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FaithWriter's
Review
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When
my husband and I first adopted our child, I
searched for an appropriate children's book to
help me share with our son the wonder of adoption.
I was unable to find a story that fit our
situation;
one that, I felt, was appropriate to
most of us who adopt. I decided to write my own.
I
wanted to tell the story in a spiritual way and in
such a manner that would make a child proud to be adopted.
I also felt that it was important to reinforce the
fact that he or she was loved from the very
beginning. These feelings, therefore, were my muse
and A Very Special Child sprang from my
heart virtually complete with the first writing.
A
Very Special Child
was conceived on a spring day as I waited to pick
up my son from pre-school.
I sat
in my van, enjoying the feel of warm sun, content
and happy to be performing such a simple task:
picking up my child.
My
child. How beautiful those two words were, and
still are. Sometimes I felt as if I should pinch
myself. Surely this was a dream! The sweet reality
was that I was, indeed, and finally, a mother.
It
was at that moment that the core for the story of
A Very Special Child was formed. I grabbed the
pad and pencil that I always kept near me and
began to tell the story of how a very special
child came to be born.
In
addition to A Very Special Child, please allow me to present to you some
essays and poetry by myself and my mother. These
writings are also close to my heart and it gives
me great pleasure to offer them to you.
I
hope you will enjoy the story, essays and poems
offered here and that your
Very Special Child enjoys them as well.
A
Very Special Child can be ordered at
www.sagabooks.net
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Excerpt:
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It was a cool, crisp autumn night; a couple
knelt facing each other. Foreheads touching, they prayed, hands clasped
between them. They often prayed this way, leaning in to each other for
support, each depending upon the other for balance:
“Please, Dear God, could you send us our child?
We’ve waited a long time and want to hold our little one in our arms!”
High in the heavens, a shimmering vortex
of love and light began to move as God turned His head toward the sound of
their voices. A glowing moonbeam streaked its way to the still
praying couple, surrounding them in soft, incandescent light. “Yes,” He
said to Himself, “I see that they have been waiting for a long time.
Their love is strong and good. I will make for them a very special
child!”
God summoned His angels.
He loved them dearly because they were sweet and
gentle. He wanted to speak to the Cherubs in particular and so drew them
to Him carefully. The love-filled light of God beamed upon the angels as
He asked “My Cherubs! Will you give some of your sweetness and goodness
to help me make this special child?”
The angels cried with joy. “Yes, Lord!”
they exclaimed, clapping their hands and dancing. “We will gladly give
some of our sweetness and goodness to help make this special child!” God
was pleased and invited them to stay for a while so He could watch them
play and dance.
God then summoned His birds.
To be
continued.... |
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http://reviews.faithwriters.com/Archives/FamilyJanuary2008-1.php
A Very Special Child
By: Debra Shiveley Welch
ISBN# 1894936426
Saga Books
wwww.sagabooks.net
52 pages $14.95
In this heartwarming book by author
Debra Shiveley Welch, we are privileged to experience the depths of her
love and thankfulness for her adopted son
Christopher. The author takes you on a
journey from her and her husbands head-bent prayers to their God asking
for a child, receiving their blessing and the child's growing years; v ery
touching, very sensitive.
In her work, Ms. Welch tenderly tells
of the Lord giving attributes to her yet unborn son while in the womb
of the frightened young mother. God takes some sweetness from the
Cherubs, sweet music from the birds, laughter from the dolphins, and
wraps them in love from the mother placing it all carefully into the
spirit of the unborn babe. A beautiful gift of life waiting to be
unwrapped and cherished and placed in the arms of a loving mother and
father.
This is a wonderful work that any
adoptive parent, or any parent that truly knows how blessed they are,
could give to their beloved child to show them how much they are loved
and how special they are. It is filled with wonderful poetry and essays
of experiences shared and life lived. A delightful, heartfelt work that
I am proud to recommend.
Shirley Johnson
Senior Reviewer
MidWest Book Review
| A Very Special Child - A
Collection of Short Stories and Poems |
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Written by Debra Shiveley Welch
A Review by Rita
Chatman - © Creative Arts Times - 2006
This is a unique
and spiritual collection of poems and short stories which readers,
especially new mothers and those who have recently adopted a child
will find enlightening and expressive. Ms. Welch, is sharing her
experience of love, through this collection, for her adopted son
Christopher.
Although, I never
adopted a child, it brought back wonderful memories of when I first
delivered my now grown daughter. This book made me realize that even
when you adopt a child, you can have just as much love for child, even
if you are not the birth mother. Ms. Welch removes the myths of
adoption by showing that adopting a child can be a very special
experience as there are so many unwanted children who want to be loved
by a loving family.
Ms. Welch also
shares an experience of when she and her husband first adopted their
child, they had searched for an appropriate children’s book to help
them share, with their son, the wonderful experience of adoption, but
they were unable to find a story that fit their situation which,
prompted her decision to write her own book.
Ms.Welch tells her
stories and poems in a spiritual way and in such a manner that would
make a child proud to be adopted. Ms. Welch reinforces the fact that a
child, whether born naturally to the parents or adopted, is always
loved from the very beginning. It was those feelings that culminated
in the writing of this very special collection titled "A Very Special
Child" from her heart.
