sticking to his story that the baby is not his and even if the DNA proves he is, there's a stipulation that he won't have to know and his family won't know or some crap theory. So much for being a man of upstading moral fiber.

More good: The baby looks great on ultrasound. She's looking to be about 3+ lbs. And, Rachel is pretty confident about one of the couples she met.

The bad: Rachel is on bedrest. We were taking a walk the other night and she had what we thought were Braxton Hicks contractions. We waited it out and by midnight, we realized that the contractions were beginning to regulate until they were coming every 8 minutes. We called her doctor and the doctor advised us to bring her to the maternity ward to get checked out. She was dilated to a one and 20% efaced. They gave her something magnesium in an IV which made her feel horrible but stopped the contractions. Now she has to take daily oral medication. Those meds and the bedrest are making her kind of impatient and hard to please. She's at home now because she went without contractions for forty-eight hours but I was pretty worried about her. Now she's extremely bored. I checked out some DVDs from the library but their selection is poor. I may give her my computer and see about getting her an internet connection at her place. Does anyone know of a cheap alternative to cable?

The ugly: My mom and dad sent an e-mail through this blog trying to guilt her into coming back home and keeping her child FOR THEM TO RAISE. It's pathetic. Among other things, they're claiming that they'll sue her to get custody. Now we have to deal with that craziness. Rachel's attorney told me that their office will handle this but Jesus,....why can't they leave her alone?

64 comments:

  1. I'm sorry they can't seem to leave her alone:-/

    Also: Netflix is 8$/month for unlimited streaming (so she'd have to have internet) and has a ton of movies/television shows. Also hulu.com

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  2. I second Netflix as a good option. Regular service on Hulu is free, so she might be able to find some good stuff there. Pbs.org has a wide selection of documentaries it's aired in the past, so that might also be a good place to look. Also, what kinds of books does she like?

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    1. I third Netflix. $8/month plus tax gets you unlimited streaming.

      Also, most network websites have shows streaming.

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  3. Seconded on the Netflix. I've spent a lot of hours watching my favorite shows and movies on there--old and new.

    I'm sorry your parents just can't seem to actually stick to their "washing of hands" ultimatum. Documentation will be very handy if they decide to sue for custody--this blog is a great start. Any e-mails from your father, with all the threats and blackmail would be great if you still have them. Statements from the people that helped you, your sister, and you brother escape would be helpful as well, if they're willing.

    Love and well-wishes for you and your sister.

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  4. Honestly (and I imagine the lawyer can confirm this), I don't think your parents have anything go on. Rachel has food, housing, medical care, is with a sister who loves and wants to help her, and is choosing the best environment for her child. Neither of you are on drugs or making dangerous decisions. And, um, if three of your parents' children have left home, have similar descriptions of your upbringing, and are essentially shunned (except for attempts to control y'all)? Most lawyers worth their J.D.'s wouldn't play. I'd still be sure that you keep Rachel's lawyer in the loop (every phone call, e-mail, any other communication) just in case, but I don't think either of you have anything to worry about.

    As for things to do on bedrest, Netflix and Hulu are both good options for TV shows/movies; the paid version of either is about $7 or $8 a month, and Hulu has a good variety of free shows and movies (well, the variety is good; a lot of the movies are awful). And, if there's anything Rachel can or wants to do that can be done from a bed/couch/chair, especially something that was forbidden at home...Friends who've been on bedrest have spent that time on crafts, puzzles, reading, and things like that. If you're already hunting around craigslist for furniture and other things, you might be able to find magazines and craft supplies and things for free. Personally, I love any magazine with gorgeous photography (nature, architecture, art) or teen/fashion magazines.
    Honestly, if Rachel has access to a computer with internet, she can do a lot from the apartment.
    More positive thoughts for y'all!

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  5. If you can't get Netflix by inet, you can also get it the old-fashioned way: by mail. Then she could watch the DVDs on your computer or on a TV, if you can find a DVD player for her. It might be less expensive than paying for monthly internet fees, especially if you can find that DVD player on Craigslist or freecycle.

