Jeweler, Author, and founder of Why Mom Deserves a Diamond contest.
4. Second Search In 1977 I turned nineteen. Mother’s Day and my birthday were always times that triggered thoughts of my early existence. On Mother’s Day I bought a nice card for Mom. Grantline United Methodist gave every mother a small pot of marigolds. But I also thought about my other Mom. After all, she… Continue reading Chapter 4. Second Search
You understood that I was never searching for a mother. I always knew that special person was you. I know it was you that bandaged my wounded knees and packed my lunch for school. Your tight hugs and enduring encouragement made me the human I am today. By loving me first you taught me to… Continue reading To My Adoptive Mom
May 8, 2015 SANTA ANA (CBSLA.com) — Two Orange County students each won a quarter-carat diamond valued at $600 to give mom this Mother’s Day in an essay contest. Neha Abbas, 10, was one of the two winners of the 23rd annual Why Mom Deserves a Diamond contest put on by Gallery of Diamonds in… Continue reading Young Girl’s Homage To Mom Among 2 Entries In O.C. To Win Diamond This Mother’s Day
(Diamond) Mike Watson is giving away diamonds to two students who write the best essay to the prompt "Why Mom Deserves a Diamond." Watson's own decades long search for his biological mother led him to begin the contest. (Don Leach, Daily Pilot / January 2, 2015) By Hannah Fry January 2, 2015 Through his decades-long… Continue reading Newport Jeweler’s Contest Honors Moms as a Reflection of His Life’s Journey
For the 23rd year, Gallery of Diamonds, which will soon be moving to a larger facility in Santa Ana, CA, will award diamonds to two students who best express in writing, Why Mom Deserves a Diamond. Gallery of Diamonds jewelers is the original sponsor. The deadline is January 9, 2015. The new facility will accommodate… Continue reading 23rd Annual Contest Announced
The first negative encounter I remembered as a result of being adopted was when I was seven. A little girl who lived down the hill exclaimed in a hateful voice, “I know something you don’t know...you’re adopted!” Although that was a familiar word, I wasn’t fond of the tone. “So what?” I fired back. “Your… Continue reading Chapter 3. From Crayons to Confusion
When I look back in time, I remember precious moments with my adoptive mom. I remember her giving me advice on my worries of the day, kissing me on the forehead before I went to sleep, and laughing at my jokes in which only I found humor. I remember the love and patience in her… Continue reading Memories of Love
In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson announced that the second Sunday in May would be the holiday we now call Mother’s Day. Although our mothers have been celebrated in many ancient cultures, they have only been nationally recognized for one hundred years. The hero of this American story is Anna Marie Jarvis, the Mother of Mother’s… Continue reading The Story of Mother’s Day
Warning: you may find a word here that may be offensive. I apologize in advance, for it is never my aim to hurt anyone's feelings or make anyone feel bad. I also cannot bear to think that I may lose a friend. In fact, this is a word I have always spoken and written with… Continue reading A Beautiful Word
Like the upstairs attic of childhood, I used the downstairs for dreaming also. I thought about my past, my birthmother, and my origins. I never looked like anybody. I never felt connected to anybody. Yet, I never felt completely alone. Maybe that was because Mom told me God was always with me. I wondered what… Continue reading Where Am I Going?
One autumn, Tony Higgins’s family moved southwest to Hopkinsville, Kentucky. I drove down to stay overnight. The next morning Tony took his cousin Steve and me to Pilot Rock, a mountain site that was renowned in his new homeland. Arriving early, we jumped out of the car and raced to the top. Primitive steppingstones were… Continue reading The Mountain to Paradise
Draped in black robes, the Class of ‘80 waited their turn to be called by the dean. The air was strangely cool, but the weather of southern Indiana was always unpredictable. I scanned for my parents. I’m sure they were proud of me. After all, they had paid for most of my education. This was… Continue reading The Graduation
My birthmother, Betty Snyder, and my sister, Debra Kay Price. This was the last photograph taken of her before she disappeared. I am searching for my sister, Debra Kay Price. She disappeared before her second birthday. I was adopted as a child, found my roots 20 years later, then discovered I had a sister who… Continue reading The Lost Sister
Living Now While Preserving the Past I have learned to respect the past. However, I try not to look over my shoulder at dreams that did not come true. I instead like to aim the compass of my life in a positive direction, knowing it is much more exciting to create something beautiful than… Continue reading Living Now While Preserving the Past