CinDRnyc
01-12-2012, 05:26 AM
This assignment is a personal narrative and CAN be fictional. It is 1200 words minimum and I'm at 1678, I need to cut off at least 150-200 words. Please help! Any opinions/criticism welcome! This is my last essay for this course and I need to get an A on it!
Thank You in Advance! :banana: now im off to sleep.... :sleep:
Unexpected Gifts of Love
At thirty-one years of age I was living the “American Dream.” I had a successful career as a Nurse Practitioner, a loving husband, and a wonderful family that I adored. Suddenly, a turn of events caused the good things in my life to come crashing down on me and there was nothing I could do to stop it. After months of trying to have a baby and endless pregnancy tests that were negative we anxiously went to see my doctor to find out what was wrong. It was then that my husband Steven and I were informed that we would not be able to conceive a child together due to his azoospermia. “How could my heart feel so warm and so cold at the same time?” I cried. As we tried our best to cope with this distressing news, I received a call that would change my life forever. To my surprise, my negative circumstances would soon be transformed into a positive opportunity that would give Steven and I a chance to give a child a loving home and raise him as if he was our own son.
I vividly remember the ride home from that doctor’s appointment, the meeting that brought my worst nightmare to reality. Thoughts racing, I was filled with questions that no one could answer. “How could Steven have azoospermia? He was only thirty-five years old?” I wondered. Nonetheless, we tried countless other doctors, “Maybe the first one made a mistake?” I hoped. It was no use; they all said the same thing, that we couldn’t conceive a baby together.
Steven had created a successful, thriving personal training business and most could say he had a great life. After finding out about his dysfunction, I could see the emptiness and despair in his eyes, it was almost as if someone had died, but what had been lost was the chance to someday have a son or daughter of his own. I recalled the talks we had early on in our marriage; he looked forward to having a family and was so excited about it. Now, as we neared our 6th year of marriage, “Maybe we had waited too long?” I wondered aimlessly. It always felt bittersweet to watch other families play with and care for their children. While I still admired the beauty of the mother-baby bond, it was a constant reminder of what I couldn’t have and I was forced to admit this heart wrenching truth. Steven and I depended on each other for emotional support and slowly told our close friends about our misfortune.
My best friend Diane was a rock for me during this time. She was always there to calm me down and talk to me about how I was feeling. We had met back in college during our freshman year at Rutgers University and had been close friends ever since. Diane was in her mid-thirties, had light blonde hair, glassy blue eyes, and a smile that was genuine and caring. After graduating from Rutgers she met a man that later would be the father of her baby. Sadly, the moment he found out about her pregnancy, he lost interest and didn’t want anything to do with the baby. For the past few years, Steven and I helped Diane with the baby and watched him when she needed to work. Julio, who was now five years old, showed no signs of being fatherless because he was always smiling, well behaved, and kind to other children. Diane would let us watch Julio and spend time with him, Steven and I cherished these times because we yearned for a son of our own. Steven’s eyes would sparkle when Julio declared, “I wanna play Speev!”
Diane came from a military family, her grandfather, father, and all of her brothers served proudly in the U.S. Army. It was very important for her to follow in the footsteps of her family and that was why she had decided to enlist in the U.S. Army at the end of her freshman year in college. She worked as a recruiter for the Army during her years in college and although she was on active duty, she had never been sent overseas. Although, Diane and I certainly did not have the same fascination with the military, we shared a connection that made us as close as loving sisters.
During the presidential administration of George Bush Jr. it quickly became evident that the United States military was about to embark on a 2nd war in the Persian Gulf. I watched in trepidation as our President declared, “The United States will need the support of all military soldiers and many will be needed to help us win the war.” “Did this mean Diane could be sent away?” I stammered nervously.
Every two weeks Diane and I would have “sushi night” at our favorite place, Kicky’s. She always ordered the “naruto” and I the “what a roll.” We would talk our troubles away as we devoured the scrumptious sushi and sipped on fruity cocktails. We always had a great time, but this time was different. I could hear the nervousness in her voice, “Cindy I have to tell you something, I’m leaving for Iraq in a few weeks…” she admitted. “What!” I said, “For how long?” I asked anxiously. “I don’t know” she muttered. I couldn’t believe she was leaving; she was the only friend I had that understood my emptiness and could fill it with her undying friendship. Diane’s light hearted personality and warmth was an escape for me, without her, my world would not feel as bright. I’ll never forget the strain I felt in my arms as I helped her lift her heavy bags into the taxi that was headed for the airport en route to Iraq. If only I had known then, what I know now.
I would often lay awake in bed, thoughts swirling around in my mind, “Was she going to be safe? When would I see her again?” I cried. My sadness turned into anger as I questioned the rationale of Diane’s decision to leave her only child. Julio was the one thing I yearned for most in this world. “How could she be so selfish to leave Julio without his mother? Did she not realize the sadness and confusion that Julio would feel?” I pondered searching for answers. Outside of Diane’s father Alek, her entire family had moved across the country to California a few years ago. Diane had decided to leave Julio with her father, I remember the goodbye, “Honey I’ll be back real soon okay, I love you” she whispered as she kissed him on the forehead whilst holding back her tears. Alek, in his seventies, was a warm hearted war veteran, but the years had taken a toll on his body and he had trouble walking or standing for any length of time.
