Birth Mother

Come with me, back to that first day when I realized I was alone. I was driving home. I had been gone for over six months. Only the Lord knows how I had longed for that day. I had been hiding out with friends, of the family, who lived a couple of hours away from our small New England town. Oh how I had missed my little sisters and brother and things like just sitting in church with the whole family. I had attended Mass alone throughout the long, cold winter.

Well, truthfully, I was not alone. I always carried her with me. There was no escape for either of us. Ah, but did I really want an escape? No. Now that is the truth. If I could have kept her with me, without ruining lives, I thought over and over again; but, I had done the right thing. It was right for her, right for me, right for my little sisters, right for her adoptive parents, and most of all, right for my mother.

And there I was, headed home, with the seat beside me empty. Funny, I had never thought of it that way before this day. The feeling was one that was to stay with me for the next 35 years of my life. There was always an Empty Chair.

Sue Baumgardner is a birth mother who surrendered her first born for adoption in 1969. Like many other baby boomers, who suffered this fate, Sue had to suffer her loss in silence. The silence is broken. Sue found her daughter 2 years ago and is now attempting to help others in the adoption/surrender world with frank talk on her blog at birthmotherofadopted.blogspot.com. Be prepared for the emotional content here. Sue is writing a novel, THE EMPTY CHAIR, based on her true story.

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Cocktail Weddings - A Simple Solution For Overpriced Weddings

The latest trend for weddings is to hold a cocktail wedding reception. This is by no means a new concept - the idea has been around for years - but is now gaining in popularity with couples who favor a simple, yet elegant alternative to over-the-top extravagant and expensive wedding affairs.

It can be as low-keyed or as extravagant as you wish, as casual or as formal as you desire. It's a sophisticated choice that can be a huge money and time-saver, while reducing the stress and headaches that usually comes with planning a traditional wedding.

A cocktail wedding can easily be held on a weeknight and is typically only 3 to 5 hours in length. Many couples elect to hold this type of wedding on a Friday evening... leaving the rest of the weekend free, which pleases bridal attendants and guests. Overall, it's more convenient to everyone involved.

Most brides will elect to wear sophisticated, fashionable full-length cocktail dresses rather than elaborate wedding gowns. This eliminates a significant wedding expense and effectively removes the inconvenience of having to endure several dress fittings and the cost of alterations.

Because the reception is held during the week you can scoop up great savings on food, decorations and entertainment. Tasty hors d'ouerves, specialty food stations, signature cocktails, and a small themed band are perfect for this setting. As an added bonus, you'll have a larger choice of locations at a fraction of the cost that a weekend wedding would entail. Favorite choices are classy restaurants, country clubs, art galleries, river boat ferry, open terraces and formal garden patios.

Many couples choose to have their ceremony performed by a Justice of the Peace. Again, this eliminates a large church wedding and it can be performed right before the reception. A short service with self-written vows is a beautiful and intimate way to share your love for one another, while including your close family and friends in the celebration.

What Type of Cocktail Reception Should You Have?

Any kind you want. There is no specific rules as to what a cocktail wedding party should include, so feel free to design one in your own unique style. To help you along, here are a few suggestions to consider:

Themed Cocktail Reception - Choose a theme, then select food, decorations, and music suited to your chosen theme. Create a signature cocktail (or rename an existing one) to highlight the theme of your reception.

Wine and Cheese - Nobody said you have to stick with just cocktails. A wine and cheese reception is a lovely way to celebrate your marriage. Serve a variety of cheeses, crackers, and cheesy appetizers. Add some fruit as a nice contrast. Pick a few brands of white and red wines to compliment the food. Serve a wine spritzer as your "signature" drink.

Chocolate & Champagne - Set up dessert tables featuring an assortment of descendant chocolate fair. Choose champagne for toasting and a chocolate flavored cocktail as the drink of the evening. A couple of suggestions are: Death by Chocolate Cocktail (I would rename this), Lovers' Creamy Chocolate Cocktail or Chocolate Paradise.

Around The World - Enjoy a taste from different countries at small food stations set up around the room. Select cocktails that highlight each cocktail, rather than one signature drink.

Copyright 2007 Rose Smith is the author of several wedding e-books and loves to provide couples with advice on planning a theme wedding. For more practical wedding tips and resources on Signature Cocktail Wedding Receptions visit: http://www.squidoo.com/cocktail-weddings

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