Links

• Which two U.S. Presidents share the birthday November 2nd, exactly 70 years apart?

• What is the most popular arcade game of all time?

• What is the only cat in the world that can't retract its claws?

• What famous speech was given in November, 1863?

• What's that thing that hangs off a turkey's beak?
  
  
  Answers at the bottom of this page

Nathan is an adorable 11 year old boy who's anxious for a family. He wants to be adopted into a family that sees that he's a "great kid that knows how to follow directions." He would also love to have a family that enjoys fishing. Nathan has a real passion for fishing and is also very good at catching frogs in his net and gently setting them free. He also really likes to ride his bike. Before Nathan came into DHHS care in January 2001 he suffered serious sexual abuse and exposure to domestic violence. Nathan has made wonderful gains and is a charming, funny, sweet, polite boy with a fantastic smile. He does need a high level of supervision and does very well with adults one on one. Nathan struggles with completing his schoolwork and will need to be in a home that provides access to a day treatment facility, as it is not yet appropriate for Nathan to be in a public school setting. Nathan wants very badly to be liked and cared about by an adoptive family. He would prefer to be the only child and will be a great addition to a family that is energetic and patient. Adoption subsidy may be available to the most appropriate family. Interested families may contact Robin Graffam, DHHS, 208 Graham St., Biddeford, ME 04005, or by phone at 286-2470.

Upcoming Holiday Events

• Bridgton - Festival of Lights November 25, 2005.  For information call 647-3472.

• Waterville - Electric Christmas Parade
  November 25, 2005.  Come watch as A Touch of Country lights up Downtown Waterville with the Electric Christmas Parade.  The parade brings Santa to Town and ends with the lighting of the giant spruce in Castonguay Square.  Free and open to the public.  Contact 680-2055 or info@watervillemainstreet.org for more information.  Presented by Waterville Main Street.

• Rockland - Festival of Lights Celebration
  November 25-27, 2005.  Celebrate the holidays in the Real Maine.  Santa arrives by Coast Guard boat at Public Landing in Rockland.  Enjoy historic inn holiday open houses, tree lighting ceremony, downtown parade of lights, family pancake breakfast with Santa, children's activities, Santa's workshop, gallery night, horse-drawn carriage rides, carolers and more.  Call the Rockland-Thomaston Area Chamber of Commerce at 596-0376 for details.

• Lighting of the Nubble
  Cape Neddick Lighthouse, York Beach.  November 26, 2005.  Cookies, hot chocolate, music, Santa, plus the big countdown to turn on the Christmas lights at the Cape Neddick Lighthouse.  Shuttle service from Ellis Park at Short Sands Beach.  Phone 363-1040 for details.

• Rockport - Holiday Craft Market - 26th Annual Event
  Samoset Resort. November 26, 2005.  Maine made, hand-crafted items for sale at all day craft event.  Juried craft show with over 70 exhibitors and Santa too.  Phone the Rockland-Thomaston Area Chamber of Commerce at
  596-0376 for details.

• Bath Holiday - Five Weeks of Christmas
  November 26-December 31, 2005.  Special events taking place throughout the holiday season include: Holiday Parade, community sings, craft fairs, antiques show, holiday house tour.  Phone 442-7291 for details. 

• Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade
  November 27, 2005.  Always the Sunday after Thanksgiving - rain, snow or shine.  The largest Christmas parade in Maine! Phone 743-2281 for details.

• Skowhegan - Holiday Stroll
  December 2-3, 2005.  Lots of Christmas activities.  Santa hands out gifts, children's activities, a nighttime lighted parade and more.  For more info call the Skowhegan Area Chamber of Commerce at 474-3621.

• Kennebunkport Christmas Prelude
  December 2-11, 2005.  A time of shopping and special events including champagne reception, candlelight caroling, tree lighting, arts and crafts shows, pancake breakfast, lobster bake, the arrival of Santa by lobster boat and more.

• Freeport - 12th Annual Sparkle Event
  December 2-11, 2005.  "Sparkle" holiday event with a Tuba Christmas Concert, holly trolley rides, hot cocoa stops, Talking Christmas Tree, visits with Santa and more.

• York Village - Festival of Lights
  York Village.  December 3, 2005.  See York Village come alive with lights & watch the annual Holiday Parade.  Fairs, caroling, Santa Claus, church suppers and more.  Phone 363-4974 for details. 

• Presque Isle - Holiday Lights Parade
  Presque Isle.  December 3, 2005.  Annual light parade from North Street to UMPI.  Phone 764-6561 for details and registration.

