Stork Delivery

Good morning, beautiful lady! Today is December 3rd. It’s been a special day in my life since the very first one in 1970. It was on this day that the social workers brought me to my new home with the Clarks. It was nearing Christmas, and they had me dressed in a beautiful red, velvet dress. I still have it. Fifty years later, and I still own my very first Christmas outfit.

All my grandparents were present. Nana and Pop (Dad’s parents) were so very excited because I was the first grandchild. I would be spoiled rotten for the next fifty years by these wonderful people. They brought a beautiful afghan that my Nana had knit. It was the zigzag pattern, white, blue, and pink. I still have it.

Mamaw and Papaw (Mom’s folks) were also there. They brought me my very first teddy bear, which I also still have. While I was not the first grandchild, they would also spoil me rotten until their passings. When we moved to Florida, Mamaw would save winter snow in a mason jar in the freezer for our summer trips north. Any one of my cousins who touched the jar ran the risk of being beat. “That’s Lori’s snow.

My parents, Mary and Ed Clark, were beside themselves with my arrival. My mother had tortured my dad for some time with calls at work claiming I had arrived, even before I had been born. When the day came for my actual arrival, he didn’t believe her. This lovely story, “Wolf,” may be found on my blog and on Vocal Media.

Over the years, I was asked many, many times about my “real” parents, about you. I always told them that my “real” parents were Mary and Ed Clark. They were the ones who raised me, clothed me, fed me, spanked me, etc. They were my parents. These curious people wanted to know where I really came from, but I didn’t know who you were.

As you know, all adoptions were closed in those days. There was no way for me to know who had given me life, where I had come from, who any of you were. I was always curious, but it wasn’t a driving force until much later in life. I eventually hired a private investigator, but they were unable to find anything because “all the records had been burned.” I would find out soon enough that this was a lie they told everyone.

On July 1, 2018, the State of Indiana opened all adoption records. Unless one party filed a non-disclosure form, the other party would be able to gain access to everything. I promptly filed the paperwork, hoping that you had not.

Given the barrage of requests submitted to the State Department of Health, I didn’t hear back for a long time. My husband convinced me to sign up for 23andme.com in 2019 and see if I could find family that way. It took a few months, but I finally found a first cousin. It was fantastic! She was fantastic! I peppered her with questions, trying to find out who you were. I knew my parent was a sibling of one of hers, but she didn’t know who. After a conversation with her mother, she discovered it was you, but she had been sworn to secrecy.

A few weeks later, I received a letter from the Indiana State Department of Health. It was my birth certificate! I had a name! And, low and behold, I had an older sibling! I struck out on Facebook on my cousin’s page and found you!

I know our first few conversations didn’t go very well, but after many months, and me reaching out to my sister, we came to a good place. I love that we have a lot in common, and every time we chat it thrills me to no end. I’m glad we are friends on Facebook, and I love seeing things pop up from you. I had hoped to have the opportunity to meet you and my sister in November, but CoVID-19 nixed that. Someday, I hope we get to see each other face-to-face.

When I think of you, my sister, my family, I get a little giggly inside. I’m still very nervous when I talk to any of you, as I don’t want to look like an idiot. Who does? In any event, my family grew by leaps and bounds, and I have finally learned where all my quirks come from. It’s nice to know that some things are definitely nature, some are nurture, and, as God is my witness, some things are both. I’m not a freak of nature. I’m just me.

Thank you so much for giving me life and for letting us build a relationship. I know I’ve said this before, but I love you very much. You have been an icon my entire life, and I am so glad we are friends.

All my love...