Friday, April 23, 2010

Orphanage, Pt. 4

Having already informed me that he will be coming to interview me on April 28, Kraig writes again. I had told him in my reply that I had googled him and found some very nice things about him, about his involvement in his community, to which he responds here.

April 14, 2010

Must be another Kraig xxxx. All kidding aside, people tend to make a bigger deal out of things than they need to when it comes to publicity. I don't know if you've ever seen the movie 7 LBS with Will Smith from a couple years ago. I'm not a very big Will Smith fan, but it's a powerful movie, and there's a line in the movie when he is visiting a hockey coach and the coach asks him why Will's character is giving him a "gift". (I won't ruin the movie as to what the gift is if you haven't seen it.) But Will's character replies something to the effect " because you do good things for people when nobody is watching". I would like to think I'm the same, but there's always a lot of people "watching" where I live that I can't necessarily escape.

As far as flights go, thanks for your offer about Chattanooga, but I'm going to stick with my Nashville plan. I found direct flights from Chicago to Nashville each way that get me there in a little over an hour, and for just $59 each way! I couldn't ride a moped to your place and back for less, not to mention the time savings too. Chicago to Chattanooga flights were all $300+. With no direct flights---so even with the rental car, I'm still way ahead. And the more I can save, the more I can give to the Vliet Museum in the long run. So I'll see you on the 28th.

Your "fans" that are following your blog are putting a lot of heat on me to produce some life changing information. I know from what you wrote that you're not expecting much, so if you go into our meeting with that attitude, I'll hopefully leave you feeling happy and your soul a little more filled.

Just so you can sleep at night, I'm not going to show up with some 82-year-old hairy-eared-man with no teeth by my side and say he's your father. So no Luke Skywalker/ Darth Vader "Luke, I'm your father" surprises --so you can relax about that.

But I do certainly know a bunch about the people who took care of you the first three months of your life, and have some stories to share that I've discovered since sending you the first DVD that I think would best be done in person. Any additional tidbits, or, as you said, "nuggets" of information that my contact at Cxxx can give me to give to you when I meet with her next week, will be gravy to what I already know and had been planning to give you for over six months now.

So hopefully that will take some of the anxiety away from my approaching visit. Should any emergency come up and you need to reach me... Here's my cell xxx... Kraig


In just a few more days I will know...what? There's no sense in trying to guess or speculate, as I haven't a clue what's in store! But this I do know. Anything I find out will be exciting, and will add so much to what little I know about my early life story. It won't change anything then or now, but it will be nice to know.

I actually never thought too much about having been in an orphanage as an infant when I was growing up, especially since I was there such a short time. (The only thing I knew about orphanages was from David Copperfield and Annie!) My thoughts leaned more to my birth mother and why she had given me up, or to how my life surely would have been different or better if she had kept me (not so, as we found out!).

It wasn't until I had my own daughter that my thoughts turned to the orphanage, and again when she had her two children. We both took so many photos those first three months! Photos of so many moments that covered no particular milestone except that they were born and they were ours and they were beautiful and loved. So I naturally would have the passing thought about my first three months. Was I left to cry in a crib all day, receiving attention only when I was wet and hungry, or did they have caretakers and volunteers who held me and interacted with me, cooed and hummed lullabys?

Well, I may still not find out the answer to those questions, but I'll let you know what information Kraig does bring me, so tune in on the evening of April 28!

13 comments:

Bernie said...

I hope you find out everything and anything you want to know. I'm sure good and bad things happened but with all you have lived through you will be able to handle anything you may learn. I think this man is really nice to keep you informed.
Keeping you in my prayers always my friend.......:-) Hugs

ethelmaepotter! said...

Linda,

I wish I could pick Kraig up here at the airport and bring him to you, but the 28th is the day I have to go back to work. I'm glad he got such a great deal, though, and I'll be waiting to here all about your meeting.

And thank goodness Mr. Vader won't be showing up - you won't have brush up on your lightsaber skills!

Wine and Words said...

There's something to that in Christiandom...good deeds that go unnoticed are a jewel in the crown. Deeds noticed are pats on the back. Sometimes I wonder if we should let them lie...jewels worth more than pats. Other days...well, I stand up and applaud.

Jeanie said...

With your attitude and Kraig's, it sounds like the 28th will be a good day for you. You are right that nothing will change with anything new you find out, but that doesn't change your desire to know.

Lorna said...

My favorite part: "We both took so many photos those first three months! Photos of so many moments that covered no particular milestone except that they were born and they were ours and they were beautiful and loved." Breathtakingly poignant.

Bernie said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Rosaria Williams said...

Oh, you must be on pins and needles, worried and anxious. You know that the anticipation is always better than the real thing. Stay sane.

Unknown said...

Best wishes for the 28th. I have been and will be thinking about you and this journey you are taking.

glnroz said...

Ms. Wanderer,,this is such an interesting story.
sidenote,, there is a lady in my local writing group that is in the process of writing a book about adoption stories.. would you be interested in talking to her..mm dont mean to intrude but felt i had to ask,, glenn

Michele R said...

I cannot get over how nice this man is.
Anyway, it sounds like you will be hearing a lot about how you were loved those first 3 months for sure.
It's a full moon on the 28th and I'll be thinking of you.

glnroz said...

you can to contribute,, you can at least drop in, say "Hi" and have a piece of cake..:), I didnt save your address,, email to ms. Septembermom..pls..

Midlife Roadtripper said...

Your anticipation is expressed so well in your words. I think you may find out more about your first three months than most of us ever will. I will ask my mom about mine tomorrow.

Girl Tornado said...

I'm getting closer LOL!!!!