    A suggestion: if possible, print out any emails along with their headers. There should be a "view message source" on your email. It may open up another tab on your browser, but printing out with the headers will prove where these emails are coming from as well as giving time/date, etc. It might be an extra level of protection and proof that Darth Daddy is being a PITA again.

    Glad to hear that "Isaiah" is legally surrendering his parental rights. It would be interesting, of course, for the woman he is currently courting to hear the results of the DNA testing, but being deceptive seems to be a way of life with him. Too bad for her.

    Praying for both you and Rachel.

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  6. Ruth, I'd be glad to send Rachel some books and magazines. I have a bunch that I would be glad to part with. National Geo Traveler, Family Circle and such. Media mail doesn't cost that much intra CA.
    Email me if you're interested and I'll get them out by the end of the week.

    Second on Streaming Netflix. We do ours through the Wii or XBox. I do it through my laptop. Are there any used computer stores (check at school too) where you could pick up one for her?

    To Darth Daddy and Mom, You told her you were done with her. Be people of your word and leave Rachel and Ruth alone.
    To Isaiah: You are a lilly livered coward as those old Westerns used to say. When the DNA proves it's your child, you're going to have to live with the knowledge of what you did. Pfiffle on you.

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  7. Ruth - I've got Amazon Prime. Costs about $75 a year but gives unlimited streaming access to many movies and TV shows. You can try it for a month for free and if you don't likes, you don't keeps. Also gives you 2nd day shipping on all qualifying Amazon orders. Worth a look...

    Jim K.

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    1. You can offset the cost by adding up to 4 members of your "household's" (wink wink) amazon accounts to your prime service. I did that for $15 each (the Prime service was $79) and wound up only paying $19 for mine after everyone had paid me for theirs. You have to be the main Amazon Prime account to get the free streaming, you can't tag on someone else's and get the free streaming.

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    2. I get Amazon prime at a student discount for less than that. Ruth you can get it free for a year I believe and then you have to pay a discounted price. Check it out. It's well worth it.

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  8. Okay, I am a new reader and read all of the archives over the weekend - WOW, you've got a story.

    I have a sack of preemie clothes (I had a preemie boy but the onesies are greens and yellows, mostly) and I can't think of anywhere I would rather see it go, if the baby comes before a family is chosen. From my bedrest experience, go with magazines, word puzzle books, etc. My attention span was far too short to dive into a book, and I LOVE books. I don't have experience with the mag sulfate, but I've heard it SUUUUUCKS.

    Since she's shown signs of preterm labor, please ask her doctor if they would recommend a steroid shot (there are 2 actually, given 24hrs apart) to help speed the maturity of the baby's lungs and brain. It can make a world of difference. I would check soon, though, it's generally most effective before 34 weeks, and I think she's closing in on 33? Here is more info about it: http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/pretermlabor/a/pretermnews.htm

    I'm so angry at your parents for not teaching you about your bodies, and how this works, I just want to remember every single thing about the complications and early delivery I experienced and tell it to you because knowledge = power, but I'm sure that would be overwhelming. But requesting the steroid shot is a proactive thing Rachel can do (as opposed to something that is being done to/for her), if her doc thinks it's indicated.

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  9. Netflix is good for some TV shows, as is hulu.com. I'd suggest the show Parks & Recreation to start. It's a sweet, upbeat show, so I think it'd be a good intro for your sister to everyday culture.

    I hope everything goes well with the baby, and that she decides to make her appearance at the proper time.

    I also have no doubt that you'll be getting an e-mail from your parents about how her having contractions early is God punishing her. Definitely save all e-mails you get from them, and let the lawyer know what is going on.

    Good luck to you and your sister,

    Lauren H.

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  10. The news about the father....good and bad.

    I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that I think your parents wanting the baby is a step towards them coming to terms with what this lifestyle has meant for them and for their family. They are having to come to terms with losing a grandchild (their first?) and it's forcing them into place of where they are beginning to question where this path has brought them and what it is really costing them in terms of the relationships with their children.

