Spiders from Heaven: A Poetic Journey Into Middle-Aged Motherhood

by Ann L. Carter

"Here I am starting this journal about possibly adopting and I can't even put 'Adoption' as the file name. What am I afraid of? That someone might look in my computer and think I want a child to love?" So begins the author's personal story of adoption and motherhood. A forty-three year old woman living in a small university town in the Midwest, she had more than enough to do with a teaching career, travel, art, house and garden, and a somewhat demanding cat. When a close friend sends her an article about a couple bringing home a little girl from China, she realizes she must rethink the possibility of having children, a dream she thought she'd left behind. Through journal entries, letters, emails, and poems spanning 15 years, she recounts the ups and downs of her decision making, the adoption process, and single parenting. Told with wit, sensitivity, and compelling honesty, Spiders from Heaven immediately brings the reader into her journey, a journey full of doubts and setbacks, but always with the underlying belief that, in the end, one must follow one's heart.

306 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2013

Reviews

[Rhonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a beautiful and humorous memoir about motherhood, but also about how we face our fears and hopes. Highly recommended.