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It
was the first day of summer 2002 when I happened upon the
Adoption.Com web site and began searching. I had
registered in several areas, but this was the first search that
proved fruitful. Finally, 30 years of longing and looking
culminated into something tangible. I found Profile
#136213 and the date and place were right for the son I had
placed for adoption in December 1971. The last
time I had seen his precious face, I was sixteen and
alone at
Tampa General
Hospital
. He was only 12 hours old as I kissed him good
bye and prayed that I would someday see him again. The
devastation I felt at leaving him there never left me.
Birthmothers truly never forget. I have had no other
children.
I
emailed the address in the profile. That night, I kept
checking my email all night long. By
midnight
, I had a response. Within a few hours, we were
chatting by telephone. We talked until we were hoarse,
almost until the sun came up. He shared his
non-identifying information with me, and I was certain I had
found him.
In
July 2002, my son’s adoptive mother came to
Florida
, and we met for lunch. It was like meeting an old friend, only
one I had not met before. I requested she help us
obtain his original birth certificate, and she and his adoptive
father agreed.
With
the help of information I received from Finding-in-Florida,
our triad requested the original birth certificate from the
State of
Florida
. In August, we had the original birth certificate in
hand. It was true, God had honored my prayer.
I had found my son!
In the fall, our lives came full
circle from the time when a young couple had looked to my son's arrival
in
Tampa
with a hopeful expectation. Now, almost 31 years later,
another couple awaited him again in
Tampa
, with the same joyful anticipation. On
September 26, 2002
, my husband and I were privileged to meet this wonderful man
face-to-face when we invited him and his wife on
a cruise to
Mexico
. The trip was a dream come true.
| We spent our
first Christmas together this year (Christmas
2003). My husband and I had never experienced
having "kids" in the house to open presents on
Christmas day. I can't put into words how
delightful the experience was. In fact, each
meeting with him touches me on levels so deep that I can
barely comprehend, or communicate what I feel.
Anne, reunited with Rod June
2002 |
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