Holly's Reunion

Last Tuesday, my administrative assistant, Holly, was able to meet her own birth mom. At a quiet restaurant, Holly, Jimmie, her fiance, both of her children, and her Mom, Janice, went to meet Pam (birth mom), Margaret (birth grandmother), and Paige (birth niece). Four generations of her birth family were present at the very first meeting! Holly stated that with the intros, there were "hugs all around" and it was soon very comfortable, "like seeing family you haven't seen in a very long time".

Holly was able to visit with them over dinner and then breakfast the next morning, where they all viewed old pictures of Holly in the hospital when she was born. They talked about when Janice was able to pick her up at the hospital, and Pam talked about how, after she had made the decision that an adoption would take place, the hospital didn't allow her to see or hold her baby, a very different scenario from what happens today. On Thursday, a trip to Disneyland was on tap and, while perhaps overcrowded due to the spring break holiday, it gave everyone a chance to do a lot of talking and reminiscing while standing in those long lines. After a few days of getting to know one another, Holly noticed a similarity. "I know now where I get my soda addiction!", she commented.

While talking at length, they discovered that both Holly's family and Pam's family had moved from Iowa to other states at the same time. Janice frequented the same grocery store when Holly was little as her biological mom, Pam, did. Several family members crossed paths multiple times. Pam continued going to the same doctor who delivered Holly (and who had connected her with her adoptive parents) and eventually delivered another daughter, Summer. When she would go to the doctor, he would tell her that Holly was "well and doing fine". Unbeknownst to Pam, Holly's family spent time with the doctor's family on a regular basis.

There is a lot more to talk about and they are both thinking up new questions, but the plan is to see each other again before too much time passes. Holly will meet her birth father, Dan, in September, and the circle will be complete.

These days, we don't make people work so hard to connect with adoptees or birth families. Our adoptions are open and everyone has the needed information. For anyone searching to find birth parents, birth children, or birth siblings from an adoption in years past, there are resources. The internet has helped searches take on a life of their own. If you need ideas or help starting a search, give us a call and we can get you started.