A "Very Special
Child" was conceived on a spring day as she waited to pick up her son
from pre-school.
My rating for this
Collection of stories and essays: 3 Stars
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...Your book really touched me. Especially the opening statement about how he is
my son whether I gave birth to him or not. His soul was meant to be my son. I
have said that since he was born!
Maryellen Hooper - 1998's Best Female Stand-Up at
the 12th Annual American Comedy Awards.
The author, Debra Shiveley Welch, is the kind of
person we all read about on book jackets and think "Boy I wish I knew
that person." Well I am fortunate enough to claim just that - I do know
her and count her as a dear friend. She is one of the few people I
know whose graceful spirit manifests itself not just in her writing, but
in how she lives her life.
With this in mind I can strongly recommend 'A Very
Special Child' to all those of you who like a good read. It's appeal
is wider than that however. This book is illuminated from
within - it will be a godsend to anyone who has shared any of the
experiences Debra describes, or who has considered adoption. It is a
book to both lighten the heart, and to encourage the shedding of
healing tears.
It is a teach-in about courage in the face of
adversity, the power of a loving spirit, and the healing role of words
and the pictures they can conjure.
'A Very Special Child' is a very special book from
an author that I hope thousands more will come to know and love, as I
do, through her inspired work that shines as a good deed 'in a
naughty world'.
Jennie Hall - author and social researcher
I recently had the
pleasure of reading "A Very Special Child", written by Debra Shiveley
Welch. This book is a story that explains in very simple and heart
wrenchingly beautiful terms, how much her child means to her life even
though she did not have the privilege of carrying him herself.
If you have ever known
how good it feels to have a child's arms around your neck, this book
is for you. If you have ever wondered what a child can bring into your
life, or someone else's life, this book is for you. In fact, I cannot
imagine anyone who would not enjoy this book. I can guarantee you a
warm and fuzzy feeling in your heart by the time you close the cover.
Dianna Doles Petry
A Very Special Child by Debra
Shiveley is a wonderful book written with child-like wonder. Debra
removes the stigma of adoption by showing adopted children everywhere
that they are indeed special, wanted and loved. Debra demonstrates how
the birth mother served a significant role in preparing the gift of a
baby to a very loving family in simple easy to read terms. She
demonstrates through magic and wonderment how nothing is an accident;
all is within God’s divine plan.
Her essays and poems reveal the
many aspects of parenting: the yearning for that perfect child, the joy
of parenting, the everyday routine of mother and child relationship to
the twinge of pain when a mother realizes her child has grown up. Debra
crosses generations and demonstrates how this love continues from mother
to grandmother and beyond. In all of this she maintains that there is
no such thing as an imperfect child. Like the butterfly which cannot
fly, a child with an imperfection is still and always will be perfect in
the sight of God and always first and foremost a very special child.
Carol Roach, M.Ed, BA
winterose@videotron.ca
Author of "Picking Up
the Pieces" and
"Angels Watching Over
Me"
This book should be amongst every adopted child's keepsakes, signed
by Mommy and Daddy. There is deep passion and love for an adopted child
painted by Debra's words. Read every page and be touched by a mother's
love for her child. Tricia Evans~A Mom in Lebanon Oregon
Only a Mother could fully understand the agony and the love a birth
mother has for a child she must give up for adoption. And only a
Mother could fully understand that a child born with a birth defect is
only made more special by this imperfection.
Author and friend, Debra Shiveley Welch, is a very special mother with
a very special child. In reading Debra's book you will not be
disappointed. She is a talented writer and she'll whisk you away to
ride upon pages filled with courage, strength and unconditional love,
past and present. And you sail upon pages tainted with turmoil &
agony, but never defeat. An uplifting read for parents and their
children, adopted or not.
Run out and buy your copy today!
Ruth Cox
A Magical Story
Unable to find a story that
quite fit her adoption of her son, Debra Shiveley Welch wrote her
own. It is full of creative and universal imagery and illustrations
which depict the magical creation of a unique individual based on the
author's own child. It presents with sensitivity the plight of a
birth mother who must give up he baby for its own good, as well as
that of a couple filled with love to give to that child.
Following the adoption story,
Ms. Welch includes poetry and essays which have appeal to all who have
been mothers or even who have had loving mothers. This little gem
will appeal to children and adults alike.
Lauralie
This story comes from the very heart and soul of
Ms Welch, it is an explanation of the love she had to give for this
wonderful child! it is so filled with the joy of receiving a baby
that I was moved to tears. With full and happy heart I read it and
then to my astonishment there was more!!!
The essays and poetry that are included speaks
to the love and bond that has developed over the last 13 years in the
relationship between Christopher and his mother. I was delighted that
the publisher had the presence of mind to include this body of work
into the book.
It is my feeling that this book should be used
to educate any person contemplating either giving birth or adopting a
child! this is truly a vision of LOVE
Vona
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Background Picture "Misty Lake"
©Debra
Shiveley Welch
All books are also available at
http://www.amazon.com
Original
Oil "Eternity" for Stands With Wings
logo used
with the generous permission of
Jonathan
Earl Bowser
http://www.jonathonart.com/lotu.html
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