    The fact that they want their grandchild is positive. Not that they should be allowed to have her, but because blood truly IS thicker than water. I think most people have an innate need to see their family prosper....and a grandchild is a sign of prosperity, a GOOD sign, no matter how they come about.

    Does your sister knit or crochet? I do both and am presently crocheting rugs that look like braided rag rugs. I have so much excess to get rid of in terms of yarn that I will never knit or crochet into garments that I thought rugs would be a quick and easy way to use it all up. I would be MORE THAN HAPPY to send much of my excess to your sister if she is at all interested in using it up. I would happily send it to your school or a business or even the library if you don't want to send her address.

    Oh, and our library has movies to check out for free. I'm sure one there does too. That may be a very viable option for her.

    I'm also pretty sure that there are books on "tape" that are available to check out via the Internet through your local library. They can be downloaded to pretty much any MP3 player or iPod or even a computer and she has 2 weeks to listen to it before they take it back. Ask your local library about that too and they will get you set up. I just got done listening to The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo while working on my rugs.

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    1. I completely disagree with this. They want that baby so they can "raise it right", not because they're seeing issues with how they parented. If they were seeing the what a shitty job they've done, they wouldn't e-mailing that they support the adoption and just want Rachel to be happy. They aren't doing that - they are threatening her. Nothing has changed.

      Lauren H.

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    2. You're free to disagree,however, please note that I didn't say they should raise the baby or be allowed anywhere near her. That ship has sailed and sailed a long time ago.

      What I am saying is that grandchildren have a way of making people rethink their lives, their mortality, their arrival to the point of where they presently are. There is a very Looooooong leap from this point to a point of restoration and there is a lot that would have to happen between now and then....if there ever is a "then."

      But this grandchild is making them think...reflect a bit perhaps. I see that as encouraging, somewhat.

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    3. Nice in theory but not always the case. I wasn't raised in the same environment as Ruth, but from my preteen years on I always felt like I was a burden and disappointment to my parents. Like the black sheep, and other than just not being as smart and popular as they would have liked, but perhaps for also being a bit too free-spirited for their liking.

      When I had kids and they were able to see them on a regular basis, it became clear over time that they saw my boys as a chance to correct history, like maybe these little ones would be smarter and more of a success than their mother was.

      They also didn't think much of my second son who is the spittin' image of his dad (whom they didn't approve of) and is personality wise a lot like me, though he is smarter, as is his brother, and they both get a's and b's in school now as opposed to me who was a c-average student.

      I have cut my parents out of my life for many reasons and just don't speak to them anymore and don't trust them around my kids. It took about a year for my middle son to be convinced that he is NOT fat. He's stocky but we have to buy him slim fit jeans or a belt, whereas his older brother is like a stick. I had some weight related issues too and nearly became anorexic because of their unhealthy mindsets but with a friend's and my husband's help, I got past it. :)

      They're not going to meet the baby because I don't want to have to detox him too.

      So I don't think anyone would be wrong in keeping this one from its grandparents. From what Ruth has said and Darth Daddy has spewed here, I'm thinking it would be a very toxic environment for the little girl.

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  11. Of course, you could just check out Books on CD/tape at the library that could also be played on a DVD player or computer as well. I download mine to my MP3 because it makes doing the dishes and the laundry seem to go that much faster. For someone who is on bed rest however an MP3 probably isn't as useful. ;-)

    Hang in there, Ruth/Rachel. You're in the home stretch.
    Every day your baby is in the womb is like 2 days in the NICU.

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  12. ...or rather 2 days she doesn't have to SPEND in the NICU.....

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  13. Most of the networks have websites as well... nbc.com, cbs.com, abc.com where you can watch their shows... a couple of them have pretty deep archives as well... or at least they used to... I watch alot of television this way.

    It is Rachel's decision about who raises the baby. If she wants to go home and allow her parents to help raise the child, then that's her choice. However, if she wants to allow the child to be adopted by another family, that is also her choice. For all practical purposes, Rachel is now a parent herself. Your parents have to respect that fact. Rachel has the right to make the choice she feels is best for her child. They may not like it, but they have to honor it.
    It strikes me more as a threat "to do as I say little lady!" (that's how my parents communicated the do it or else in our house) because "I say so." It sounds like a threat to force her back into the fold with a giant scarlet letter on her chest to lord moral superiority over her indefinitely.

