1 00:00:03,920 --> 00:00:11,840 Speaker 1: It's that time time, time, luck and load. So Michael 2 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:13,400 Speaker 1: Verie Show is. 3 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 2: On the air. 4 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:30,200 Speaker 1: In our vast archive, we were amassed over the years 5 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 1: of adoption stories, news stories, perspectives. I must give credit 6 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 1: to KHOU. Somebody over there has a heart for adoption, 7 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 1: because there are a lot of adoption stories that come 8 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 1: up from KHOU over the years. This one's one of 9 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 1: my favorites. It's a mother who adopts her daughter in 10 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: front of her daughter's kindergarten class. 11 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 3: Amy Phillips really wanted to be a mother. 12 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:00,279 Speaker 4: Well you kind of wait around as an adult thinking, oh, 13 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 4: perfect relationship will come along, and that just didn't. 14 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:04,200 Speaker 1: Work out for me. 15 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 3: So four years ago she became a foster parent to 16 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:15,199 Speaker 3: children like Ember. The two just clicked. And in January, 17 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 3: when Ember's biological parents gave up their rights. 18 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:21,720 Speaker 1: Thank you for giving Ember this opportunity. 19 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:23,040 Speaker 3: Amy filed for adoption. 20 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 4: It's a lifetime commitment and I had that space in 21 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:29,440 Speaker 4: my home and my heart for that and patience for 22 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:30,200 Speaker 4: the process. 23 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:36,640 Speaker 3: The pandemic temporarily shut down the courts, so once the 24 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 3: judge was ready, Amy asked if Ember's kindergarten class at 25 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 3: Mcwerder Elementary could watch. 26 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 5: She has lived in my home for six hundred and 27 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 5: forty days. 28 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:54,240 Speaker 4: You're looking at a family coming together officially, and no 29 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 4: family looks exactly alive. We can have all kinds of 30 00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 4: families today. 31 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 5: What I am ordering. 32 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 4: To see a new family start right in front of 33 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 4: their eyes. 34 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:24,920 Speaker 3: That was just perfect. If the pandemic's taught us anything, 35 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:30,560 Speaker 3: it's cherished. Those you love lean into family, especially parents, 36 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:35,959 Speaker 3: whatever that looks like for you. Their unconditional love can 37 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 3: move mountains, heel pain, bring comfort. A parent can make 38 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 3: the world less scary. 39 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:45,160 Speaker 1: I hope to do the very best that I can. 40 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:48,640 Speaker 5: I know I'm not perfect, but I have wonderful life 41 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 5: experiences that I can share with her, and I just 42 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 5: can't wait to let her grow and become the best 43 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 5: person that she possibly can become. 44 00:02:58,919 --> 00:02:59,839 Speaker 3: It's every mother. 45 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:04,679 Speaker 1: Stream Patrick in Denver. You're on the Michael Berry Show 46 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:06,799 Speaker 1: Annual Adoption Special. Go ahead, my. 47 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:10,119 Speaker 6: Man, Hey, el Casino. 48 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 7: I've got my lovely ten year old daughter here who 49 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 7: has adopted, and we're about to. 50 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:16,840 Speaker 8: Drop her off here at school, and she. 51 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:18,639 Speaker 7: Wanted to call in and say hello. 52 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:20,080 Speaker 1: And what is her name? 53 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:22,360 Speaker 4: Rachel? 54 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:24,640 Speaker 1: Rachel? Can you hear me? 55 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 8: Yes? 56 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 9: I can what. 57 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 1: Grade are you in? Fourth grade? 58 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 7: I'm in fifth grade? 59 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:37,320 Speaker 1: Fifth grade? Who's your favorite teacher in fifth grade? 60 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:40,200 Speaker 8: I only have one teacher and her name is miss O'Neill. 61 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 1: How come you only have one teacher? You like little 62 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 1: House in the Prayer on the prairie? 63 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 2: No? 64 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 1: Do you know what little House on the Prairie is? 65 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 4: No? 66 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 1: So, how come you only have one teach? You have 67 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 1: the same teacher the whole day. Yeah, so she's your 68 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 1: favorite and she's the best and worst teacher that you have. 69 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:05,920 Speaker 2: Yeah. 70 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:11,720 Speaker 1: I guess what's your favorite subject? My favorite subject is 71 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: probably maths, and your least favorite subject. 72 00:04:16,520 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 6: Probably science. 