Yesterday, we went to Augusta for the ceremonial signing of Noah’s Law. The weather couldn’t have been much more miserable – there were torrential downpours as we made the journey up I-95, and when we were outside the car, we had to scurry around with umbrellas in hopes of not getting soaked. I don’t think the rain dampened anyone’s spirits as we gathered in the capitol building, though. There was a general sense of accomplishment and satisfaction among all the families who came to see this bill signed into law.
We were invited into the governor’s office at promptly 11:30 a.m., and as Noah’s parents, Mark and I were instructed to stand just to the right of the governor, who immediately stood to introduce himself to us. The rest of the group gathered around the fairly spacious office, and once everyone was more or less settled, the governor said a few words, thanking us for the work we put into moving this bill forward and expressing his opinion of how important it is for the state to recognize families in this way.
After the governor had spoken, he asked the senator who had sponsored the bill to say a few words. Mark and I had met the senator several times over the course of the last four or five months, so she knew our story well, and started to launch into a little speech about her involvement in the bill. However, as she gestured toward us to say how much we had impacted her, she called us Michael and Lisa. Yep, we obviously had quite an impact. To be fair, she’s always had some kind of block on Mark’s name, and would either call him Mike or Matt, rarely Mark. She had never gotten my name wrong before, though, and the completely incorrect combination made Mark and me both start laughing. I was afraid I wasn’t going to be able to regain control, but somehow I did.
After the senator wrapped up her remarks, the governor invited Mark and me to speak toward why this bill was important to us. I was caught entirely off guard, but I was closer than Mark, so I just started to talk with the hope that something sensible would come out of my mouth. I don’t remember much of what I said, though I know I tried to convey how disconcerting and painful it was for us to have a beautiful baby boy who was only recognized through a death certificate. I talked about how there is an incredible amount of pain that goes along with stillbirth, and we were motivated to help with this bill by the desire to provide some small measure of comfort to parents who deal with this kind of loss in the future.
Kathy also said a few words, and then the governor invited the other families to introduce themselves. Finally, he pulled out several pens and started signing his name to the bill. He used all the pens in the signing so each family could take one home as a memento of the bill. As he painstakingly wrote his name in parts, he joked about how having a long last name was a drag in the third grade, but certainly comes in handy now.
Then, it was over almost as quickly as it had started, and we filed out of the governor’s office with our pens and copies of the signed bill. A reporter from the Maine Public Broadcasting Network pulled Mark and me aside for an interview, for which I was also not prepared and even as I spoke, I wondered if I was saying the right thing. Finally, we all headed to a restaurant where we had made reservations for a celebratory lunch.
When the meal was over, we played a slideshow one of the women from our support group had created using pictures from people who had been part of this effort. Seeing all of the babies who had been born still and the ways their parents are remembering them really brought home again the reason this bill is so important. These babies are all very real to the people who loved them and nurtured them, and their existence should be recognized.
Unfortunately, the certificates themselves have gotten a little bogged down in paperwork, so we have not yet been able to get a certificate of birth for Noah or any of the other babies. I’m hoping that piece will come soon, and then our job will be to make sure all the hospitals in Maine are aware of the existence of the certificates, and have a system in place for telling their patients.
I wish had some grand closing statement to make, but those words are eluding me right now, so perhaps I’ll leave that for another post at another time. For now, I’ll insert pictures of the event, as well as the link to the radio story in which you can hear our interviews.
Here’s the link to the radio story: http://www.mpbn.net/News/MaineNews/tabid/181/ctl/ViewItem/mid/1858/ItemId/11020/Default.aspx
We were invited into the governor’s office at promptly 11:30 a.m., and as Noah’s parents, Mark and I were instructed to stand just to the right of the governor, who immediately stood to introduce himself to us. The rest of the group gathered around the fairly spacious office, and once everyone was more or less settled, the governor said a few words, thanking us for the work we put into moving this bill forward and expressing his opinion of how important it is for the state to recognize families in this way.
After the governor had spoken, he asked the senator who had sponsored the bill to say a few words. Mark and I had met the senator several times over the course of the last four or five months, so she knew our story well, and started to launch into a little speech about her involvement in the bill. However, as she gestured toward us to say how much we had impacted her, she called us Michael and Lisa. Yep, we obviously had quite an impact. To be fair, she’s always had some kind of block on Mark’s name, and would either call him Mike or Matt, rarely Mark. She had never gotten my name wrong before, though, and the completely incorrect combination made Mark and me both start laughing. I was afraid I wasn’t going to be able to regain control, but somehow I did.
After the senator wrapped up her remarks, the governor invited Mark and me to speak toward why this bill was important to us. I was caught entirely off guard, but I was closer than Mark, so I just started to talk with the hope that something sensible would come out of my mouth. I don’t remember much of what I said, though I know I tried to convey how disconcerting and painful it was for us to have a beautiful baby boy who was only recognized through a death certificate. I talked about how there is an incredible amount of pain that goes along with stillbirth, and we were motivated to help with this bill by the desire to provide some small measure of comfort to parents who deal with this kind of loss in the future.
Kathy also said a few words, and then the governor invited the other families to introduce themselves. Finally, he pulled out several pens and started signing his name to the bill. He used all the pens in the signing so each family could take one home as a memento of the bill. As he painstakingly wrote his name in parts, he joked about how having a long last name was a drag in the third grade, but certainly comes in handy now.
Then, it was over almost as quickly as it had started, and we filed out of the governor’s office with our pens and copies of the signed bill. A reporter from the Maine Public Broadcasting Network pulled Mark and me aside for an interview, for which I was also not prepared and even as I spoke, I wondered if I was saying the right thing. Finally, we all headed to a restaurant where we had made reservations for a celebratory lunch.
When the meal was over, we played a slideshow one of the women from our support group had created using pictures from people who had been part of this effort. Seeing all of the babies who had been born still and the ways their parents are remembering them really brought home again the reason this bill is so important. These babies are all very real to the people who loved them and nurtured them, and their existence should be recognized.
Unfortunately, the certificates themselves have gotten a little bogged down in paperwork, so we have not yet been able to get a certificate of birth for Noah or any of the other babies. I’m hoping that piece will come soon, and then our job will be to make sure all the hospitals in Maine are aware of the existence of the certificates, and have a system in place for telling their patients.
I wish had some grand closing statement to make, but those words are eluding me right now, so perhaps I’ll leave that for another post at another time. For now, I’ll insert pictures of the event, as well as the link to the radio story in which you can hear our interviews.
Here’s the link to the radio story: http://www.mpbn.net/News/MaineNews/tabid/181/ctl/ViewItem/mid/1858/ItemId/11020/Default.aspx
The governor talks about the importance of this bill.
The governor speaking to Mark and me.
The governor signing the bill.
Mark shakes hands with the governor.
The group poses after the signing.
Not to sound in any way condescending, but I'm really proud of you guys. I know this was really hard... you took something really hard and made something really beautiful and important out of it. And I appreciate you letting others in on your pain... you taught me a lot as well.
ReplyDeleteWhat I'm trying to say is, Mac and Leslie, I'm so proud to be your friend and former pastor. I will never forget you two.
Michael and Lisa, huh? Yeah, I would've lost it.
ReplyDeletei miss a few weeks and look what happens.
ReplyDeleteyou have made a lasting impact, mitch and lacy, and are a testimony that, although by no means easy, things do work out for the good. selah.