It's been a little over six months since I've updated. Despite doing everything we could to lock down our Facebook accounts, Drew and I, like many other intended parents and prospective intended parents had to delete our accounts, because the unrelenting abuse by "professionals" in the international surrogacy industry became so exhausting, we decided that it was in the best interests of our family to step away from social media.
Over the past six months, we've had the joy of seeing our daughter blossom into a precocious, vivacious and loving toddler. We've had the joy of watching Q. revel in being a big brother and seeing Miss C and Miss M bonding as only sisters can.
We've missed Johnny ever single day. As we will, for the rest of our lives.
One would think that if someone you didn't like and didn't respect had stopped blogging, you might be relieved, or silently smug, or something. But that would presume that one was a reasonable person.
On the twenty one month anniversary of Johnny's death, this arrived in my inbox:
I don't know what motivates a person to leave a comment this nasty on a video where grieving parents talk about the loss of their child. I fail to see how this advances international surrogacy or lends legitimacy to the individual who left the comment. I have my suspicions about who left this comment, many people within the international surrogacy community will recognize not only the writing style, but the pattern of vitriol and abuse.
There are those in the community who talk about "doing good for all" and who try to call themselves advocates for families. There are those who talk about advocating for intended parents and surrogates. Some of these people may actually be trying to do so. However, the above does not reflect well on any of the professionals in this community.... the fact that this behavior is well known and continues to this day reflects poorly not only on the individual and their business, but also on those who promote and participate with this person.
"Goodness is about character - integrity, honesty, kindness, generosity, moral courage, and the like. More than anything else, it is about how we treat other people." Dennis Prager