73 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:20,919 Speaker 1: If I were to ask you what you would like 74 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 1: to do professionally when you're thirty five years old, what 75 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 1: would you say it would be? 76 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:29,920 Speaker 6: I would probably be a pilot. 77 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:35,159 Speaker 1: A pilot okay? Interesting? And how did you arrive at that? 78 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 6: I was just like fascinated when I first saw a plane. 79 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 1: You sound much older than fifth grade. Are you an 80 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:48,159 Speaker 1: only child? 81 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 2: No? 82 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:52,039 Speaker 8: I have an older brother. 83 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:56,680 Speaker 1: Because many times an only child because they talk mostly 84 00:04:56,720 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 1: to adults instead of other children, are very precocious and 85 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:03,559 Speaker 1: they will seem much older. How old is your brother? 86 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:06,160 Speaker 9: He's twelve? 87 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 1: Is he also adopted, Yes, he is. What's his name? 88 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 8: His name is Eddie. 89 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:16,480 Speaker 1: If you were to guess what Eddie would do when 90 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 1: he's thirty five years old, what would you say it 91 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:18,600 Speaker 1: would be? 92 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:23,080 Speaker 6: He wanted he would be a baseball player. 93 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 1: A baseball player. Okay, all right, tell me one thing 94 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:27,520 Speaker 1: you love most about your. 95 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 8: Dad that he takes care of. 96 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:35,839 Speaker 1: Me, And tell me one thing that you go, Oh, 97 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 1: is not my favorite thing about him. 98 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:44,280 Speaker 6: If you know what I mean, he like embarrasses me 99 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 6: in front of people. 100 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:47,120 Speaker 1: Oh, he's supposed to do that. I do that. I 101 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:50,600 Speaker 1: have two boys, and that's like, that's our job. We 102 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:54,080 Speaker 1: are required to do that. That's that's that's a thing 103 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 1: that we do. How far into this conversation did you 104 00:05:56,920 --> 00:05:59,720 Speaker 1: think to yourself, I've gotten myself into something I can't 105 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:00,279 Speaker 1: get out of. 106 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:03,720 Speaker 8: Less than one minute. 107 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:10,279 Speaker 1: I adore you. Thank you, sweetheart, have a wonderful day. 108 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 1: Thanks for calling, Jeff, You're on the Michael Berry Show. 109 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 1: She's honest. She had quite every fifth grader, didn't She 110 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:24,680 Speaker 1: Just a strong, deep voice, quite a presence. You know, 111 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 1: the fifth grade girl's supposed to kind of giggle and 112 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 1: be shy. She's that that one she's going to be 113 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 1: a handful. She's tough, Jeff, you're. 114 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 7: Up, sir. Hey Michael. 115 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:38,440 Speaker 8: Every year you do the show and I say I'm 116 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:39,360 Speaker 8: going to call in, and then. 117 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:41,159 Speaker 7: I never do. But this was a year. 118 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:43,679 Speaker 1: Tell me your story. 119 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:48,279 Speaker 8: We adopted, Yeah, we adopted our two sons from Russia. 120 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 8: We just celebrated the eighteenth anniversary of them being here 121 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:57,040 Speaker 8: in America. What a blessing they are there. Well, the 122 00:06:57,080 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 8: process started. They were actually three and five. By the 123 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 8: time we got them into the States, they were four 124 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:06,240 Speaker 8: and six, and they're now, gosh, twenty two and twenty four. 125 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:10,360 Speaker 8: That all American boys, great kids. But boy, I tell 126 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 8: you that was such a process. When we went to Russia. 127 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:16,160 Speaker 8: You had to that time, you had to go twice. 128 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:20,080 Speaker 8: Once you would meet the the children, and then the 129 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:21,960 Speaker 8: second time you have to come back for the actual 130 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 8: court hearing and all that stuff. But man, I tell you, 131 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:28,480 Speaker 8: my wife was such a trooper. And the mountains of 132 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 8: paperwork that you had to go through for all that stuff, gosh, 133 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 8: it was. 134 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 7: It was crazy. 