    In my opinion, they lost any rights over Rachel when they turned her out. Parents who give a damn don't let pregnant women of any age fend for themselves as a life lesson.

    My great grandfather unexpectedly died when my grandfather was 6. My great grandmother had to swallow her pride and beg her parents to allow them to move in because she could not afford to live on her own as a widow in the 1920s. My great grandmother had defied her mother to marry my great grandfather. My grandfather HATED his grandmother (my great great grandmother) until his dying day. He said he made his life a living hell because he was the physical representation of his mother's defiance. He was forced to live with a family that resented and hated him because he was the child who was never supposed to be born. His mother worked herself to an early grave trying to provide for him in her mother's house and he was raised in a jail without bars.

    Rachel's child deserves to be in a home where they will be loved unconditionally for who they are. That home may be with Rachel, or a family Rachel selects to place the child into. However, I sincerely doubt her parents home would ever be a place deserving of the child.

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  14. I keep blathering on, but I just want to say this,

    To Ruth and Rachel's parents:

    You know, Jesus is all about relationships. He was all about humbling Himself to meet people on the level where they were. He didn't rebuke Matthew for being a tax collector, or the woman at the well for being a prostitute. He felt the sick woman who knew she only had to touch him to be healed, touch the hem of his garment, and he treated her with respect and love and kindness. He didn't accuse the woman who committed adultery and staved off her accusers with one simple question which made them examine their own hearts.

    He treated the individual person with so much love and tenderness, that THAT was what caused them to look inwardly and confess to His Father what they needed to confess.

    He did not malign anyone or judge or belittle. He didn't distance himself from angry and pious men and he didn't force his way...supposedly the only way to salvation...on anyone.

    He just loved them and accepted them and set an example for others to follow His lead on that.

    I really don't think that Jesus would ever, ever want us to choose such a rigid and unforgiving belief in Him that costs you the relationship of the children you have been given, yet that is what you seem to be doing. Surely, the tenderness that Jesus and The Father have shown you cannot be compromised by the tenderness you could show your own childern....if you really try.

    Jesus is eternal and we are not. Your relationship with Him may be eternal, but your relationship with your family is finite. You don't have much time to begin the healing with your own children. If you have any love for them at all, then get to work.

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    1. This is absolutely beautiful. I'm not a Christian (more of the still questioning type), but I would feel wonderful about hearing a message like this.

      Thank you.

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  15. She can listen to podcasts. You can use the internet at the library to download a bunch of free podcasts that she can listen to on your computer (or you can put them onto an ipod/mp3 player).

    Also, she can be studying for her GED test.

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  16. Nothing makes my gut clench more on this situation than the possibility of Rachel's baby being raised by your parents. I have a feeling the whole "sins of the mother/ father" would play out and that poor child would have no life whatsoever. What a horrible thing to have to grow up with!

    You are an excellent sister, and Rachel is making a wonderful and generous choice. One of my cousins is adopted, and I can't imagine our families without her.

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    1. And this is why it is really important to be in a state where grandparents do not have those kinds of rights or they are very very limited.

      They exist in my state of Montana and my husband, who adopted his three sons when he married his first wife....and their bio-father summarily abandoned them, had to put up with bio dad's parents and their intrusiveness. The GPs even went all the way to Germany when the boys and hubby were stationed there for two years, to force a two-week visitation on those boys, who neither wanted their presence nor affections.

      Totally f-ked up.

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  17. RE: cheap internet. Are there any wireless signals in range of Rachel's place? If so, would their owners be sympathetic enough to share the password with a 16 year old going through a horrible experience?

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    1. Also, check your local library for DVD's. My library has a suprisingly good selection and even allows inter-library loan.