Consequently, Julio was not very happy staying there; Alek could never take him to the park or play catch outside. Steven and I became even more involved in Julio’s life as we tried to take the place of a family that lived so far away. We would take him with us to dinner or to see his favorite cartoon movie, I could see how much happier he was and it warmed my heart. Even though my husband and I were very much in love, we often bared the burden of each other’s pain. Spending so much time with Julio brought my husband and I closer together, it was almost like he was our own son.
Every now and then, Diane and I would call each other via Skype, the closest way of seeing each other face to face. With a ten hour time difference it wasn’t always easy to call each other at the right moment. The ringing of my laptop would wake me at night as a big smile covered my face when I realized it was Skype, I missed her so much! I gleamed with happiness to see her smiling face and hear about her risky adventures in the desert of Iraq.
One night, as I was fast asleep, a faint sound woke me as it got louder with every second that passed. It was 3 A.M. “Only Diane Skypes me this late” I wondered as I quickly realized that the ringing was not coming from my laptop, it was my home phone. “Hello” I answered. “Hello, am I speaking with Mrs. Cindy Fischkin?” he asked sternly. “Yes, who is this?” I questioned. “Major General Brigham. Ma’am this isn’t easy to say but Diane Opalinski was killed in an explosion today. I need to inform you that her will has given you custody of Julio Opalinski. I am so sorry for your loss.” Tears rolling down my cheeks, my hand trembled and the phone slipped out smashing on the ground. The loud crash woke Steven up as he rushed out of the room, “Why are you up? What’s going on honey?” he asked desperately. “She’s gone….gone…” I sobbed. “Why did this happen!” I shouted as I lost complete control of my body and fell in his arms.
I slept for days and I refused to eat, I hoped that when I awoke it would all just be a bad dream, I was wrong. Diane was gone and she was never coming back. Although, I was devastated with a broken heart, I thought of Julio, “He needs us to take care of him, he needs a family” I decided. Steven and I turned our guest room into Julio’s “Airplane wonderland” and he loved it! We did our best to explain what had happened to Diane, but I knew he was too young to truly understand. I had physically lost my best friend, but I soon realized that I hadn’t lost her for good, her gentle caring spirit continued living on in Julio. Every time I look into his glistening blue eyes, I see her and the gift of love she left me.
Thank You in Advance! :banana: now im off to sleep.... :sleep:
Unexpected Gifts of Love
At thirty-one years of age I was living the “American Dream.” I had a successful career as a Nurse Practitioner, a loving husband, and a wonderful family that I adored. Suddenly, a turn of events caused the good things in my life to come crashing down on me and there was nothing I could do to stop it. After months of trying to have a baby and endless pregnancy tests that were negative we anxiously went to see my doctor to find out what was wrong. It was then that my husband Steven and I were informed that we would not be able to conceive a child together due to his azoospermia. “How could my heart feel so warm and so cold at the same time?” I cried. As we tried our best to cope with this distressing news, I received a call that would change my life forever. To my surprise, my negative circumstances would soon be transformed into a positive opportunity that would give Steven and I a chance to give a child a loving home and raise him as if he was our own son.
I vividly remember the ride home from that doctor’s appointment, the meeting that brought my worst nightmare to reality. Thoughts racing, I was filled with questions that no one could answer. “How could Steven have azoospermia? He was only thirty-five years old?” I wondered. Nonetheless, we tried countless other doctors, “Maybe the first one made a mistake?” I hoped. It was no use; they all said the same thing, that we couldn’t conceive a baby together.
Steven had created a successful, thriving personal training business and most could say he had a great life. After finding out about his dysfunction, I could see the emptiness and despair in his eyes, it was almost as if someone had died, but what had been lost was the chance to someday have a son or daughter of his own. I recalled the talks we had early on in our marriage; he looked forward to having a family and was so excited about it. Now, as we neared our 6th year of marriage, “Maybe we had waited too long?” I wondered aimlessly. It always felt bittersweet to watch other families play with and care for their children. While I still admired the beauty of the mother-baby bond, it was a constant reminder of what I couldn’t have and I was forced to admit this heart wrenching truth. Steven and I depended on each other for emotional support and slowly told our close friends about our misfortune.
My best friend Diane was a rock for me during this time. She was always there to calm me down and talk to me about how I was feeling. We had met back in college during our freshman year at Rutgers University and had been close friends ever since. Diane was in her mid-thirties, had light blonde hair, glassy blue eyes, and a smile that was genuine and caring. After graduating from Rutgers she met a man that later would be the father of her baby. Sadly, the moment he found out about her pregnancy, he lost interest and didn’t want anything to do with the baby. For the past few years, Steven and I helped Diane with the baby and watched him when she needed to work. Julio, who was now five years old, showed no signs of being fatherless because he was always smiling, well behaved, and kind to other children. Diane would let us watch Julio and spend time with him, Steven and I cherished these times because we yearned for a son of our own. Steven’s eyes would sparkle when Julio declared, “I wanna play Speev!”