135 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 1: It is crazy. You know what annoys me about that, Jeff, 136 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 1: is anyone can have a baby, right, you're going to 137 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:49,680 Speaker 1: have a license to cut hair of all things, or 138 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:53,480 Speaker 1: to add extensions to hair. But anybody can have a baby, 139 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:57,520 Speaker 1: and that's how it should be. But then two people 140 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 1: want to care for a child, and we've created this 141 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 1: elaborate system as if the reason they're doing this is 142 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:08,800 Speaker 1: to run a criminal syndicate or whatever, and you have 143 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 1: to go through all this trouble, good grief. We had 144 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 1: the same caseworker for both of our boys, and we 145 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 1: were so happy. She came back out and she came 146 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 1: in and she said, look, we can dismiss with all 147 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 1: the questions. I'm required to be here for thirty seconds, 148 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 1: for thirty minutes, so we can talk about whatever y'all 149 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:27,480 Speaker 1: want to talk about. So well, how about we have dinner. 150 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 1: We were gonna have dinner after you left. She sat 151 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 1: down and had dinner with us, and and that was that, 152 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 1: and it was a beautiful thing, that whole process. So 153 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:38,960 Speaker 1: Grant Dorfman was the presiding was the judge that we 154 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:42,720 Speaker 1: chose for Michael's adoption process, and he was off the 155 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:46,679 Speaker 1: bench by the time Crockett was and ken Wise did it. 156 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:48,959 Speaker 1: So it turned out that two of my dear, dear 157 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:53,319 Speaker 1: friends and wonderful judges were there administered the process for 158 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:56,960 Speaker 1: my boys, and that was special. The Michael Very Show. 159 00:08:57,080 --> 00:08:59,000 Speaker 1: You really adopted the doc. 160 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 4: I was bought it. I'm gonna call love. 161 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 1: Do you know how many stories I can't read every 162 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 1: email that I get, but I do love to read them. 163 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:19,000 Speaker 1: Do you know how many stories I get from people 164 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:27,160 Speaker 1: who were adopted by a firefighter, a nurse, or a 165 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:33,680 Speaker 1: police officer who, in the course of their work, come 166 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:41,280 Speaker 1: upon a child brought into this world and for whatever reason, 167 00:09:42,840 --> 00:09:45,160 Speaker 1: no one to take care of it, and they just 168 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:51,320 Speaker 1: step in and do it. Is It's a beautiful thing. 169 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:58,720 Speaker 1: It really is. January twenty ninth, twenty eighteen, President Trump 170 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:04,319 Speaker 1: speaking at his State of the Union and the story 171 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:09,000 Speaker 1: that everyone took away from that night was an Albuquerque 172 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 1: police officer named Ryan Holitz, who adopted the baby of 173 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:17,880 Speaker 1: a drug addict that he came upon in the course 174 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 1: of serving the people of Albuquerque. 175 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 2: As we have seen tonight, the most difficult challenges bring 176 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 2: out the best in America. We see a vivid expression 177 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:33,720 Speaker 2: of this truth in the story of the Holletz family 178 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:38,559 Speaker 2: of New Mexico. Brian Holettes is twenty seven years old, 179 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 2: an officer with the Albuquerque Police Department. He's here tonight 180 00:10:44,640 --> 00:11:05,040 Speaker 2: with his wife Rebecca. 181 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:06,720 Speaker 1: Frank you Ryan. 182 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 2: Last year, Ryan was on duty when he saw a pregnant, 183 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 2: homeless woman preparing to inject heroin. When Ryan told her 184 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:22,640 Speaker 2: she was going to harm her unborn child, she began 185 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:26,079 Speaker 2: to weep. She told him she didn't know where to turn, 186 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 2: but badly wanted a safe home for her baby. In 187 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 2: that moment, Ryan said he felt God speak to him, 188 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 2: you will do it because you can. He heard those words. 189 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 2: He took out a picture of his wife and their 190 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:50,839 Speaker 2: four kids. Then he went home to tell his wife Rebecca. 191 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:57,120 Speaker 2: In an instant, she agreed to adopt. The Lett's named 192 00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:04,280 Speaker 2: their new daughter Hope. Ryan and Rebecca, you embody the 193 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:06,200 Speaker 2: goodness of our nation. 194 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:12,840 Speaker 1: Thank you, Tim. You're on the Michael Berry Show. Go ahead, sir, 195 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:15,960 Speaker 1: Thank you Michael. 196 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:19,079 Speaker 9: I'm an adopted dad and just to give you a 197 00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:22,479 Speaker 9: quick story, my wife and I went through IVA failures 198 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:25,640 Speaker 9: multiple times, and I watched the havoc that that had 199 00:12:25,679 --> 00:12:29,320 Speaker 9: on my wife's body and just realized that that was 200 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:32,080 Speaker 9: not going to be our journey to have a family. 201 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:36,720 Speaker 9: So we started looking into adoption again and amazing thing. 