[MixedBliss]

Whoo! It's been over a week since I met my brother and I still cannot stop smiling. If there is a non-theist word that means the same as "blessed", then that is what I truly feel I am. He's an awesome person and meeting him was an amazing experience!

Our bmom (we have different dads) had told each of us that the other wanted no contact. Not being one to take a second-hand answer, I tracked him down (not easy!) and sent him a letter anyway -just to make sure and to let him know how to find me if he changed his mind. He said he called me within five minutes of reading the p.s. on my letter.

After talking and e-mailing, we decided to meet in New Orleans, where his church group was going on their mission this year. He's from Minnesota and I'm a Jersey girl.

So there I was, waiting to change planes in Atlanta when it hit me: I'm going to spend a week with 30 strangers at a Louisiana church camp!!!!!!!!! I actually scanned the departure boards trying to figure out when the next plane back home was. I nearly chickened out. GLAD I DIDN'T!

My brother turned out to be such a nice person! The week just flew by. Since we're both very much in tune with the 'volunteer' lifestyle, it was a perfect way to spend time together and get to know each other and at the same time feeling like we were 'giving back' and helping people somehow. For us, this was so much better than 'you come to my house or I'll come to yours' or meeting at a restaurant or whatever normal people do when they meet.

We're both rather reserved, no-nonsense types but we laugh at the same things -especially at our half-sister who thinks that being the "raised child" in our family means she's somehow entitled to an elevated status. We're both left handed but do everything right-handed except for writing. We look nothing alike other than neither of us is very tall.

There were just a million little things that were alike enough to make me feel like we're really related - which was NICE!! Some of you probably know exactly what I mean.

We talked alot about how we grew up. I was an out-of-family adoption by a couple who didn't tell me I was adopted, although I knew anyway. He was kin-placed with a distant relative of our birth mother, so he's known her all his life.

When he was 12, he was sent to live with our birth mother and our half-sister (again, different father). She was so afraid of losing her social standing in the community and embarrassing our half-sister that our bmom made my brother tell everyone that he was her nephew whose parents could no longer care for him so she (our bmom) had taken him in.

Understandably, he wants nothing to do with our bmom now. And after learning that, I'm pretty sure I don't either.

The absolute highlight of our week was meeting Ellis Marsalis. We were each shocked to learn that the other was a true fan of his music or even knew who Ellis is and that we recognized him in person. Amazing.

Because we live so far away, it isn't likely that my brother and I are going to see each other often. But I know we're going to keep in touch. We're making plans to hike part of the Appalachian Trail next year.

Who knows if we'll actually get to do it. But it sure is fun making plans together!

~Bliss

[MixedBliss]

And thanks again for Jackie for the four-leafed clover and to Sherr for the 'good brother meeting' Karma

[Dickons]

You are living my dream of knowing my siblings, I am so happy for you. The awe of being with someone related to you, so many emotions of sheer joy.

Thank you for sharing.

Kind regards,
Dickons

[Jackiejdajda]

That must have been so hard for your brother.. moving home and having to lie as to who he was..

I had a dream last nite about my bson being in a home of friends and he did not know who I was..
I tried to tell him..

I am so glad all is well.. and I am glad the gift thingee helped.. What joy in a happy good reunion..

I had a good reunion nothing like my dream.. I wish I could sort this dream.. I will probably write about it all morning..

hmmm



Horray.. for your trip..

Jackie