Today I finally found out what time I was born! This might not be a big deal to some of you, but I've gone 27 years without knowing where or what time I was born at. (4:24 PM at the Madigan Army Medical Center, Fort Lewis which is located in Tacoma, Washington if anyone was wondering!) Well, I have always known I was born in Tacoma but never knew where.
How could I not know? I was adopted. To me they will always be Mom and Dad because they are the parents that raised me but, when I was about 4-6 months old I went to live with my Aunt Bobbie (birth dads sister) and Uncle Mark; who officially adopted me when I was 6. It took six long years to complete the process because they had to ask permission from everybody in the Eskimo Indian tribe I belong to. Why or who exactly they had to ask I'm still not quite sure about but I'm working on it!
I have always known I was adopted; from the very beginning my parents had always told me. I guess so that one day there wouldn't have to be some sort of crazy reveal of some sort (which did kinda happen to a half brother of mine!)
I never really felt like I didn't belong because the people I was seeing on holidays, like my grandma, were my actual blood relatives, so there was no weirdness there. Although I do remember one particular holiday -Christmas? a birthday? not exactly sure- where I thought it was soo weird that my birth dad was there but not really acting like a dad. Enter the best Auntie in the world. She took me aside and told me something like
"we are all family and we all love you and not to worry because she loves me so much that he should be jealous of all the love I'm getting." Not her exact words but I do remember it was her words and her words only that made me feel better that day! (RIP Auntie I ♥ and miss you so much)
Anyways, when I was 15 and trying to get my driving permit I needed a birth certificate. Well, I didn't have one so I went looking for my adoption papers, figured next best thing right? While looking threw them I found an interesting bit. My birth mother (Debbie) had checked yes to a box that read: when Britney reaches the age of 18 would you want her to contact you? Me being me I was like," yeah cool lets try". So now I was on the hunt for a birth certificate and my Debbie. I made all kinds of calls to the city of Orange; where I was officially adopted; Washington state; where I was born and even Alaska, because that's where Debbie is from. I was starting to think all the phone calls I made were for nothing
because I was getting nowhere. Getting nowhere and getting discouraged.
Come to find out my adoption papers were acceptable for my permit so I kinda forgot about the birth certificate. Didn't forget about Debbie though. I wasn't hearing anything from anyone and I was starting to think that I would never find her.
One day when I came home from school my mom said,"Britney, your sister is on the phone hurry up and get in here!" I thought she was tripping because both of my sisters were out in the yard playing so I said,"What do you mean they're right here?" Then she said," No, your
real sister! And Debbie!" What? How could this happen? Just randomly one day I get a call from them after months and months of searching?!
Apparently all those phone calls to Alaska paid off. One lady, and I feel bad for not remembering her name, that I called just happen to know my Grandpa Bob. Well, I guess she told him that I called and he got in contact with Debbie then her and my sister (Kristy) called me up!
After a few phone calls back and forth to my Grandpa I was on a plane to Alaska!! Technically I was on my way to Seattle but from there Alaska :)
Even though I was 18 the airline asked if I would like a chaperone since it was my first time flying. I said no of course, but thinking back I should have said yes. I mean, at this point in my life the farthest I went with out my parents was Big Bear for ski club, so flying 2,000+ miles to meet people I've never even seen was a pretty big deal. I didn't know where to go to the bathroom or how to get my luggage after landing in one of the busiest airports in America. Oh, and wait I still had to find someone I had never met before!!
During our phone conversations we shoulda said what we would be wearing the day I arrived; red shirt, pink hat, a sign with my name -something! Nope not us, we just wandered around the luggage claim until there was no one left but us looking awkwardly at each other. Finally after walking by each other a few times Debbie finally asked, "Are you Britney?" The instant I said yes it was hugs and tears everywhere. Then all of a sudden some guy comes outta nowhere and starts with the hugs and the tears as well. Turns out he was Debbie's brother, my Uncle. So after our mini reunion we were off to the hotel to meet my sister Kristy and brother Kyle.
I don't really remember to much about Seattle except it was so cold! Remember now, I'm from sunny southern California where it's barely 60 degrees in the winter so the whole its 60 or below everyday here thing was a hard adjustment. And I haven't even gotten to AK yet!
Now, there are no words that can describe Alaska; pictures don't do it justice, not even close. But when the flight attendant said
"welcome to AK it is currently 27 degrees outside" I knew I was in a whole different world then what I was used to.
And, thats the story behind why I had no birth certificate and why I'm just getting it now at 27 years old. There's no weird feelings or anything like that, and I like telling people my story so if anyone has any questions, please ask!
* I'll save the Alaska adventures for another time though -longest post ever, I know! *
