Finally meeting my biological father

A meeting 47 years in the making finally happened. 

I felt like he liked me and I felt loved and that is top tier for anything I dared hope for on this visit. I asked questions about his life.  I heard stories about his mom and trying out for sports teams and playing music, singing in choirs, being in the navy. We looked at some pictures.  I sat on the couch next to him and we chatted about the news he was watching. Nothing earth shattering, just really pleasant.

When I was telling him how surprisingly fabulous Montreal was I said that the city's walkability was amazing.  And he disagreed with my word choice, "That's not a word I've heard before. Maybe walkable..."  And of course I looked at him and said, "Are you disagreeing with me?  You don't believe me?  Want to look it up?" And he looked at me and smiled, I think recognizing a little bit of him in me.  (I’ve heard he was pretty opinionated and that explains a lot about me.)

 Let the record show I was not wrong; 

(Can we stop and note here that Wikipedia's example of walkability is Montreal?!?!)

In a discussion about my terrible French skills and a lecture on how to study French, I learned that I would have been a much better French student and pianist if he had been around.  He's driven and focused on whatever it is he wants to get done.  But I also would have been subject to his inconsistency and free spirit life style.  Settling down wasn't really his game. 

We hung out for maybe an hour and a half! 

Valerie (my cousin, once removed - here on the right) found me via Ancestry and set this all up and she's just so lovely.  She loves family! And has just welcomed me right in. 

It should be noted here that no one disputes that I am a Martin!

Straight after we headed to a cousin's house for supper.  Aunts, uncles and cousins, we sat around the table and ate and talked all evening.  Stories about my grandmother were my favorite! And a recap of a road trip to New Orleans had people laughing uncontrollably. She sounded like a force.





Such good people.  Can't wait to take my kids back. 

I note here that I have waited for a long time for this moment.  And they were all so good and kind and welcoming. I needed them so much when I was a kid and I'm so sad that it didn't happen.  What a difference that would have made in the way I felt about myself and saw myself in the world. I cried Sunday and Monday and Tuesday grieving what could have been.  And then Wednesday I got up ready to talk about it all and be happy again... I can’t change the past