Christmas once again.....for real this time!

It's Christmas morning, December 25, 2012 and I'm so looking forward to this day with family.

When I first discovered my brother was a full sibling on August 31, 2012, I titled the post "Christmas in August".  Little did I know then that it was an omen.

Christmas 2012 brought more to me than the usual this year.  First, our beautiful granddaughter Madison Grace, now almost 9 months old has been a joy without a doubt.  Christmas miracles come in all forms...and I got a huge one on Saturday of this week just 3 days before Christmas and the tears are still welling in my eyes.

For those of you who may not have been following  my story, we found my birth mother in June of this year. I discovered I had a living brother who did DNA testing which confirmed us as full siblings in late August.  He has been less than outgoing, so I have left him to his thoughts and we have yet to meet.  Our mother died at the age of 32 in a car accident in 1961 when he was only 13. The car went over a hidden ravine and her body was not found for two weeks subsequent. Our brother David died at the age 29 in 1982.  I felt that these tragic events played a role in his stand-offish attitude and maybe it brought back all that pain to him.  So, I have not pressured him. We've only had a few phone calls and emails since September.

On Saturday, the mail arrived with two Christmas cards mailed from Connecticut.  One from my lifeline to my Foley family and 1st cousin, Peter, who wrote me the most heart-warming letter, almost to the point of embarrassment. Through the tears, I could barely read the second card I opened.  To my surprise and delight it was from my brother and his family.  His wife, Sandy, wrote me the most awesome letter, that I will cherish for the rest of my life. She told me that Bob, my brother, just does not know how to express himself in regards to this discovery.  He is a quiet man, very private, and will not share his emotions.  But she knows he is absolutely delighted and overjoyed on finding a sister. They all are! She also told me that she has been married to him for 27 years and still doesn't know some things and said "Let's help each other and together, you and I, will learn more about your family."  It was the best Christmas present I could have gotten.

I would have liked to have been on their doorstep this morning but will thwart my anxiety again and I will be going to Connecticut the week after Easter and the anticipation is killing me!!! 

But it sure has been one heck of a year and Christmas came to me once again. Sometimes you just need to keep your exuberance and excitement to yourself for a period of time in order to let that full realization come to pass.  In my case, it paid off.....bigtime!!!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Karin Corbeil

Adoptee in Reunion - birth family found June 14, 2012
Search Angel - Helping others find their families
http://findingfoleys.blogspot.com/2012_06_17_archive.html