• Christmas in Kennebunk
  Kennebunk, Maine.  December 5, 2004.  The 21st annual "Christmas in Kennebunk" offers something for every generation.  At about 3 p.m., there is a Christmas concert where you can relax into a holiday frame of mind to the sounds of the Casco Bay Concert Band at the Kennebunk Town Hall.  There will be carols of all vintages and a sing-along.  Ticket proceeds for this event benefit the Kennebunk Free Library (where they can be purchased in advance).  At about 5 p.m. tree lighting festivities begin at Rotary Park on Water Street.  Entertainment by the Sea Glass Kids, followed by Santa's arrival and lighting of the Becker Memorial Christmas Tree.  Refreshments to warm the body are provided, with music by Kennebunk's own WBOB.  For more information call the library at
  985-2173.

• Ogunquit - Christmas by the Sea
  Ogunquit.  The 19th Annual Christmas by the Sea is in Ogunquit on December 9-11, 2005.  Held in various venues throughout Ogunuit, it features tree lightings, caroling, bonfires, a parade, "Chowderfest," shopping, open houses and more.  Phone 646-2939 for details or see www.orgunquit.org.
  

Congratulations to Mary Ellen and Timothy Roma of Portland, the 2005 Angels in Adoption Award recipients.

This is their story, told by Mary Ellen:

"This past May we celebrated 25 years since our first adoption. We had  been blessed with four wonderful sons and wanted to share our family life with more children. I had always wanted to adopt children from Korea. About that time getting children out of Korea was very hard. We had started with the Holt Agency and about a year into the process they had ceased placing children. We were very disappointed, as we had already invested time and money into the process. In our search for another agency we were told about MAPS in northern Maine. After hearing from other agencies that, because we already had a large family, we probably wouldn't have much of a chance of adopting other children, I was very disappointed. I gave Dawn Degenhardt a call as I was ready to follow up on any lead. I was so excited that day to hear an encouraging voice. As an adoptive mother herself, she had enthusiasm and excitement for my dream.

"We began the process of the case study update and things moved along well. One day after we had talked about possibly getting more than one child, Dawn called with that memorable call and said that there were three little sisters waiting in an orphanage. I remember my call to my husband Tim at work when I told him about the phone call. I had gone back to work in the emergency room part time to save for the adoption of one child, but the cost would be much more for three children. I told him about the girls and asked him what he thought. He was so flabbergasted that he said can we talk about this at home. Within five minutes he called back and said yes we can get started and we will find the money somewhere. We put a second mortgage on our house and got the money we needed for our dream. This was the start of a lifetime adventure that we could never have imagined. Our three daughters joined our family and it was wonderful. The challenges were great.

"As soon as I got that second mortgage paid off, I was ready to do this adoption thing again. This time we heard about a baby boy who had a life threatening bowel disease in an orphanage in Korea. As I was a nurse I thought well that can't be so bad, we can make him better. I was going to Detroit to pick him up alone, as the last minute flight was very expensive, but my oldest son T.J. wouldn't let me go alone and went with me at his own expense. Tyler came home to three sisters who looked like him, and four adoring brothers. I was right, we could take care of him.  After ten years of surgeries and three colostomies he is alive and doing fairly well.

"As time went on I still had this yearning for more children. With children in college we could no longer do the expensive foreign adoptions. My idea was to do foster care with the hopes that if a child needs to be placed we would be able to adopt him or her. We did have a baby who was with us for six weeks and left, but the rest all came and stayed.

"One day the social worker from DHS came with a seven month old and an eighteen month old. They have multiple disabilities and just keeping up with therapy and doctor appointments, I thought my plate was probably full. As our number was at ten children, we thought we were done with foster care.

"We had planned our first big vacation to Europe, just Tim and I. DHS called and said could I help them out as they had a two month old who needed an emergency placement. I told them that he could come but only for a short while as we had this big vacation planned. They of course said no problem. Tucker came and was adopted. Also his three and a half year old sister had been in five different homes and could we take her as she had some behavior problems. She also came and was adopted. Then we heard that the mother of our two youngest was expecting again. We were able to bring Tony home from the hospital as a newborn. Our number is now thirteen. We still have six children at home. These children all have disabilities ranging from MR, autism, global developmental delays, OCD, medical issues, fetal alcohol and mental health issues.

"As many adopted children get into adolescence their insecure early years is very evident in some displayed behaviors. We have certainly lived through many a bad decision. Letting them fly alone is part of and one of the most difficult parts of being a good parent. Our reassurance of them having a loving family to come back to is the glue that holds all of us together.

"Our older sons have learned life lessons well as they have wonderful families and do a lot of giving back to the community in the form of volunteerism.

"When I go to bed I am exhausted, but I couldn't think of a better way we could have lived our lives. My husband is retired and is sixty-two and I will turn sixty in August. We have a five year old son who will start school in September. Life is the best it can be."
~Mary Ellen