What is a Homecoming Day you ask? It’s the day I was adopted and taken home by my parents. Yes, I’m adopted. My parents tried for about 5 years to have kids and were unsuccessful so they registered with Catholic Charities and adopted a little girl named Heidi Jo – my big sister. About 2 years later they got a call that there was another little girl needing to be adopted and would they like to adopt me? They said “yes” and 3 weeks after I was born, they took me home and I became their daughter in every way, shape and form. So I get 2 birthdays of sorts….my belly button birthday and the day I was adopted and came home with my parents. What a blessing!
A few years ago I located my birth mother with the help of a social worker at Catholic Charities. My birth mother still wanted to remain somewhat annonymous but agreed to correspond with me but not meet with me or tell me her last name or her whereabouts. We shared 2 letters and some photos. What I came away with is that everything is as it should be. After fulfilling my curiosity about her I came to peace with the fact that this woman was selfless in giving me up for a better life. A life she felt unable to provide for me at that point in her life. She still wrestles with guilt and has not shared the secret of my birth with anyone after all these years. I felt that I should let her be. So after 2 letters I did not continue with the correspondence, nor did she. She knows I’m here and doing well and very happy.
I wish her well and am so grateful and blessed with 2 wonderful parents and 2 wonderful sisters….oh yeah….after my parents adopted Heidi and I, they finally got pregnant and my little sister Jaime came along! She wan’t happy that she didn’t get a Homecoming Day too! Oh well!
Today I hear that people call it a Gotcha Day instead of a Homecoming Day, but whatever you call it, know that if you are adopted you are a very special person….a person that got a chance at a better life.
Love you Mom and Dad! Happy Homecoming Day to Me!