I was 14 years old when I first met my mom. I was with her until I was almost 2 but who can remember that. I was on a plane with my brother coming to visit our mom. I had not seen her in 12 years. My brother he remembered her as he was five and a half when we left. I had dreamed many times what was my mom like. My dad had told me things about her which I now know were untrue , but you have to justify why you would take your kids from their mom.
Life somehow had to better then what we were coming from. I had so many questions. We fly into Vancouver airport and finally get through customs. That seemed to take forever. I was glad my brother was with me. So those questions. I will never forget the doors opening at the airport and this woman coming running over and hugging my brother and I just stood there feeling very overwhelmed. Lots of tears from my mom, then she came over and hugged me. I felt nothing this woman was a complete stranger to me.
To my mom’s side was a very tall man which was her husband. He smiled and had very kind eyes. We got into their car and drove to the ferry. My mom’s husband he worked for the ferries so everyone in the boat knew him. We went into the cafeteria and B asked me if I wanted gravy with my fries. What the heck was that? I only knew about ketchup and chips. The ferry ride was beautiful but I was completely exhausted. We got back to their home and I had a room off the study. That would be my space for three weeks.
During the night I was awake with asthma and by morning I was really bad so my mom took me to the clinic. My mom and the doctor were horrified to hear that I was given zero medicine and that I had to wheeze it out. The whole trip triggered it and after getting medication wow I finally could breathe properly. We came at Christmas time and all my mom’s friends wanted to meet us and B’s mom and dad and I realized I had so many people who loved me even though I had no idea who they all were.
It was so weird having a mom who was kind and brought me things and wanted to get to know who I was. I would just call her by her name. One of the hardest things is to get to know someone you have nothing in common with and even though she was my mom she was a complete stranger to me. The three weeks I was there it was nice to feel safe. The space I was given was very overwhelming to me and that I was allowed to eat whenever I wanted or be out of my bedroom and actually be a normal person. Another foreign thing and nobody wanted to hit me or yell at me.
I didn’t want my time to end and it was so hard to leave this family and get back on a plane until the next time.
Eventually I moved to Canada in 1985 with my one small suitcase. The rest is in my memoirs that are in my blog if you’ve not read them.
Today at lunch my mom told me I’ve been here for forty years. I’ve known my mom now for forty two years . I’m so glad that we have an awesome relationship now. It’s taken a long time to get here. I have a true family here and the best stepdad one could ever imagine. Family is not always perfect but I’m so glad this story has a happy ending.
Happy Mother’s Day everyone. ❤️