When "Baby Q" was about 6 months old, Jill decided to move away. Her parting words included "Baby Q is not even yours." Al watched Jill board a plane with Baby Q and Al never saw them again. Months later he received paperwork informing him that the baby’s name was being changed to "James Bird."
About four years later, Al’s parents got a phone call asking them to take custody of little James because Jill was in some sort of trouble. Not wanting to open up old wounds for their only son, now nearly 25 years old, Al's parents said "no" without even telling Al about the call.
Nearly fifteen years later, on Valentine's Day, Al and I were contacted by Jill Bird. She told Al that he *IS James’ father, and that James was adopted by a family in NJ when he was five. She said James, now named "James Aime" wanted to "get to know" Al. At our request, all parties did a DNA test, and soon we all learned that Al was, in fact, James' biological father. James spoke to Al by phone a few times. James indicated that Jill had tracked him down, and that he was quite happy with the family he was raised by. Al and James emailed occasionally for years and respectfully keep tabs on each other through the wonderful and subtle world of online social networking. Perfect for both parties.
Now ... take that nice story and file that away for now. We are going to go back EVEN farther... back a couple of decades.
Al has always known that he was adopted. In 1965, at the age of 6 weeks old, Al's parents picked him up from a Catholic infant/maternity home in upstate NY and brought him to his forever home.
Al grew up as an only child and his parents adored him. He was very loved and never had any interest in finding his birth parents.
A few years ago, after some health issues arose, and his parents' health began to decline, he realized that once his elderly parents passed, that he would have no family besides his fabulous wife and children.
He began to wonder about his biological parents and family. Al knows his birth name, and his nationality, but not much else. He remembers someone telling him at some point that he had eleven biological siblings, but no one knows where that "fact" came from.
Recently a Google search connected us to Lily, who is searching for her 11th sibling. Lily's lost sibling is one year younger than her.
Al and Lily have the same (birth) last names, the same nationality, the same adoption state, and the birth dates are within months of a match. After exchanging photos, we all agree that they even look alike. Could Lily and Al have found their lost biologic siblings? -We still don't know. Some details don't match, but NY state adoption laws make it very difficult to confirm some of the details. The folks there have promised to pull the 1965 micro-fiche to see what they are allowed to disclose to Al. That. just. seems. so. unfair. You would think all that information is your birthright. Sadly, it seems his birth secrets" died with the nuns that cared for him for 6 weeks.
After each reading some adoption stories online today, Al found out that this particular infant/maternity home is accused of some pretty unconventional practices. It makes us wonder if the little bit of information that he has is even accurate!
Al and Lily spoke on the phone today. While chatting with Lily, Al says, "Your last name is Aime?" Lily says "yes." Al says, "You don't by any chance know a 26 year old guy named "James Aime," do you? Lily says, "My nephew is James Aime. How do you know James?" When Al explains that he is James' biological father, everyone freaks out!
Lily's husband's brother is James' adoptive father. Lily is James' aunt by marriage (and adoption).
Al is James' biological father. So, Lily *could be James' biological aunt too, if she and Al end up being siblings.
How CRAZY is that coincidence!?
Even if Lily and Al are not long lost siblings, how incredible is it that out of the millions of people involved with adoption, the very first person Al has spoken to about being a potential sibling - is someone who he has "two-degrees of separation" to already?!
Just weird!
Goosebumps and tears. Blessed our paths have crossed.