More than blood kin

To be adopted can be a good thing. It affects everyone differently. You are always wondering who you are and whether you did something to cause this. You’re always looking for answers. Some people can cope with this better than others.


The four siblings are actually blood kin. We are all connected by the same DNA. The oldest sibling had the expectation of having an 1intact family and the possibility of having other siblings to interact with. 


The next child was born out of state and had never been introduced to the original family. She was adopted almost immediately to a family who already had another child. She had no knowledge or contact with any of us until she was an adult. 


The third child was born when the eldest was three. He spent time with the original family and foster care. Not much of a relationship was established with the family at that time. 


The fourth child was born six years apart from the eldest. He stayed with the original family until eighteen months of age when he was adopted as an only child to an older couple.


In an old classic, B-Gee’s song, “In a Room Full of Strangers,” some of the lyrics in particular seem to bring all of the siblings and respective families together after many years of no contact and being reunited about 20 years ago.


Each sibling and family brings many years of traditions, needs, likes, dislikes, and hurts, both internal and external, into this room.