202 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 9: I went through a local adoption agency here in Houston, 203 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:45,439 Speaker 9: and we replaced. God gave us a beautiful little baby boy, 204 00:12:45,559 --> 00:12:48,640 Speaker 9: and we had him for about two weeks and I 205 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:51,600 Speaker 9: got a call from our adoption agency saying, hey, there's 206 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:53,200 Speaker 9: been an issue. We need you to show up at 207 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 9: the courthouse on Monday, and my wife and I didn't 208 00:12:57,280 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 9: know what. 209 00:12:57,600 --> 00:12:58,079 Speaker 1: Was going on. 210 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:02,040 Speaker 9: We got dressed, showed up with baby at the courthouse 211 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:04,840 Speaker 9: on Monday, and about an hour after being there, we 212 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:08,959 Speaker 9: were told that there's been a custody dispute with the 213 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:12,760 Speaker 9: parents of one of the birth parents and they didn't 214 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 9: know what the outcome was going to be, but the 215 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:18,360 Speaker 9: baby was not coming home with us. So we sat 216 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:21,080 Speaker 9: there for another four hours taking care of our son, 217 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:25,520 Speaker 9: hoping and praying for the best outcome for him. Finally 218 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 9: comes back that the baby's going to go home with 219 00:13:27,679 --> 00:13:30,960 Speaker 9: the birth mom and family, and we gave our car 220 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:34,760 Speaker 9: seat and all of our supplies and sent our baby 221 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:41,440 Speaker 9: off and went home without a child. After about a year, 222 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:44,840 Speaker 9: we decided to try to go through adoption again. We 223 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:49,360 Speaker 9: had four or five more failed placements, feeling like it 224 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 9: was never going to happen, and then got a call 225 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:53,960 Speaker 9: out of the blue one day from our adoption agency 226 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:57,280 Speaker 9: saying that a birth mom had chosen us. Neither of 227 00:13:57,320 --> 00:13:59,400 Speaker 9: us thought anything of it. We agreed to meet with her, 228 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:03,240 Speaker 9: walk in and she shows us her sonogram and says, hey, 229 00:14:03,280 --> 00:14:07,120 Speaker 9: would you like to meet your son? And that was 230 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:14,079 Speaker 9: in March of twenty fifteen, and in May of twenty fifteen, 231 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:17,160 Speaker 9: my son was born. She asked my wife if she 232 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 9: would be her plus one in ther for her c section, 233 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:24,000 Speaker 9: and my wife, not a medical person, does not handle blood, well, 234 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 9: said no way, but yes, And so from his first breath, 235 00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:34,880 Speaker 9: my son, Jonathan has been in our arms and has 236 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:39,440 Speaker 9: been with us. We had such a weird finalization. No, 237 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 9: you know how that goes. You've talked about it. Ours 238 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:46,840 Speaker 9: was a one year process and everything. The birth father 239 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 9: was here, but the birth mom was still married and 240 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 9: husband had left her while she was pregnant with her 241 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 9: first child, and they were still technically married. But he 242 00:14:56,800 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 9: went international, and the judge spent a year trying to 243 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 9: track this guy down and finally told us, hey, you 244 00:15:02,880 --> 00:15:05,360 Speaker 9: know what, I've done everything I can. I'm finally going 245 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:07,520 Speaker 9: to serve him one more time through email, the first 246 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:10,280 Speaker 9: time he had ever had to do that, and we 247 00:15:10,280 --> 00:15:14,120 Speaker 9: were finally able to finalize in September of twenty sixteen. 248 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:18,360 Speaker 9: And my little boy is the best thing that we 249 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:21,280 Speaker 9: could ever have hoped for. It's just a true picture 250 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:26,600 Speaker 9: of God, of God's love and his redemption and his 251 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:30,040 Speaker 9: faithfulness in our lives. And thank you so much for 252 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:32,600 Speaker 9: giving us the opportunity to share our stories and for 253 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:36,880 Speaker 9: making this such a special day for Houston. 254 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:39,080 Speaker 5: Wow. 255 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 1: Thank you, Joel Euroup Sir. 256 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:48,520 Speaker 7: Yes, sir, hey calling about a humorous story about my 257 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:51,600 Speaker 7: own adoption. And I would like to put a shout 258 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 7: out for my two boys and my six step kids, 259 00:15:55,960 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 7: because I feel as if I've adopted them and they've 260 00:15:58,440 --> 00:15:59,040 Speaker 7: adopted me. 261 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:03,480 Speaker 1: Joel, I'm happy to let you tell your story. Unfortunately, 262 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:10,000 Speaker 1: we have ground rules that you are you white, sir. 263 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:13,600 Speaker 1: I am okay. We don't allow shout outs from anybody 264 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:15,640 Speaker 1: other than black people, and the fact that you didn't 265 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:17,880 Speaker 1: call me Mike was a good indicator you're not black. 