So here is a story for the ages...
This is going to be posted on all my social sites, starting with LJ, so sorry if you end up seeing it multiple times!
I have decided to share something very personal with all of you, here goes!
My father died suddenly when I was almost 4. He and my mother were never married, nor did his family ever know of my existence. The reason being was his parents were pretty religious, and did not like my mother, and she wanted it that way at the time. She felt one set of overbearing grandparents were enough for the time. I was their little secret. My father did spend time with me when I was young, but he and my mother never continued a relationship as more than friends. He married a girl named Thea, who I also remember. She was always very sweet to me.
As a child, I never knew he was my father, or was too young to understand the circumstances. Plus as we all know I have a big mouth and always have, so maybe my mother decided not to let me in on it as she didn't want to hear it from her parents.
I didn't find out who my father was until I was a teenager, but since he has passed, and as far as my mother knew, his family had moved away, and Thea had vanished, there was no link. As I got older I questioned more and more, and got bits and pieces of information, as it tended to be a rough subject for my mom. (and I lived with my grandparents since shortly after his death) At 20, it occured to me to ask where he was buried, and found he was not buried, but spread at the cliffs, and the stone church, my favorite places on earth. I then understood why I always felt a very special connection to those places.
So I posted stuff online, all over the place, seaching for information about the family. Through record searches I found his date of birth, date of death, and social security information. With this information, I gave it to an internet company, that was pretty much a rip off, they charged me $150 and told me he had no living relatives, yet another dead end.
I never fully gave up the search, I kept questioning, and posting things online from time to time, as many know I have also done this to try and find my sister who was given up for adoption. (no luck there either)
Recently I came into touch with an old boyfriend, through the guy I am currently datings sister, as they went to school together. I added him to my facebook about 2-3 weeks ago.
A couple of days ago I got a message on facebook, from a man named Jimmy Dietrich, asking if I was related to my uncle Howie. The name instantly threw me for a loop, as that was my fathers last name! (i have my mothers name) So I told him yes, Howie is my moms brother, and that my mother was named Beatrice, basically baiting him, and not coming out directly with any kind of questioning, as I was curious, but not holding my breath for any information. Jimmy came back with, Oh I know her, she dated my brother Eddie! When I got this email, I almost passed out.
This is my UNCLE! My fathers brother? No freaking way! AND he lives near me, in fact less than 1/4 a mile from my mother! So I told him, yes I knew that, as he was my father... Which in turn totally blew his mind, as he has been on a never ending quest to find out if in fact Eddie had ever fathered any children!
He instantly told me I looked like him, and I did believe this to a point, as I do look a lot like my mother, but have a lot of unique features that no one in my family possess.
Last night I went to Uncle Jimmy's house, and he told me so much, and showed me photos. WOW. There is no question.
Uncle Jimmy has also got me in touch with my Aunt Sherry in Cali, and her daughter Angela, who lives acrossed the river!
So it has finally happened! I found my fathers family, and have found out so much, but its only the beginning. I have tons of relatives! My grandmother on that said was the youngest of 11 children, and her older sister is 94, and is living down in florida.
I am completely floored, the past few days have been surreal. I am looking forward to meeting everyone, and getting to know more about my other side.
So yeah. I am now a huge fan of facebook, even bigger than before.
What really amazes me is Uncle Jimmy lived on Awosting Rd, right down the road from me towards the end of me living there! He knows my childhood best friend through my ex, and our paths must have crossed a million times.
Life is really funny sometimes.
So this is it for now... I don't know what else to write at this point, but wanted to share my story with all of you.