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Published Monday July 6th, 2009 at 4:38pm

Original Article by Kay Elder


Kay Elder, who just found 9 siblings after 23 year search who did not know she existed.
I had known I was adopted as long as I could remember; however, Iwanted to know why. I always had this emptiness inside as to who shewas, who he was and why. A very important thing that any adoptee needsto know is family medical history - that I never could supply to anydoctor.

I finally traced down my birth mother in 1986 and discovered thather sister was the mother of a girl I went to school with - can youimagine sitting next to your first cousin all through school and notknowing it? She agreed to meet with me for 2 hours to answer myquestions, and then she said for me to go back to being dead to her.

The story she told me was that she was 14 when I was conceived and he was 22.

Shewas 15 when she gave birth to me and he did not want any part of it. SoI was put up for adoption. She told me my father's name and that I hadhis blue eyes. She told me that she had married at 17 and he and sheagreed to never tell any children they had. They had 3 daughters andone son. I asked for their names so I could contact them; but sherefused.

I calledmy birth father on the phone and asked him to please meet me and see myeyes that I got from him - a beautiful cross between ocean and skyblue. He denied me and would not meet me.

Ihave wondered all these years if I was going to die and never let mysiblings know about me - and if they would even want to know about me.Rejection was, of course, a possibility, but my closure would come byfinding them and letting them know they had a loving sister. If theywanted to know me, well then that would surely be a plus.

Withtoday's internet and different websites to search people on that didnot exist in 1986, my daughter and I located my siblings - low andbehold I have not only 3 sisters (one died in February 09) and abrother by birth mother, but I have 2 sisters and a 3 bothers by birthfather......9 siblings.

Can you just imagine my excitementwhen I had those 9 names, addresses and phone numbers in my hand!!!And, get this, my neighbor's brother is married to one of my birthfather's daughters.

Small small world!

Ihave contacted them all by phone; some were shocked (of course, I wouldhave been too), but all in all most were very receptive to knowing allabout me and my children. Some of them just don't want to be bothered.And that is ok, as I said earlier, my closure was holding those namesin my hand and making those phone calls.

Sonow, through facebook and myspace the receptive ones and I are gettingto know each other and planning on meeting; some even live inGreenville area. And their children are talking to my children which isa blessing as well.

Onelast thing I need to brag on....I got his eyes - my siblings did not.But when they meet me face to face, they will see him again in my eyesand will smile as will I.