266 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:22,160 Speaker 1: You can do a point of personal recognition. So if 267 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:25,400 Speaker 1: you'd like to start over, I apologize, rewind the tape 268 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:27,880 Speaker 1: for mont. You can do a point of personal recognition, 269 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:31,480 Speaker 1: just not a shout out, all right, so start over. 270 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:32,400 Speaker 7: I would Joel. 271 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:34,360 Speaker 1: Joel, you're only Michael Berry show. 272 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:41,800 Speaker 7: Go ahead, sir, Yes, sir, I would like to bring 273 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:45,080 Speaker 7: a humorous story about my own adoption as well to 274 00:16:45,480 --> 00:16:50,160 Speaker 7: uh affliction for my two boys and my step kids. 275 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:54,240 Speaker 1: Point of irisonal recign. Hold on, We'll try it again. 276 00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:55,600 Speaker 1: Take three, Take three? 277 00:16:58,640 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 6: Whats you want? 278 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:00,600 Speaker 4: What do you want? 279 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 7: You want to set the Michael Berry Just to say 280 00:17:03,560 --> 00:17:05,240 Speaker 7: the word and I'll throw a glasshole around it. 281 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:05,880 Speaker 9: Pug down. 282 00:17:07,560 --> 00:17:13,160 Speaker 1: See yesterday I told you our friend Mark Sherman, who 283 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:17,000 Speaker 1: was the grand Poobah of programming for all of Houston 284 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:21,160 Speaker 1: and beyond. Some of you will remember Mark Sherman from 285 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:22,959 Speaker 1: back in the day when he was a mere mortal. 286 00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:25,880 Speaker 1: He was the co host on Sunday ninety nine point 287 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:32,640 Speaker 1: one for many years with Dana Tyson, and he went, 288 00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:36,680 Speaker 1: what's that She threw a chair at him? That's true, 289 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:39,080 Speaker 1: she did throw a chair. She's a tough woman's also 290 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:41,760 Speaker 1: a hot woman. I really don't think we talk enough 291 00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:45,720 Speaker 1: about how hot Dana Tyson is. She's a workout buff. 292 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:50,440 Speaker 1: She also does something that nobody else in the radio does. 293 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:54,320 Speaker 1: She dresses up. There's always a treat to We had 294 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:56,760 Speaker 1: these long hallways back when we were at two thousand 295 00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:59,959 Speaker 1: West Loop and she'd be you'd come around the corn 296 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:03,919 Speaker 1: her coming out of the restroom, and I once I 297 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:06,920 Speaker 1: get to the studio, I take off my shoes on barefoot, 298 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:12,040 Speaker 1: and I'm wearing sloppy shorts and a sloppy shirt, and 299 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:15,639 Speaker 1: you know, I don't really care because I'm on the radio. 300 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:19,000 Speaker 1: And there she'd come, and she'd be wearing I don't 301 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:21,560 Speaker 1: what you call them. They're not high heels. They're like shoes, 302 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:24,560 Speaker 1: very sexy. So the end of the toe is exposed, 303 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:27,439 Speaker 1: but there's like a strap over the main part of 304 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:30,280 Speaker 1: the shoe, and then the heel is exposed, very sexy, 305 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:33,400 Speaker 1: and then kind of a not so much a it's 306 00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:35,720 Speaker 1: a heel, but it's a thicker heel, so it's kind 307 00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:38,359 Speaker 1: of more European stylish kind of thing. You sh'd be 308 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:41,879 Speaker 1: wearing that and jeans and some top and have all 309 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:45,480 Speaker 1: her makeup on, her hair perfectly done, and she's the 310 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:48,520 Speaker 1: only one in the building that you know, we're in radio. 311 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:50,000 Speaker 1: But she might leave there and then go do a 312 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 1: TV hit. So so that was my excuse for why 313 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:55,639 Speaker 1: she'd do that. But anyway, so Mark Sherman was on 314 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:57,400 Speaker 1: with her for years and years and years and then 315 00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:01,159 Speaker 1: he ascended to many, which means you don't have to 316 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 1: do anything, but you make more money, which is a 317 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:08,080 Speaker 1: great gig. And so he ran stundying at nine point 318 00:19:08,119 --> 00:19:10,919 Speaker 1: one for years and then and now he's the big 319 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:13,639 Speaker 1: the big Boss. I told you the story that he 320 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:17,280 Speaker 1: was driving to Dallas too, because now I guess Dallas 321 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:21,359 Speaker 1: reports to him as well our Dallas stations and eighteen 322 00:19:21,359 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 1: wheelers smashed him in the back and I mean totaled 323 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:25,720 Speaker 1: his car. Just if you look at his car, you 324 00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:29,520 Speaker 1: can't believe he's alive. But anyway, I just got news 325 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:32,320 Speaker 1: that he is. He has gone into surgery with doctor 326 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 1: McCullough at Methodists this morning. So if you can throw 327 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:41,520 Speaker 1: up a prayer for a recently converted within the last 328 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:46,879 Speaker 1: ten years, Catholic boy, Mark Sherman, originally from Pennsylvania, I 329 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:52,600 Speaker 1: would sure appreciate it. He's he's having his clavigal rebuilt, 330 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:57,120 Speaker 1: and I think a bunch of bones and boners are 331 00:19:57,160 --> 00:20:03,439 Speaker 1: being taken care of, and uh they are also they 332 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:05,040 Speaker 1: are replacing his cocksicks. 