Overview

The daily lives of Rosemary and her brothers are defined by their stepfather's sexual abuse and the sadistic power he wields over the children and their mother. The authorities finally rescue the children, but then Rosemary languishes for three years in Florida's state foster care system, separated from her brothers and without real help for the psychological anguish that afflicts her because of the abuse. Meanwhile, Jeanne and James Ramsey endure the rigorous approval process for potential parents who wish to adopt older children from Florida's foster care system. Then they wait while the seemingly endless search for the right little girl unfolds. Their dream is realized when a match is found at last in eight-year-old Rosemary, and they adopt her. Rosemary's recovery from her past is slow, but over time and with much effort, loving bonds are forged as Rosemary struggles to make a good life with her new parents. Award-winning author Jeanne Ramsey's memoire describes the new family's progress with stories of courage, sorrow, anger, poignancy, love, humor, and ultimate triumph. It is meant to be enjoyed by anyone seeking an uplifting, true page-turner. It can also be useful to people who are considering adoption, or who have already given a home to a troubled child, and need reasurance that, despite the effort it takes and the emotional ups and downs inherent in such an undertaking, the stability and guidance they offer to these children is of GREAT value.

Full Product Details

9781532388965

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Reviews

""A brilliant, beautiful story of one couple's search for a child to love and cherish. Brought me to tears and laughter. The highs and low are dizzying. The outcome is brighter than sunshine. Anyone should put this book at the top of his or her reading list. A story worthy of six stars."" Richard Wall, Author of Jonah's Cathedral ""A real page-turner. It is a compelling, heart-rending and triumphant story of love and healing. This artfully and concisely written book describes parenting at its best; imperfect, loving, and noble."" C W and Kat ""Author Jeanne Ramsey beautifully illustrates this story of survival, connection, and healing. As a therapist who specializes in work with traumatized children and adults, I find it very hopeful and heartwarming. It shines a light on the commitment, from many sources, needed to heal an abused child. And Rosemary's resilience, wry humor and gumption are inspiring and entertaining."" Leslie S. Clark, MSW, LCSW ""This is a great read! It's very informative about the adoption process and provides an in-depth perspective into the trials, tribulations, and successes of raising a child from the foster system."" Lisa Heitz ""The author really nailed the real life situation regarding the positives and negatives of adopting a child who has been impacted by long-term abuse. The writing was realistic, practical, and believable. The book gives someone interested in proceeding down this path info on the real advantages and problems that occur. The girl had much baggage and the adoptive parents faced and overcame many challenges in the path to a successful adoptive experience. The story provides insight into the workings of the government agency and the dynamics of all the families involved. I highly recommend this book. Not only lay persons, but professionals would benefit from reading it."" L. S. Skornia ""Terrific book. Very hard to realize that this is an actual, true story."" Lois Metzger ""Very informative on the adoption process and ways to handle children who have a history of abuse. Glad everything worked out in the end."" KP ""This book is amazing and wonderfully written!!"" Unknown ""This is a wonderfully written book!"" Juicy J

A brilliant, beautiful story of one couple's search for a child to love and cherish. Brought me to tears and laughter. The highs and low are dizzying. The outcome is brighter than sunshine. Anyone looking to adopt or foster a child should put this book at the top of his or her reading list. A story worthy of six stars. Richard Wall, Author of Jonah's Cathedral Enthralling, Jeanne Ramsey's memoir cuts back the romantic curtain of the adoption process while retaining irrepressible optimism. Beautifully written, expressing her own experiences deeply, Ramsey allows the reader to feel her ups and downs, the emotions involved on all sides, and more. On a personal level, Ramsey's writings helped me in my own healing from abuse. Recommended reading, even if you aren't thinking about adopting a child. Jenn Ciurla, Editor. This is a great read! It's very informative about the adoption process and provides an in-depth perspective into the trials, tribulations, and successes of raising a child from the foster system. Lisa Heitz The author really nailed the real life situation regarding the positives and negatives of adopting a child who has been impacted by long-term abuse. The writing was realistic, practical, and believable. The book gives someone interested in proceeding down this path info on the real advantages and problems that occur. The girl had much baggage and the adoptive parents faced and overcame many challenges in the path to a successful adoptive experience. The story provides insight into the workings of the government agency and the dynamics of all the families involved. I highly recommend this book. Not only lay persons, but professionals would benefit from reading it. L. S. Skornia Terrific book. Very hard to realize that this is an actual, true story. Lois Metzger Very informative on the adoption process and ways to handle children who have a history of abuse. Glad everything worked out in the end. KP This book is amazing and wonderfully written!! Unknown This is a wonderfully written book! Juicy J

