I Met My Brother!

Well, it is official!!! I have now met my brother Doug and his wife, Christy. He was put up for adoption in 1953... just 11 months before I was born... and meeting him was a life-altering, once in a lifetime, experience. It is incredible to think that this group of Linn sisters now has a brother. So, let me tell you all about it.

Mom and I caught flight 40 out of Orlando on Tuesday, August 14th at 11:15am. Dad and Mike dropped us at the airport a couple hours early as dictated so Mom and I had more than enough time to get checked in and people watch for a while. We changed planes in Detroit before going on to DC. lol... Yes, I said we were flying from Orlando with a final destination of DC and changing planes in Detroit. lol... And we wonder why they charge so much for plane tickets when they overshoot their destination so badly. lol.. Anyway, we had an hour an a half layover and found a bar right across from our gate so we decided to have a beer while we waited. We got to our gate and discovered it had been changed and headed for the new gate arriving just in time to board. In fact, we were paged overhead as we were walking. lol...

Our initial meeting was planned for around 6pm in the Marriott lounge in Falls Church, Virginia... about an hour after we landed. Mom was getting nervous and the closer we got the more she joked about wanting to get drunk. We did have a beer or two but no one got drunk. Joan met us at the gate and we wondered where Jayne was but she was sick and decided to stay home but would be there the following day.

The three of us headed to the Marriott and got ourselves seated and waited for Doug and his wife. Joan and Mom were facing the door and I had my back to it. Both excited and apprehensive all at the same time. Joan spotted them immediately as they walked in. I got up and turned around and after affirming who Joan was, asked where Jo was. I nodded that I was Jo and immediately we hugged. Of course, Mom cried. And boy if he doesn't look like Mom. The instant we met, there were no strangers. He and his wife are lovely people and shared many pictures with us including their wedding album. He had a book called either "Spiritual Notes To Myself" or "Notes To Myself" that he gave to each of us girls. He gave me "Spiritual Notes to Myself" with the following inscription... To Jo... I'm sure you'll find some of yourself in here which should give you insight. Love, Doug. He had earmarked the following passage from page 3.

Quote:
We are walking in a ticker tape parade. That's all that's going on. Some pieces of confetti read "great calves," some "chronic sinus," some "no noticeable hair loss," some "multiple sclerosis," and some "third finger amputation." Don't judge your neighbor by what pieces of paper fall on his shoulders. Don't think you are cursed or "blessed" by what pieces fall on yours.

The book is a collection of spiritual gems and little nuggets of thoughts to challenge you to look at yourself and your prospective of life. It is food for thought that is humorous at times and deep and thought provoking at other times. I am still reading it and thoroughly enjoy it.

We spent about 4 hours together on that Tuesday enjoying every minute. The real surprise was... there were no strangers around the table there that night. We shared laughs, pictures, thoughts, tears, and took a ton of pictures. There were 3 cameras that took pictures over those two days. I have plans to scan and/or upload pictures from all three cameras and burn them to a disc so that everyone can have a copy of all of them.

We left there around 9pm and headed to Joan's to go to bed so that we could be somewhat rested for the lunch meeting the next day.

After picking up Jayne, we all headed back to the Marriott to have lunch. I'm not sure any of us ate well or remembered much of what we ate. lol... We were all too busy visiting. I was slightly tired and acting a bit reserved (which is my nature and it definitely shows when around my sisters who are a bit more boisterous than me) and Jayne kept asking me if I was all right. And just before we said good-bye, Mom gave him an original cross-stitch of a woman holding flowers that is like 12" by 18" that Mom had matted and framed.

Although we all parted without any preconceived notions of what the future will bring, closure on that part of the past has been provided for Doug and Mom and holes in our history has been filled. But personally, I hope there will be many many meetings for all of us in the future. He only lives like 3 or 4 hours from my sisters, making it like 17 hours from me. And through the internet and email, I hope to be in near constant contact so that we get to know each other better.

And if you are an adoptee or put someone up for adoption, I hope it goes just as well for you if you ever decide to look. Personally, I feel like I have a brother... something I have always wanted.

Click the following links to continue this incredible journey!

Photos of our Meeting
Mom's Fifteen Minutes of Fame