333 00:20:05,520 --> 00:20:05,760 Speaker 4: Yeap. 334 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:08,320 Speaker 1: His cocksix was was broken off, you know, the little 335 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:11,040 Speaker 1: the little part that is the tail. It was broken 336 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:13,720 Speaker 1: off and the doctors thought it would just look more 337 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:17,159 Speaker 1: natural when they take an X ray. If if it 338 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:19,440 Speaker 1: doesn't just stop right there, it should have that little 339 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:22,239 Speaker 1: extension where you're reminded, you know, we might have had 340 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:24,280 Speaker 1: a tail at one point, we might have looked more 341 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:27,840 Speaker 1: like a salamander than we realize, and so they were 342 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:33,760 Speaker 1: going to do a little cocksix extension. What's that? Okay? 343 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:36,000 Speaker 1: That good landing rocket arm foide on here come. 344 00:20:35,880 --> 00:20:37,119 Speaker 2: From brittle jugget breakers in. 345 00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:41,119 Speaker 1: Well, you have spart in boarding down board there on. 346 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:44,920 Speaker 1: We're coming forward with the side stick. Well looks good, chard, 347 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:48,760 Speaker 1: I've got to blow out favor three pitches out again, 348 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:52,400 Speaker 1: hold out direction, alcohol is off, trip collector and emergency 349 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:54,560 Speaker 1: flight con Again't hold it you bringing. 350 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 8: Up you'd drink. 351 00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 1: It's not my favorite version round there. All right, Laura, 352 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:24,800 Speaker 1: you're old Michael Berry show go ahead, sweetheart. Oh we 353 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:26,840 Speaker 1: have to go back to Joel. I'm sorry, Joel, go ahead. 354 00:21:26,920 --> 00:21:29,440 Speaker 1: Point of personal recognition. Take three? 355 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:35,159 Speaker 7: Yes there, Hey, calling in as a humorous story of 356 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:38,119 Speaker 7: my own adoption. First off, I am a father of 357 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 7: two and a step father of six. 358 00:21:42,040 --> 00:21:44,560 Speaker 1: Didn't very a word. I love this guy, all right, 359 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:44,960 Speaker 1: go ahead. 360 00:21:48,119 --> 00:21:51,440 Speaker 7: The kids luckily have their fathers in their lives, so 361 00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:53,479 Speaker 7: I don't need to adopt them, but I feel as 362 00:21:53,480 --> 00:21:55,760 Speaker 7: if I have and they've adopted me, and that's a 363 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:58,960 Speaker 7: wonderful thing for our family. Uh Number two, I'd like 364 00:21:59,040 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 7: to bring awareness for my wife that has considered adopting 365 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:08,040 Speaker 7: a seventeen and eighteen or a nineteen year old war 366 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:12,200 Speaker 7: to the state or fostering, because it's the most volatile 367 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:14,760 Speaker 7: time or age for that child that's been in the 368 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:19,359 Speaker 7: foster system. So anybody that could consider it. My own story, 369 00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:23,399 Speaker 7: I was born in the sixties and my birth certificate 370 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:27,240 Speaker 7: says on or about and a date. It doesn't say 371 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:30,600 Speaker 7: when it's on or about. So after my mom had 372 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:34,040 Speaker 7: passed when I was in my early twenties, I asked 373 00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:38,359 Speaker 7: my father where how did you get me? Because I 374 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:42,600 Speaker 7: was told I was adopted, And he tells me that 375 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:47,520 Speaker 7: what he remembers is that they called him on a 376 00:22:47,640 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 7: Friday and said, we have one here down at the hospital. 377 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:54,240 Speaker 7: He's really cute. Why don't you bring him home for 378 00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:57,600 Speaker 7: the weekend and see if you like him? And I 379 00:22:57,800 --> 00:22:59,920 Speaker 7: had to tell him, Dad, that sounds like a dog, 380 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:00,960 Speaker 7: not a child. 381 00:23:01,240 --> 00:23:03,200 Speaker 1: Is there a living log? Can I give him back. 382 00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:07,000 Speaker 5: This one. 383 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 1: Christ too much in poops too often. 384 00:23:09,119 --> 00:23:14,160 Speaker 7: I don't want him, but sure enough, and I've called 385 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:16,800 Speaker 7: in on Father's Day special, and you let me give 386 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:19,800 Speaker 7: my story about luckily him holding on to me till 387 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:23,159 Speaker 7: I was eighteen or nineteen instead of taking me to 388 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:26,719 Speaker 7: the curb like you should have. But luckily just very 389 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:31,160 Speaker 7: great parents, smart as whips, double masters, both of them, 390 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:36,400 Speaker 7: and somehow I made it somewhat smart and somewhat responsible. 391 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:39,440 Speaker 7: And I can't thank you enough for let me tell 392 00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:39,880 Speaker 7: my story. 393 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:40,840 Speaker 1: What do you do for living? 394 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:51,320 Speaker 7: Joel, Sir? I'm an electrician, you own. I worked for myself. 