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  18. Ruth, is there a store called Half Price Books in your area? They have a section of puzzle books (crosswords, wordsearch, etc), maybe Rachel would like to do some of those? Or you could go online and print out these same kinds of things, there are tons of free sites for this. Or does Rachel knit, crochet, or embroider? Those would be quiet ways to pass time also.

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  19. Your local library branch may not have a good selection of movies, but other branches may have a better selection. I often check on line and then have the movies and books I like sent to me. The online selection is much better.

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  20. I was on bedrest for 7 weeks(all I was allowed to do was get up to go to the bathroom). My husband was just in transferred to a new city so I didn't know anyone. It was hard. I got a cross stitch project(and I am not a crafty type) but it gave me a goal, do so many lines everyday and by the time I made my "goal" due date it was done. It might be a nice gift she could give the adoptive parents to hang in the baby's room.
    I remember I got a trial of digital cable during that time. Our cable company had a free 30 day trial. I do think finding the cheapest internet connection is the best way to go. There are so free programs to watch online.

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  21. With you being a student, Amazon Prime probably is your best bet. It's free for a year for you, and their streaming video library is improving. Hulu is good too. They have full runs of some older shows for free, and usually about 5-6 episodes of newer things. They also have some movies, though the free selection is hit or miss.

    I'm not sure if she's interested in cooking/food-type stuff, but I love Alton Brown's Good Eats -- and almost every episode is available on YouTube. Same with Iron Chef. Frontline and NOVA, on the PBS website, are very high quality. Just depends on what she likes.

    Another source of interesting viewing: thedocumentarian.tumblr.com -- aggregates free, interesting video content, mostly documentaries.

    Good luck! I hope the bedrest does the trick, as unpleasant as it is (speaking from experience!).

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    1. I don't think the free student Amazon Prime allows you to watch any videos. At least, I haven't been able to get it to work; it always tells me I have to upgrade first. Does it work for you?

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    2. Just checked -- I was wrong on that. Sorry! You do get a half-price "regular" membership ($39/yr.), though.

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  22. And I have some newborn and 0-3 month clothing that I wouldn't mind sending off. Mind you, I had a boy but a good amount of what I have is gender neutral so a girl could wear it too, if you need it! :)

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  23. University libraries sometimes have more entertainment media than you'd expect. It's worth checking out.

    Cheers,
    Deborah

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  24. Ruth,
    how ironic they throw her out of the house but now want her to come back so they can raise her daughter as their own. Should have thought about that before your dad did what he did. I think that Montan Wildflower might have a point but I also imagine that their treatment of this situation has been very good for their "christian" image especially after its been posted to the internet. For men like my dad and I think yours too image and ego are everything. Oh and I would totally because I am mean and hate self righteous little @@@!! like Isaih find a way to make sure that he, his family and the girl he is courting know that this is his child. This might not be the wisest course of action but I think your sister deserves to have her reputation somewhat salvaged and he needs exposing!! I really like hulu, netflix, youtube, and amazon prime. Youtube has alot of old tv shows on it including cartoons from many time periods it might be a good way for your sister to catch up things she missed as a kid. You are doing great both of you. Your parents will probably back off once the adoption is finalized. Keep a record of everything.

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    1. If it was me, I'd send the DNA parenting-test results to whichever poor girl Isaiah happens to be courting... maybe not the wisest course of action, but I would do it.. along with a letter explaining everything.

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    2. The only problem with that is the whole "culture/attitude" of fundamentalism would turn it around and blame Rachel for defrauding Isaiah. Poor guy just couldn't control himself as she wasn't modest enough. It isn't HIS fault you know.

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  25. No advice - just wanted to say *HUGS* to you and Rachel. You're going through a tough time at the moment, but it's going to get better. I'm glad Rachel is not going to have legal issues with the father - I know it must be emotionally painful, but her little girl deserves better - she deserves a daddy who wants her. I will pray that Rachel will find the right adoptive parents for her sweet baby.
    *HUGS* to you both. Stay strong!

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  26. You can download a computer version of Kindle and also Google Reader and can download a lot of free books (mostly the "classics"). I have downloaded Bronte, Twain, Dickens, Lucy Maud Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables series) plus there is thousands of others. Knowing that all of you grew up in a sheltered environment I am assuming some of these old classics "might" have pasted muster and might be familiar. Once you download them you don't necessarily need an active internet connection to read them.

