FAMILIES
Merged Families
by Mark Cardwell
My birth sister and I married into the same family ... and only found out while going through photo albums! (The brother of my first wife’s sister-in-law married my birth sister.) We realized we attended the same wedding – it was my birth sister’s sister-in-law marrying my first wife’s brother. And in another twist we learned that my kids were at the last minute replaced by her kids as the ring bearer and flower girl.
We had to have met ... we just didn’t know it was us. That left us with our jaws open for a while. We yearned for each other for 40 plus years ... how on earth did this even happen? We still don’t know.
Sixth Cousin
by Ronda Jarrell
My maternal, biological sixth great-grandparents are my fifth great-grandparents on my maternal, adoptive grandfather’s side. I’m my own 6th cousin, once removed!
I ended up in the same family, just rerouted a little bit.
SMALL WORLD
Mutual Friends
by Mary Ann Arnold
My birth half-brother and I met through a mutual friend about 20 years ago, not knowing we were biologically related. My friend and birth brother were actually dating at the time. This photo shows both of us at a party from that time. Small world – imagine our surprise when we reunited 20 years later!
Cake Coincidence
by Paige Strickland
Around the time I was 9 years old or so, (circa 1970), my adoptive mother used to frequent a local bakery called Barton’s Bakery in Cincinnati. A lot of the time she would call and place an order and then later drive there with her kids in the car. She would hand me the money and send me in to pick up the orders of donuts, party cakes, etc. The nice ladies who worked there in white bakery uniforms would give kids a free cookie all the time. Little did I know until I searched for my birthmother that she worked in this very same bakery for a few years! Our paths probably crossed. She probably gave me free cookies and baked or decorated my birthday cakes a few times!
NAMES
Little Dot
by Dorothy Jacobs
What is in a name? When I was adopted, my mother named me after my grandmother and after finding my birth family I learned that I shared the same first name as my birth grandmother “Dorothy.” I always hated my name growing up because I was teased a lot about it (The Wizard of Oz jokes). I got over it and now I lovvve it. We are known as “Big Dot” and “Little Dot.”
Kris and Chris
by Kristina Camp Musil
I was named “Christian Marie” on my original birth certificate, and my adoptive parents named me “Kristina Lynn” not knowing what my original name was.
My first choices of a daughter’s name (and the names I gave my dolls when I was a kid) were Katherine or Samantha. My birthmother was Katherine and my birthfather was Samuel. As a matter of fact, I was upset when my adoptive brother and sister-in-law named their daughter Katherine, because then the name was “taken.” On top of that, my best friend is Kathleen whom we call Kate, I have a half-sister on my birthmother’s side who is Kathleen and a half-sister on my birthfather side who is Katie.
Cabbage Patch
by Ronda Jarrell
I found in my biological maternal grandmother’s line a child named Katie Kleo who was born dead in February 1883. For Christmas 1983 (100 years later) my adoptive maternal grandmother got me a Cabbage Patch doll because of the adoption symbolism ... her name ... drumroll please ... Caty Cleo!
Amanda and Evy
by Amanda Reno
My older sister was placed for adoption. Upon reunion, we discovered: 1. her lifelong best friend’s name is Amanda Nicole; I am Amanda Nicole. Her best friend and I are both blondes. They’ve always referred to each other as sisters. My sister now has two blonde sisters named Amanda Nicole. 2. My daughter’s name is Evy; my sister had always hoped to have a daughter and name her Evelyn (call her Evy). She would have been named after her parent’s attorney/friend that organized her adoption. She was shocked when I told her my daughter’s name. 3. My sister grew up a few roads over from my husband. Both her adoptive parents and his parents still live there.
Kim Possible
by Lori McCarthy
My (adoptive) sister, Kim (name chosen by our adoptive parents), searched for and found her birthmother in 2015. Kim’s email address includes “kimposs” for the cartoon character “Kim Possible.” Kim’s birthmother is Cheryl Poss. Cheryl named a daughter she raised, Kim. So my sister Kim (with the email of kimposs) has a biological sister with an actual name of Kim Poss.
Elizabeth
by Elizabeth Brougher
My biological parents had their second child 15 months after I was born and gave her the middle name Elizabeth, which was the first name my adoptive parents gave to me. Maybe this was why I felt it was important for me to be Elizabeth, instead of Beth, at our Open Record Day gathering, even though I didn’t know her yet at the time.
She and I also share many characteristics, idiosyncrasies, and life experiences, beyond our shared name. Who really is the better athlete, with the legendary tennis serve?! We also discovered her best childhood friend and I attended the same university. I knew her through our common intramural sports and social activities. My biological sister visited her several times. Were we ever in the same place at the same time? Did we catch each other’s eye or even speak to one another? Or did she go home deflated one time, after being aced by her older sister in an intramural guest tennis tournament?
