Blast from the past!

That sounds a little weird coming from me since I generally do not like to talk about my past, especially before the age of 11.  But this is one of those good memories that I've held onto over the years and today I am very excited to share this!


I guess it was about two weeks ago, but Brandon was out of town and Elyse was asleep.  I was bored and on Facebook.  For some reason a person popped into my head and I had to look to see if I could find her.  I knew it was a long shot since I have not seen or talked to her since I was probably 9 years old and I was sure she was married and had a new last name.  But I had to try.  I typed in her name and sure enough, there she was.  She did have a new last name, but the old one was there too and I knew by looking at her picture that it was her.  I wrote her a message and I was SO nervous because I was so sure she would not remember me, but I just had to try.  I had to thank her for what she and her family had done for me.  


Now here's the back story:


I was in and out of foster homes until I was 11.  My biological mother just could not keep herself out of trouble. I want to believe that she loved me the best she knew how, but she just couldn't stay out of jail.  My memory is really foggy (the therapist that I went to when I was younger said it was because I had PTSD and didn't want to remember, and I tend to believe this) but I think I was about 9 when I went to a foster home.  I had been to many by this age so it wasn't a big deal.  I just hated that I was separated from my younger brother.  But this home was different, this family was so welcoming.  It was a married couple and their 3 daughters.  They were all older than me and I want to say the youngest was 13.  They made me feel right at home and I never felt awkward around them like I did at the other homes.  I really loved Anna, the youngest. I loved them all, but I was closest to Anna I guess because she was the closest to me in age.  They all treated me like a little sister.  I remember crying when I left there home, begging to not go because that was the first time that I had felt like I was apart of a real family.  Patricia, the mom, was so good to me.  She told me to call anytime I wanted and that I could visit whenever.  I remember going back to their house for a 2nd time when Angie(my bio mom) got locked up.  I don't remember how long I stayed with them in all, but I have so many good memories.  That is the bright spot in a past of so much darkness.  


I have thought of them often and had always wondered how they were, where they ended up, what they look like now, and of course, if they remembered me like I had remembered them, or if I was just another foster child to them.


Well today, I had a message from her on Facebook.  I'm not going to lie, I cried when I read it.  It felt so good to know that she remembers me like I remembered her and that the sisters and mom remembered me as well.  I just can't believe it.  I'm smiling so much as I type this.  


We are trying to make arrangements to meet up.  I can't imagine the emotion that I'm going to feel if it does happen, which I hope with all my heart that it does.  I can't wait for them to see my daughter and hopefully my husband(his damn work schedule).  I can't wait to exchange stories about what we each remember and about all the things that have happened since the last time we've all seen each other.  I hope that they might have some pictures of when I was there since I have none from that time.  It's exciting to see a good piece of my past fall into place in my scattered memory.