A fellow adoptee will share her thoughts and meeting her birth mother for the first time. Below are her words and story.

My first visit with my birth mother was very awkward for me. I knew of my birth mother, but I had no idea who was my birth father. I contacted my birth mother to get that information.

I called her, and I set up a time and place to meet her. I decided a restaurant was a good place. Having food in front of you gives you something to do with your hands and does make the awkwardness less apparent.

My birth mother was on time. She was friendly and very apologetic. I had never heard all the information that I was told before that day. My birth mother imparted information on my other half siblings. My birth mother had kept two children, and one was left alive. Their bond is very close like most mothers and daughters. I didn't feel the envy that I assumed I would have felt. I listened to the stories, and I knew deep down that her giving me up was the right thing for all of us. Knowing it was the right thing didn't make it any easier though at times. My birth mother just made some poor choices in her life, and luckily, someone else was willing to step in and take over her responsibilities.

I still call her once in a while and speak to her, but I can not act like she is my mother. My birth mother gave up that right the day she gave me me up for adoption. I have another mother that was there for me, and I can not forget that.

Adoptee's will all have very different thoughts and feelings about the whole adoption picture. Some adoptees desperately want a relationship with their birth family, while others do not feel the need for continued contact with them. We all have different needs and experiences with being adopted.