395 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:56,879 Speaker 1: You have a great I'm very familiar, a great delivery 396 00:23:57,200 --> 00:24:02,720 Speaker 1: and presentation. Your voice. I like the way you. 397 00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:04,680 Speaker 5: Use it. 398 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:09,000 Speaker 1: It's very natural, kind of offhanded, and it makes your 399 00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:13,040 Speaker 1: stories quite entertaining. I bet you that helps you in 400 00:24:13,160 --> 00:24:16,240 Speaker 1: your career interacting with people. Call back again. 401 00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:24,800 Speaker 2: No, Christy, he's eating right now. He can't be Michael Mary, Sir, 402 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:27,480 Speaker 2: Please do not call him the fat pick See I'm 403 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:28,320 Speaker 2: trying to be nice. 404 00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:29,920 Speaker 1: Don't call him a fat pig. 405 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:31,760 Speaker 3: When I look in My. 406 00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:39,520 Speaker 1: Friend uncle Darryl. Darryl Hancock sent me a message related 407 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:42,480 Speaker 1: to today's show a famous musician who thought his mother 408 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:47,880 Speaker 1: was his sister. His biological father was a Canadian soldier 409 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:50,600 Speaker 1: who laid over in the UK on his way to 410 00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:55,640 Speaker 1: the European theater in nineteen forty four. Clapton was born 411 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:59,840 Speaker 1: in March of forty five. A Canadian journalist later identified 412 00:24:59,880 --> 00:25:04,240 Speaker 1: the biological father, a Montreal musician, alcoholic, and drifter, who 413 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:07,399 Speaker 1: died in nineteen eighty five, leaving several failed marriages and 414 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:11,800 Speaker 1: several children, and apparently without ever knowing Eric Clapton was 415 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:19,200 Speaker 1: his biological son. Clapton was his mother's maiden name. Clapton's mother, 416 00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:23,200 Speaker 1: Slas sister, married when Clapton was young and moved away 417 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:27,280 Speaker 1: to start a new family with her husband. Claptain grew 418 00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:31,639 Speaker 1: up believing his biological grandmother Rose and his step grandfather 419 00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:36,639 Speaker 1: Jack were his biological parents. They were loving parent surrogates 420 00:25:36,680 --> 00:25:39,360 Speaker 1: and reared him in a small congregation of the Church 421 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 1: of England. He learned the truth as a young adult. 422 00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:49,000 Speaker 1: Two Clapton songs reflect his anxieties about his parentage, motherless child. 423 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:51,960 Speaker 1: His rendition of an old American spiritual starts this way. 424 00:25:52,760 --> 00:25:55,480 Speaker 1: If I mistreat you, girl, I sure don't mean no harm. 425 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:59,520 Speaker 1: If I mistreat you, girl, I sure don't mean no harm. Well, 426 00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:02,920 Speaker 1: I'm a motherless child. I don't know right from wrong. 427 00:26:05,080 --> 00:26:07,640 Speaker 1: He would right my father's eyes, after he had learned 428 00:26:07,680 --> 00:26:10,560 Speaker 1: the details of his father's life from the Canadian Reporter, 429 00:26:11,440 --> 00:26:13,640 Speaker 1: and after his own four year old son had died 430 00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:17,119 Speaker 1: after a fall from a high rise window. Just a 431 00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:20,160 Speaker 1: toe rag on the run? How did I get here? 432 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:24,520 Speaker 1: What have I done? When will all my hopes arise? 433 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:27,960 Speaker 1: How will I know him? When I look into my 434 00:26:28,119 --> 00:26:34,399 Speaker 1: father's eyes? Also of note singer Bobby Darren Walden, Robert 435 00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:38,880 Speaker 1: Cassato was reared with his was reared by his grandparents 436 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:43,200 Speaker 1: as his parents, and his mother as his sister. Grandpa 437 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:48,760 Speaker 1: Cassato a made man in the Genovese crime family. It's 438 00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:52,680 Speaker 1: always a pleasure when Uncle Daryl said something, because it's 439 00:26:52,720 --> 00:27:00,240 Speaker 1: going to be a perspective that you would not expect. Yeah, 440 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:03,280 Speaker 1: Uncle Darrel's a fascinating character. He's a longtime lawyer at 441 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:06,879 Speaker 1: Baker Bots and he was attached to Jim Baker, James A. 442 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:09,639 Speaker 1: Baker the Third for many years in his career and 443 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:13,880 Speaker 1: they're still very good friends. And oh, by the way, 444 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:18,040 Speaker 1: he's the president of or the lead cheerleader for the 445 00:27:18,119 --> 00:27:21,520 Speaker 1: Czech Association. Downtown. They have a building with all sorts 446 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:25,639 Speaker 1: of check history there. I was watching the documentary of 447 00:27:25,640 --> 00:27:29,520 Speaker 1: the day about check people, and it was the the 448 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:35,880 Speaker 1: people that came together, the Bohemians. Who are the people 449 00:27:35,960 --> 00:27:43,360 Speaker 1: that make those great cookies, those paper Moravians. No, the Moravians. 450 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:45,080 Speaker 1: I'm gonna get in ornament to get have I ever 451 00:27:45,160 --> 00:27:47,560 Speaker 1: never given you missed some of Missus Haynes Moravian cookies. 452 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:50,240 Speaker 1: Oh my goodness, it comes in a ten. And you know, 453 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:52,480 Speaker 1: my wife it's the English thing refers to a ten 454 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:55,840 Speaker 1: of cookies. And we used to buy them. They've gotten expensive. 