1 until .... 7 Days of Grace

I read all the time.  Literally.  I have at least one book that is a hard copy book and then I have at least one I am listening to in the car.  Most all of my books at this point in my life have to do with God - Jesus - and mostly about getting away from "religion" and finding God.

How in the world have I missed The Alchemist?

Needless to say - I am getting a copy of the book.

Tomorrow I will see her.

Seriously - I have waited a lifetime.

I can remember looking through a "picture book" when I was taking piano lessons - studying all the "famous" people and figuring out which one could be my birth mother.  - Raquel Welch.  That was my guess.  

Around age 15 - because I can remember which house I lived in - I found my birth certificate.  I carefully opened it - thinking that I would find names.  Adopted kids in 1964 - have their adopted parents names.  

Kerry tells me that I always thought Dolly Parton could be my mother.  Until a certain surgery in 2002 (I think) - we had physical features quite the same.  Rather ironic that my birth family are from Tennessee ...

There is also Barbra Streisand - If you cover my face to only see my eyes - they are pretty much the same as hers. 

Every single birthday.  Since I can remember I have thought about her on my birthday.  You have heard me lament about my birth - day before.  I won't carry on here - but I found comfort and sadness in knowing that there really was one other person who cared about that day.

When Son One was born I struggled.  Just for a short period of time (really short - who has time to worry about self when you have a newborn?)  That struggle did not last.  I am glad I had it - because at least I feel like I looked at the reality of being adopted and what that meant.  

2006 - I requested the protected adoption file.  I was glad to have some information and as it turned out - that information proved to be exceptionally valuable this year.  But back in 2006 - I was sad all over again.  I loved finding my crib name - Greta.  But the bold  statement of Your record does not include any updated contact by a birthparent was almost devastating.  I felt like she just did not want anything to do with me. (It wasn't that black and white - but I did not know that at the time.)

2006 - 2018 birthdays - primarily- that is when I would think of her the most.  At some point I started writing things on social media - thinking maybe she would be searching and find me.  

In December of 2018 - my cousins - who are both adopted told me about securing a court order to get my original birth certificate.  I started contemplating if that was a good idea. Later that month - my nephew suggested AncestryDNA and told me I would certainly have some connections with some people.  

You know the rest.

The best part of the journey?  I am so thankful that I did not go the route of birth certificate - first.  I have really enjoyed the ancestral route.  I still feel the same excitement knowing that one of my ancestors fought in the American Revolutionary War - knowing I can trace all their names - their children - their birth years and their deaths.  That I can walk on that same ground in the mountains of Tennessee.  A place I have never been - but yet - it is a place that I have been.

Barbra Streisand's recording of "On Holy Ground" is breathtaking.  I have had that CD for 20 years.

Kerry has always been a nature person.  Me - not so much.  But when I started realizing that my ancestral roots can be traced to specific locations in the Tennessee mountains - all I have wanted to do is stand on that ground - literally - stand.  I may even take my shoes off.

Thank you so much for joining me this week.  It has been my joy to write and my joy to hear from you.  I so LOVE people.  Knowing people is literally my hobby in life (oh and reading too!).   

And oh how I love you.  Each and every single one of you.  If I can ever support you in an endeavor - just ask.  You can find me here - find me on Facebook - find me on Instagram.  And should you ever show up on Possum Kingdom Lake - you can find me there too.  

These 3 make all the difference for this Mimi - her great grandchildren.  This was taken at Christmas - that baby is so much bigger now!!!  And that Pop of theirs is the best friend anyone could ever have. 

But for this one ....  this has been her journey.

7 Days of Grace

1 day until I am in Tennessee

1 little girl

1 to Love

 

 

 

 

 

 

Always, May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14.