A brilliant, beautiful story of one couple's search for a child to love and cherish. Brought me to tears and laughter. The highs and low are dizzying. The outcome is brighter than sunshine. Anyone should put this book at the top of his or her reading list. A story worthy of six stars. Richard Wall, Author of Jonah's Cathedral A real page-turner. It is a compelling, heart-rending and triumphant story of love and healing. This artfully and concisely written book describes parenting at its best; imperfect, loving, and noble. C W and Kat Author Jeanne Ramsey beautifully illustrates this story of survival, connection, and healing. As a therapist who specializes in work with traumatized children and adults, I find it very hopeful and heartwarming. It shines a light on the commitment, from many sources, needed to heal an abused child. And Rosemary's resilience, wry humor and gumption are inspiring and entertaining. Leslie S. Clark, MSW, LCSW This is a great read! It's very informative about the adoption process and provides an in-depth perspective into the trials, tribulations, and successes of raising a child from the foster system. Lisa Heitz The author really nailed the real life situation regarding the positives and negatives of adopting a child who has been impacted by long-term abuse. The writing was realistic, practical, and believable. The book gives someone interested in proceeding down this path info on the real advantages and problems that occur. The girl had much baggage and the adoptive parents faced and overcame many challenges in the path to a successful adoptive experience. The story provides insight into the workings of the government agency and the dynamics of all the families involved. I highly recommend this book. Not only lay persons, but professionals would benefit from reading it. L. S. Skornia Terrific book. Very hard to realize that this is an actual, true story. Lois Metzger Very informative on the adoption process and ways to handle children who have a history of abuse. Glad everything worked out in the end. KP This book is amazing and wonderfully written!! Unknown This is a wonderfully written book! Juicy J

Author Information

Jeanne Ramsey grew up as an animal lover and bookworm with an artistic bent. As a child she was always conjuring up stories in her head, and even consigned some of them to paper, but she ""outgrew"" that. She graduated from Florida State University with degrees in Psychology and Biology, married, raised a son, and engaged in a banking career. Her husband, James, supported and encouraged her in all her interests, which include rescuing homeless pets, painting with oils, and various creative arts and crafts. Then, well into middle age, Jeanne and James adopted a severely abused little girl from Florida's state foster care system, and what an adventure it was! Jeanne started keeping notes to help her remember the details of the many sad, funny, and poignant events that punctuated her life with her new daughter, Rosemary. A couple of years later Jeanne discovered that she had accumulated a sizeable collection of jotted-down memories, enough to be the basis for a real book, and she wanted to share her experiences. And Rosemary was still growing up, constantly supplying new input to Jeanne's treasure trove of tales. The urge to write returned to Jeanne, and it could not be denied. So, she became a member of the Tallahassee Writers Association and took courses in creative writing. Eventually, in a seven-year labor of love, Jeanne wrote the complete story of her relationship with Rosemary, including how they came together in the first place, in her book, Daughter of my Heart: A Mother's Memoire about Adopting and Loving an Abused Child. Jeanne currently resides with James in retirement with numerous pets, near Tallahassee, Florida. Contact her at jeanneramseyauthor.wordpress.com.

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