455 00:27:55,880 --> 00:27:58,159 Speaker 1: It's like fifty bucks a ten. I don't know what 456 00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:02,239 Speaker 1: they are expensive. And miss missus Haynes's family they live 457 00:28:02,320 --> 00:28:04,480 Speaker 1: in North Carolina. I don't know if she's still around, 458 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:07,760 Speaker 1: but she started the business. And it's these wayfer I 459 00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:11,520 Speaker 1: mean paper then cookies, so you're only gonna eat one 460 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:15,200 Speaker 1: and it's becomes three hundred and they're so good, and 461 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:18,200 Speaker 1: we would buy them as gifts. And the reason I 462 00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:20,239 Speaker 1: got hooked on him was one year we received him. 463 00:28:21,280 --> 00:28:23,439 Speaker 1: My wife had a professor of torts by the name 464 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:26,399 Speaker 1: of Craig Joyce and Craig Joyce's claim to fame is 465 00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:29,200 Speaker 1: he was Sandra Dale O'Connor's nephew. He's also a great 466 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:32,200 Speaker 1: professor at the University of Houston Law Center, and he 467 00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:34,000 Speaker 1: became a good good friend of ours. In fact, he 468 00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:38,080 Speaker 1: wrote my letter of recommendation for ut Law School. He 469 00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:41,120 Speaker 1: had taught there and they knew him anyway, so he 470 00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:44,520 Speaker 1: had some connection to these cookies and he sent one 471 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:46,800 Speaker 1: and we used I don't know why we stopped, but 472 00:28:46,880 --> 00:28:50,000 Speaker 1: we used to send. We'd set a budget every year, 473 00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:52,240 Speaker 1: let's it was a thousand dollars, and we would send 474 00:28:52,320 --> 00:28:54,520 Speaker 1: however much that thousand bucks would get us. We would 475 00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:56,680 Speaker 1: have them sent to different people that we loved, and 476 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:02,160 Speaker 1: we probably just forgot, truthfully, probably for God. Joel was 477 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:04,480 Speaker 1: a good call. Laura, you're on the Michael Berry Show. 478 00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:05,200 Speaker 1: Go ahead, sweetheart. 479 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:09,640 Speaker 6: Hi Michael, Thanks so much for doing this. I think 480 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:13,880 Speaker 6: it's so great to bring awareness for adoption because there's 481 00:29:13,880 --> 00:29:17,120 Speaker 6: so many facets to it. I'm an adoptee back from 482 00:29:17,200 --> 00:29:22,000 Speaker 6: the sixties as well as Joel, and we've come a 483 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:26,840 Speaker 6: long way since then. I about thirty years ago, did 484 00:29:27,360 --> 00:29:30,960 Speaker 6: search for my birth parents because there was a great 485 00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:34,440 Speaker 6: need to know where I came from, and that was 486 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:37,120 Speaker 6: hard on my parents, and I just want to. 487 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:39,200 Speaker 2: Say that. 488 00:29:41,600 --> 00:29:45,640 Speaker 6: It doesn't mean anything about how much you love your 489 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:50,440 Speaker 6: parents or how much what a great life they've given 490 00:29:50,520 --> 00:29:53,920 Speaker 6: you if you do decide to search for your roots 491 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:57,800 Speaker 6: and your identity. I think it's important to say that 492 00:29:58,080 --> 00:30:03,680 Speaker 6: because I think that a lot of times parents feel 493 00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:06,160 Speaker 6: like if we were good parents, then they wouldn't want 494 00:30:06,280 --> 00:30:10,480 Speaker 6: to search. But I think that searching is just natural 495 00:30:11,360 --> 00:30:15,680 Speaker 6: for some, not for all, and there just needs to 496 00:30:15,720 --> 00:30:20,840 Speaker 6: be more mental health support for adopted parents and adoptees 497 00:30:21,520 --> 00:30:24,520 Speaker 6: to go to navigate these waters. Do you know what 498 00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:24,960 Speaker 6: I'm saying? 499 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:27,400 Speaker 2: I do? I do. 500 00:30:27,640 --> 00:30:31,120 Speaker 1: I mean, let's look at let's look at the infrastructure 501 00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:37,560 Speaker 1: that was built up around illegal immigration. The government contracted with, Well, 502 00:30:37,720 --> 00:30:39,760 Speaker 1: the Catholics don't like me to say who they contracted with, 503 00:30:39,800 --> 00:30:43,080 Speaker 1: so I'm not going to say to create this, this 504 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:45,680 Speaker 1: sort of pipeline, this sort of Harriet Tubman, except this 505 00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:48,800 Speaker 1: one's illegal pipeline. I mean technically that was illegal at 506 00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:53,040 Speaker 1: the time. I do think that it would be that 507 00:30:53,320 --> 00:30:56,680 Speaker 1: it tends to be kind of balkanized. There are actually 508 00:30:56,720 --> 00:31:02,280 Speaker 1: a lot of good people out there in the adoption world, 509 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:04,920 Speaker 1: as you know, the random lawyer over here, and there's 510 00:31:04,960 --> 00:31:06,880 Speaker 1: no money in it, so it's hard to get legal 511 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:11,400 Speaker 1: resources for it. The Pelchian does good work there, there 512 00:31:11,440 --> 00:31:14,680 Speaker 1: are different people doing good work. It would be great 513 00:31:14,880 --> 00:31:18,040 Speaker 1: if there was a little more coordination because I get 514 00:31:18,040 --> 00:31:19,719 Speaker 1: a lot of people who come to me and they say, hey, 515 00:31:19,760 --> 00:31:21,760 Speaker 1: we want to get started. They don't know what to do. 516 00:31:22,520 --> 00:31:25,240 Speaker 1: We need a lot more foster parents, I mean children. 517 00:31:25,240 --> 00:31:27,680 Speaker 1: It's not a child's fault that their parents are messed 518 00:31:27,760 --> 00:31:32,640 Speaker 1: up for whatever reason. But even if, even if, just 519 00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:35,560 Speaker 1: to save society, we need more people to foster, and 520 00:31:35,640 --> 00:31:37,040 Speaker 1: there are a lot of people who would love to 521 00:31:37,200 --> 00:31:40,160 Speaker 1: they just don't know how to get started. So yeah, 522 00:31:40,400 --> 00:31:44,200 Speaker 1: I agree with that. It'd be better just the public 523 00:31:44,280 --> 00:31:46,560 Speaker 1: information and kind of a little better coordination.