We are Family

Well last Tuesday Todd, Missy, Tad and I made a trip to Al's Sports Bar and Grill in Glencoe. The purpose of the trip was to meet the oldest daughter of our father; yes which would also make her our half sister.. Naomi.

Explanation on what led us to Tuesday... after my doctor's appointment with the Genetic Counselor for my pregnancy I realized that I needed to ask someone about the other children/grandchildren on my dad's side. So I did. My genetic counselor wasn't thrilled that I couldn't tell her anything about my birth defects, Club Feet and Arthrogriposis, so I needed to get some more answers for her and myself. A while ago... I friend requested Patti Carbajal on facebook, knowing damn well who she was, she is the youngest daughter of my dad's four kids with his wife. I was nervous asking her to be my friend but what did I have to lose? NOTHING! So, she accepted my friend request and that was that. We were friends in cyber world and nothing else. Until I decided to get her email after my genetic counselor appointment and email her the bombshell email...

I was very nervous and felt like Rebecca and Ryan on "Brothers and Sisters", I didn't want to be the one to break this to a complete stranger for the first time and throw her whole world in a tailspin. That's me, always thinking of others... kind of.. So I sent the email. It was short and sweet. Apologetic to say the least and just asking her simple questions about my birth defects that I have been told my whole life I share with my half siblings. That was my only motive for the email. Well Patti couldn't email me back, because she was shocked to say the least. But her sister Naomi did and boy was I glad! Naomi and I emailed back and forth for quite some time and things couldn't have been better. I have always had the worst case scenario in my mind for my meeting/contacting 'them'. But that wasn't the case at all. Naomi was very glad and thankful that I decided to make the first move and we set up a meeting date... last Tuesday it was.

Let's just say "We are Family"! It was so strange (good way) to be looking at someone that looks/acts and reasembles me in so many ways! As I said before there are four of 'them'. Naomi, David, Ozzie and Patti. Naomi is the only one that we met, and I am anxiously awaiting meeting the others. She brought pictures of them all including our two nephews and two nieces... Ozzie's son Robby looks just like Jack. Ozzie and David look exactly like Todd and Naomi was telling us a little about them all and it was so weird hearing how much we are all alike and it is definitely a relief to say the least. She even brought a picture of our dad.. he looks the same, just older... after all he'll be 72 in January. So that was interesting to say the least.

Oh and the answer to my questions... Naomi has fingers like mine, hers aren't as "bad" as mine are... whatever that means. And Naomi's son Matthew was born with Club Feet and also has fingers like mine as well. So it's a wait and see if our baby will also be born with this and if she/he is they will be just fine... I have lived 32 years with it and I wouldn't have had it any other way. I am sure glad I decided to ask some questions though!!