Diane came from a military family, her grandfather, father, and all of her brothers served proudly in the U.S. Army. It was very important for her to follow in the footsteps of her family and that was why she had decided to enlist in the U.S. Army at the end of her freshman year in college. She worked as a recruiter for the Army during her years in college and although she was on active duty, she had never been sent overseas. Although, Diane and I certainly did not have the same fascination with the military, we shared a connection that made us as close as loving sisters.
During the presidential administration of George Bush Jr. it quickly became evident that the United States military was about to embark on a 2nd war in the Persian Gulf. I watched in trepidation as our President declared, “The United States will need the support of all military soldiers and many will be needed to help us win the war.” “Did this mean Diane could be sent away?” I stammered nervously.
Every two weeks Diane and I would have “sushi night” at our favorite place, Kicky’s. She always ordered the “naruto” and I the “what a roll.” We would talk our troubles away as we devoured the scrumptious sushi and sipped on fruity cocktails. We always had a great time, but this time was different. I could hear the nervousness in her voice, “Cindy I have to tell you something, I’m leaving for Iraq in a few weeks…” she admitted. “What!” I said, “For how long?” I asked anxiously. “I don’t know” she muttered. I couldn’t believe she was leaving; she was the only friend I had that understood my emptiness and could fill it with her undying friendship. Diane’s light hearted personality and warmth was an escape for me, without her, my world would not feel as bright. I’ll never forget the strain I felt in my arms as I helped her lift her heavy bags into the taxi that was headed for the airport en route to Iraq. If only I had known then, what I know now.
I would often lay awake in bed, thoughts swirling around in my mind, “Was she going to be safe? When would I see her again?” I cried. My sadness turned into anger as I questioned the rationale of Diane’s decision to leave her only child. Julio was the one thing I yearned for most in this world. “How could she be so selfish to leave Julio without his mother? Did she not realize the sadness and confusion that Julio would feel?” I pondered searching for answers. Outside of Diane’s father Alek, her entire family had moved across the country to California a few years ago. Diane had decided to leave Julio with her father, I remember the goodbye, “Honey I’ll be back real soon okay, I love you” she whispered as she kissed him on the forehead whilst holding back her tears. Alek, in his seventies, was a warm hearted war veteran, but the years had taken a toll on his body and he had trouble walking or standing for any length of time.
Consequently, Julio was not very happy staying there; Alek could never take him to the park or play catch outside. Steven and I became even more involved in Julio’s life as we tried to take the place of a family that lived so far away. We would take him with us to dinner or to see his favorite cartoon movie, I could see how much happier he was and it warmed my heart. Even though my husband and I were very much in love, we often bared the burden of each other’s pain. Spending so much time with Julio brought my husband and I closer together, it was almost like he was our own son.
Every now and then, Diane and I would call each other via Skype, the closest way of seeing each other face to face. With a ten hour time difference it wasn’t always easy to call each other at the right moment. The ringing of my laptop would wake me at night as a big smile covered my face when I realized it was Skype, I missed her so much! I gleamed with happiness to see her smiling face and hear about her risky adventures in the desert of Iraq.
One night, as I was fast asleep, a faint sound woke me as it got louder with every second that passed. It was 3 A.M. “Only Diane Skypes me this late” I wondered as I quickly realized that the ringing was not coming from my laptop, it was my home phone. “Hello” I answered. “Hello, am I speaking with Mrs. Cindy Fischkin?” he asked sternly. “Yes, who is this?” I questioned. “Major General Brigham. Ma’am this isn’t easy to say but Diane Opalinski was killed in an explosion today. I need to inform you that her will has given you custody of Julio Opalinski. I am so sorry for your loss.” Tears rolling down my cheeks, my hand trembled and the phone slipped out smashing on the ground. The loud crash woke Steven up as he rushed out of the room, “Why are you up? What’s going on honey?” he asked desperately. “She’s gone….gone…” I sobbed. “Why did this happen!” I shouted as I lost complete control of my body and fell in his arms.
I slept for days and I refused to eat, I hoped that when I awoke it would all just be a bad dream, I was wrong. Diane was gone and she was never coming back. Although, I was devastated with a broken heart, I thought of Julio, “He needs us to take care of him, he needs a family” I decided. Steven and I turned our guest room into Julio’s “Airplane wonderland” and he loved it! We did our best to explain what had happened to Diane, but I knew he was too young to truly understand. I had physically lost my best friend, but I soon realized that I hadn’t lost her for good, her gentle caring spirit continued living on in Julio. Every time I look into his glistening blue eyes, I see her and the gift of love she left me.