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  27. Long time lurker, first time poster. Ditto all the comments suggesting digital Netflix. It was the greatest thing ever when I spent a week in the hospital. If Rachel likes to read, there is a huge collection of free downloadable books at gutenberg.com.

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  28. I second the advise about steroid shots. I had them when it looked like my daughter might have been a preemie fortunately she was term but better to take every precaution.

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  29. Wonderful news that Issiah is giving up his rights. That's got to take a load off Rachel's mind.

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  30. I don't have any advice, but I also had premature contractions and had to go on bedrest. My daughter stayed in there until full term and was born 3 days before her due date. :) I think that the contractions were started because of stress, and I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case with Rachel. Being bored is actually a good thing, as long as she is not anxious. I hope her baby stays there until it's time!

    The internet is a great time waster. It's also great for going on support forums. I think there are some for birth mothers. Magazines are also great for boredom, and you can usually get old magazines on craigslist or freecycle.

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  31. I went on bedrest at 32 weeks with my twins. Managed to hold out until 35 weeks before giving birth. You'd never know my babies were preemies to see them now. I was glad they got a few extra weeks of baking, but even 32 weeks is very survivable - Rachel's daughter has a very good chance of being just fine if she's in a big rush to get here.

    Bedrest was incredibly boring - I mostly read. Netflix sounds like a great idea, though. Does Rachel do any crafts that she could manage in bed? Maybe she'd like to try some video games? There are free gaming sites.

    I have preemie clothes I can send, too, both neutral and girls', if you happen to need some before a family is chosen. I've signed in under "anonymous" because I don't really know what I'm doing with the other profiles, and I never put real info out on the web if I can avoid it, but I'd be happy to drop you an email with my real contact info. My thoughts are with both of you and your precious, would be early bird.

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  32. Hello! I wanted to thank everyone for their advice.
    I think it looks like I need to find a way to get Rachel her own computer. I've been letting her use mine when I can spare it. However, with homework and other things, I use mine quite a bit and can't leave it with her. Another problem is that we don't have cable or internet service at her apartment. While she was able to get out and about, this wasn't an issue because we could go sit at the library or Starbucks. Now she's kind of cut off. I think I need to look into getting her a cable package for starters. It will be expensive. A friend suggested some sort of stick that you can plug into a laptop that has a wifi in it and I can look into that too. As for getting her a laptop, I wonder if you can rent them? My school doesn't and I can't find anywhere on a google search that's local.

    As for other suggestions; knitting was genius! She does knit. That was an easy enough craft to get her set up with. :) Thanks. I found knitting needles by the ton at the thrift store. Yarn, too! :) Magazines were another great idea that I found at the thrift store. I think I got her 30 magazines for five dollars. Yay! I'm going to keep my eye out for an iPod for her so we can do podcasts. That was also a great idea. Thank you!

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    1. Plus she could make money off this. People will PAY for homemade things because they don't have the time or inclination to make them but want the items. Check out etsy.com or see if you have a local craft fair. My niece who is 15 just sold some of her hand-knitted scarves at a local shop for $80 each! They were alpaca yarn but she only spent a few hours on each one.

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    2. Check out Goodwill in your area for old computers. Many areas have a program called Goodwill Computer Works. If you just need something that can run video, you may be able to get something there cheap. This program specializes in providing secondhand working computers to people in need.

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    3. If you get her a Ravelry membership (free but normally has a waiting list), then she'll have access to thousands of free patterns.

      You might also check with computing services at your university to see if they are willing to sell computers they're retiring. Craigslist is another possibility, but I'd consider it fairly dicey for buying tech stuff.

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    4. Ruth- if you don't mind something old let me know. My husband has tons of outdated laptops and computers sitting around I'd be happy to part with. Most of them are only outdated to him since he's in IT and constantly upgrading his stuff.

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  33. Ruth, Rachel doesn't have a smartphone (e.g. an iPhone), does she? If she does, she may be able to use that to connect to the internet.

