The Most Amazing Reunion

November 1990

On April 10th, I found a comment on one of my Instagram posts that read, “Hey there Kathy! I sent you a direct message a few days ago that you might be interested in reading. This morning coffee looks incredible!“ Of course, you can gather the photo was of my morning coffee. I went to my inbox to find a very polite message from the child I gave up for adoption 28, almost 29 years ago. I wasn’t shocked, in fact, I was pleasantly surprised and replied, “Michael J., I’ve been waiting for this day and I’m so happy to hear from you!” We continued to chat via messenger trying to find the time to have a phone call, a phone call that was not hurried. We did finally talk on the 17th and it was surreal and totally comfortable at the same time. How exactly can that be? 

Wednesday the 24th was something incredibly special. When Michael J. was born, I loved his biological father deeply but we just couldn’t get our lives together to raise a child. I always knew it was the right thing to do and on Wednesday I got to hold that precious human again, 28 years later. Meet my first born son and Mason’s brother, Michael J. Dave facilitated this meeting by reaching out almost 10 years ago so he would know how to reach me when he was ready. Truly, he and his fiancé are just awesome humans.

So here is the most incredible part of this already awesome story. When Michael called for the first time, we made small talk, I answered some of his questions and I knew he was engaged so I asked him about that. He said they were planning to come to N. CA to take care of some wedding details and I asked where they were getting married, he said Nevada City. Dave and I were married in Nevada City, it's one of our favorite places. We were both sort of blown away just by that "coincidence." I figured they must know people who live there, but when we talked and I asked them what their connection to Nevada City was, Michael replied, "We don't have any. I just started looking and found it and started emailing Air BNBs and one in Nevada City said yes." OMG! So I gave this sweet boy up to a family in NY, who moved to FL when he was little, and he now lives in Los Angeles and is getting married 24 miles from where I live and where Dave and I were married?! I can hear Dolly Parton's character in Steel Magnolias now, "The Loooord works in mysterious ways!”

Giving a child up for adoption is not easy but I have to say that being true to myself and being honest every step of the way on this journey has made this reunion so much sweeter. Anyone who knows me knows this story and if you didn't know, it's just because there was never a reason or occasion to talk about it. I've had two photos of him up in my home almost at all times, so there was no disruption when he reached out. I’ve never once thought that we would not meet, not one time. ❤ Thank you, Dave, for being proactive and making our meeting easier for Michael. I’m sure there will be some missteps in the getting-to-know each other process, but that’s okay. It seems there is a real desire by all of us to want to build a relationship. He’s getting married later this year and I can’t wait to get to know his bride and watch them build their happily ever after. 

I loved this child’s father, I’ve loved this child every day since November 23, 1990, and I love him today. Here’s to many years of getting to know each other and loving on another level. All the pieces fall into place as they are supposed to.