First Anniversary

It was a year ago today, and just as snowy outside, that I met my birthparents for the first time. Those of you that have gone on this journey with me over the last 12 months know that it HAS been a journey. But a rewarding one for sure.
I'm looking at my bookshelf right now, the one with all my dads books on it and just realized that I have subconsciously only put pictures of my immediate family on this shelf. Pictures of my birthparents as well as my little sisters are mixed right in among my Mom and Dad and Stepparents. It's the one place where I can put everyone together at once. I have this dream world I go to sometimes where everyone in my family is at like, a BBQ. And they all get along. And I can introduce them all to each other..."Mom, this is my aunt..." "Sister, this is my brother." But I suppose that is what makes them truly MY family...the layout is unique to me. No one else in my family has the exact same family.
I suppose it won't be until my wedding one day that I get everyone together in the same room. Along with in-laws and another entire family that I don't even know yet. Oy. Reminds me of when my dad took me to see Father of the Bride when I was a little girl and whispered to me over and over, "Elope."
Well. Happy 1st Birthday to this side of my family today.

Anyway, fitting that on the one year anniversary of this meeting I got an email from my social worker at The Cradle (the cabbage patch) saying that they had published my story on their new website. I wrote it for them a whie ago. it's not the most elegant writing in the world, but it's honest. So, if you would like to read it go to www.cradle.org It is under PostAdoption Services/Q&A/Stories/Brooke