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  34. Ruth, this may have been suggested (I don't know as I don't have time to read all of the comments) but if you can get her internet and a computer, there's lots of places that she can go for online content. My husband and I pay a total of $20 a month for hulu plus and netflix. (There's also a version of hulu that's free). You can also sign her up for netflix where they send dvd's in the mail. I believe that's about $8 a month. I would recommend not getting the wi-fi adapter for the internet. Those adapters work off of cell phone towers, and cell phones always get first priority (meaning that she will get bumped offline quite a bit). I may have an idea for a laptop, but I need to do some digging first.

    Drea

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  35. Sorry, but Isaiah's disgusting cowardice is still getting on my nerves. Just had to say that.

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    1. I know he's relinquishing rights to HIS child, but to not even admit its his (and to outright DENY it) is the lowest, most scumbaggy thing a man can do, imho. I have not been in Rachel's situation at all... I've never had kids yet, but that doesn't mean I have a high opinion of Isaiah.. (the outstanding "Christian" this "man" is. What a fine example to society! (/sarcasm) ), because I don't, as you've probably gathered. *tries to calm down*

      Btw Ruth... I know your sister only just escaped from the Gothard cult, so she probably hasn't had much of a chance to familiarize herself with pop culture... but I'm pretty good at recommending movies, tv shows, and books. If there's a certain genre (or genres) she prefers, could you let us know?

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  36. Isaah, is a pathetic limp-d*ck wussy - period. Your mom and dad are control freak nut-jobs. "Religion" is just used as a rationalization for this fact. Glad that you got out of there, Ruth. It will all work out. Wishing you both all the best.

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  37. I'm so sorry that the sperm-donor (I'm a married woman with children, I'll not call this guy by the same word my daughters call my husband) behaves like such an utter coward and that your parents are trying to inflict even more pain on your sister.

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  38. Online... on a Freecycle computer system here...

    Keep checking Freecycle...especially in a college town.

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  39. Also...we would love to be flies on the wall in the attorney's office in the highly unlikely event Darth Daddy pursues his threat...

    ...as in..."shall we go public, DD?"

    No worries there, Girls.

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  40. Ruth, I'd see if your college has any kind of forum/message board/ or something similar, where people post things that they are selling/trying to get ride of, or stuff they need. My college had something like that & a few of my friends really benefitted from it.

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  41. When I've been on bedrest, I've listened to tons of classics on librivox.org. They're free & a great thing to do when I'm in a lot of pain & don't want to be reliant on the internet or when I'm crocheting.

    Praying for you & your sister. :)

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  42. Cable companies might try to sell you on a whole package, but it's more than possible to get only internet service. I think the friend who recommended a wireless card was on the right track though. My fiance used to have one through AT&T that worked quite well, and for one person, I think it is more reasonably priced than what the cable companies offer. I'm not sure if those plans have data caps though, and if she's intending to stream movies and it has one, she'll hit it fast.

    I would check Craigslist for used laptops. It doesn't seem like your sister is interested in doing anything terribly demanding, so you don't need anything too high end. I would be wary of free or suspiciously underpriced computers. I would expect them to either not work or be ancient.

    I will also ask my fiance about one of the several non-functioning laptops we have around our apartment and if he might finally be able to fix one and get it out of here for such a good reason. I also volunteer him to be your IT person for whatever you get. It's something best accomplished over the phone, but he is very talented and professional and won't care who you are other than that you are a person from the internet that I say he should talk to.

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    1. I just replied to Ruth above but what is up with IT guys that the need to keep old parts around. We have a commadore 64 in our closet that he refuses to get rid of and insists he'll set up someday when we have a bigger place.

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    2. have an Apple 2 in my basement. It's the tax for marrying a geek.

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    3. Are you trying to tell me that it's time to get rid of the SNES in the hall closet??? Say it isn't so!

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  43. Now a days DNA testing and Forensic Science are in great demand as the are one of the best way of finding out truth and hidden things.Court DNA Testing

    ReplyDelete

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