Saturday, January 2, 2010

The De-evolution of a family Part I

For my own peace of mind I have figured out the whole lack of birth certificate fiasco that my sisters are dealing with now.
I am my mother’s first child. She happened to be in the home of her cousin, Harold Blackmore, when her labor began. She was shy and afraid and didn’t want my dad and his first wife to know that she was in labor so they went home or ? I haven’t figured that part out. Harold had been an FLDS member although not at the time I was born in 69.? He took my mom to the clinic in Hildale, Ut (Shortcreek). The midwife, Lydia Jessop, of course had all the necessary papers to send for my birth certificate and that is what my mom wanted even though my dad had wanted us NOT to be in the system.
Her 2nd baby, Joy, born 18 months later was an unassisted birth on a sidewalk or driveway or something in front of someone’s house in Mexico.! Of course they brought the good old table out to assist in delivery. What’s up with the table deliveries?
Rachel was born in Deming just 16 months or so after Joy, at home, unassisted. Becca came 2 years after Rachel in the same manner.
I have had several of my babies unassisted out of choice, not necessity. It is always a nerve wracking thing to get a birth certificate. It’s been different every time I have done it. I had the back-up of my husband as well as a small community of unassisted birthers on the internet and a good friend midwife, all there to ease my mind and give me advice etc. My mom had none of those. She felt alone and afraid. She was a Canadian, citizen which complicated everything in her mind. My sisters had almost no identity. My mother had basically given up her own identity. She had a husband she could not claim.
My sisters have gotten by with written statements from several people. It allowed them to get a drivers license or ID. This year they can no longer get away with it and have been forced to figure out how to get a US BC without jeopardizing moms status.
As far as I can see the worst that could happen is that mom is deported to Canada which wouldn’t be too much of a problem except that she is essential in Rachels life. I think we can pull up the slack if that happened but I can understand moms worry.
I’m ashamed of myself for not understanding WHY my sisters have gone without a birth certificate. To complicate it even more is that we all have Mexican BC’s but because they have claimed to have been born in the US they are afraid to try and use those BC’s to get “Born Abroad” certificates.

1 comment:

modej said...

So even though I wrote this because I know my mother needs to feel understood, I just don't. I don't get it! The conspiracy theories that woman believes in just boggles my mind! She was a full grown 33 when she married my dad! She has always been full of FEAR! I will write about her childhood when I have a chance.