Two years later...

I always post  my blog as early on Monday morning as I can so that I get it out of the way and can focus on the work of the day. Today is different. I waited until tonight because I wanted to tell you about our family.

Our daughter is adopted. She's always known she was adopted. We actually found out about her when her b'mom (birthmom) was 6 months pregnant. We were not allowed to meet her but it was a private adoption.

I knew our daughter would want to find her b'mom. She's always wanted to find that other part of her that would complete her. Because the adoption was private, we saw the birth mom's name on the papers that we had to sign. She also knew our names although she didn't know where we lived. Our daughter was born in Chattanooga so I always told her I'd take her down there to meet her mother when we found her.

Two years ago  Wednesday before Thanksgiving, she was on the computer and did a random search, again, for her b'mom. We have not been able to recreate that search but after 20 minutes she said, I've found her. It turns out that she lived 10 minutes from us here in Knoxville!!! Thanksgiving Day she called her. They were driving down the interstate when our daughter called and I can just imagine the emotions that were going on in that car!!

Long story short, two years ago  we met at Ruby Tuesday for the first time on the Sunday right after Thanksgiving. Talk about an emotional meeting. Her b'mom had since married a great guy and they have a son and daughter, my daughter's half siblings!

You know how you see on TV when b'moms meet their children for the first time after so many years, the tears, the hugs, the wonder of it all. Well, this could have been on television because it was all that. We were so thankful that she trusted us with raising her birth child. She only got to see her a very short time before they took her away. The tears that b'mom has shed over the years could probably fill a lake. As we raised our daughter, I would often think of her and try to telepathically reassure her that all was well, that she'd done the right thing and one day she would see her again. 

The emotions that day were incredibly high. We ate lunch together and marvelled at how similar they all were, how her brother looked like her pictures at that age. How her sister liked to eat food the same way she did, how our daughter looked like her b'mom did at that age, etc.....

The past two years have been filled with adjustments. All of us have had to find our place in this new family. I'm thankful that b'mom's husband is so willing to include us in his life. Having a brother and sister has helped our daughter know that she isn't an only child any longer. We don't see them often but it's all there. The feeling of belonging to a family that shares the same genes is important to her.

So today we ate dinner together at Ruby Tuesday by the airport again. Our daughter is on the left and on the right are her b'mom and her husband.

 I wanted to take some pictures to commemorate today. It's such a relaxed bunch this time!! Her brother decided to get involved with the picture taking!!

 So I took another one. There is a family resemblance, wouldn't you say?

 Her brother is now 10. He was so funny when they first met us. He knew she was his sister but what were DH and I to him and his sister? Well, I said, how about aunt and uncle. Good enough! We're not really but that's what we used to call people that were important to my parents that we would meet alot. I'm proud to be honorary aunt to them.

 Can you tell they're sisters? They automatically moved their heads like this, opposites!! Our daughter's sister is now 14. I'm looking forward to when they will spend more time together just hanging out.

I did weave today! I've got a long warp on my Nilus and I'm weaving rugs. I hope to have some pictures next week of them. Also have placemats on my Thelma loom. It was a very rainy day today and I got a couple of rugs woven and fabric almost together for a third rug. It's exciting to know that my Nilus is sturdy enough to weave a good rug!! I do need to get that warp off pretty quickly because I have to weave a top for LaDonna!! I didn't forget about it. I just felt this need to weave a rug! With all the loopers and selvedges at the house.....I do need to use some of them up. Anyone need a rug for Christmas??? They make great gifts!!
Until next week!
Carol