Good Morning to All.
First, where are the picture from your trip, picture of Grandkids, parents?
Okay now. Some of you know some of you don't. But when I was a child and yes I was a child a one time. My brother Jack and I were adopted by my brother Russ's Dad. I have always known that I was adopted and of course went through all the emotion on wonder why my biological father didn't want anything to do with us. When I would ask my Mom about it she would always put up road blocks and try and steer me away from the subject. (My father wasn't a very nice man when he was drinking. He had strangle and beat my Mom. So I know that this is the reason she left and we moved from Tennessee back to Wyo.) Years later I found out that I had two more siblings.
When I was 22 years old I decided that I was going to find my father and I told my Mom that I wanted to do this, she told me that she had heard from one of his sisters that he had died in a car crash. So, why should I not believe her. This is 1979. In 1994 I was working for the Washington State Patrol and had access to the national data base for driving records also, wants and warrants. Me being bored decided to look up people like Elvis Presley and yes there was a driving history for him and for fun I ran my father's information knowing that he had died in 1979. Well, to my surprise he not only had a driving history but also the record was as current as 1991, but is was suspend and no new activity. You ask why I can be so sure that it is him especially with a name like John Austin, which in the south is very common. But his middle name is Alva not common and his birthday is 2 days after mine. The next I saw my Mom I brought up the subject again, she was quiet and she said again that his sister told her that he died in a car accident. I showed her the proof and she start writting down information about what she knew. Of course I start looking around but never found any real clues. I even called a few John Austins in and around the area that was on the driving records, the gentlemen that I talked to all wished me good luck.
So, I will shorten this up. After my divorce in 2001 I decided to give this one more shot. I was looking the the Social Security death index looking for ancester and look to see if my father was there, nope not there. This was in June. Around Oct. 2001 I was playing on my computer and decided to look at the index again and yes there he was died June 12, 2001. This was such a let down. And without knowing the names of the two siblings I wasn't sure what I would do.
In Oct 28, of this year I decided that I would order my father death certificate with cause. As I have gotten a little older I thought It my be a good idea to find out what was the cause of death. The death certificate arrive Nov 1, and to my utter delight the name James D Austin was the informant's name on the certificate with an address. And that the death certificate says that my father was a Senior well I am pretty sure of what the name of the other child is. I called my brother Jack to tell him the news and he said he would try and get information on James.
Okay, Jack will look and see what he can find. So I make a little dinner and keep looking at the certificate, sit down at the computer, run the name through a few search data bases, do a reverse directory on the address, find that there is more than one person with the last name of Austin living in this home, there is also a telephone number. Some more search and I find John A Austin Jr same address.
Bottom line. Jack called the number Friday Nov 3, no one home but leaves a message about 2 hours later John called back, they talked about 20 mins and we had found them both. Now after about 15 hours on the phone Jack and I are flying to Mempis, Tn December 29 for a new family reunion. Oh and yes we all look like each other, they have been look for us for about 20 years. My father told both of them about Jack and I.
The hole that has been in my heart for all these years if full, I found out that my father had looked for us, fought the adoption, came to Wyoming one time to see us but Mom wouldn't let him, she was afraid he would try and take me with him. John told me he probably would have. A little girl who thought that her father didn't love her now knows that he did.
Happiness. I talked to John last night and he told me that they were taking us to Graceland and I had to have him repeat that again. And in a joking manner I said forget seeing you guys just take me to Graceland. A dream come true. Another two things off my bucket list.
I just have to keep telling myself that it happened now for a reason.
Love To All
Ya I know I don't write well, and it's long sorry, Happiness