My Grandma Ada died when my dad was very young. She was very young and I’m not even sure what she died from. All of my life, I’ve been told that I look like her. All of my life I’ve wondered about her. I would ask my dad questions, but he didn’t have the answers. I would ask my grandfather questions but he would get choked up. He remarried my Grandma Francis, which happens to be the BEST grandma ever! And I think everyone feels like it would hurt her feelings to talk about my Grandma Ada, so mum is the word. She had 1 sister, and 1 brother, I know them as Aunt Sue, and Uncle Tom. Uncle Tom lived very close to me, yet we rarely ever saw him or his family. Aunt Sue lives in Arkansas, and I can only remember one time that I saw her, even though I know there have been more times.
The one time that sticks out to me the most is when I was maybe 13 or 14 years old. We were at a family reunion, and she came to California. She was talking to me about my Grandma Ada, and she said that her hair was like mine, and we had the same eye color. And she got extremely choked up and had to walk away. Because of that, I always felt like it was too hard for everyone to talk about her, so I never asked anyone about her.
When Uncle Tom passed away a few years ago, I met a lot of my second cousins, and I remember thinking that I belonged in that family. They were all like me. Built like me, acted like me, talked like me. I wanted to know more about them. I felt strange though because I feel like I’m missing out, and I have so many questions and wonders and thoughts and I want to ask ask ask. For them, they are missing nothing because they all have each other. I asked them to stay in touch with me, and I gave a few cousins my phone number and e-mail address but I never heard from them. I know that in life, we get busy and caught up and what is important to me, may not be important to them, so I don’t blame them.
Recently, I wrote to Aunt Sue. I had been watching that show “Who Do You Think You Are” and it always brings up lots of questions for me. I couldn’t stop thinking about Grandma Ada, and her story, and I had a deep desire to know more about her. I wrote to Aunt Sue and asked her many many questions. I told her how I feel, and how bummed I’ve been because of what I feel like I’m missing out on. I told her I would understand if she didn’t want to talk about it but hoped that she would. I sent the letter off and hoped for the best.
A few days later, The Guitar Hero and I were at Disneyland, gallivanting around at the happiest place on earth, which happens to be one of our most favorite places to go on dates! We were boarding the tram to get back to the parking structure, and I noticed I had a few Facebook messages. I didn’t recognize the names at first, but the titles of the messages were “Aunt Ada”. I was THRILLED to receive 2 messages from my Aunt Sue’s daughters, which would be my second cousins. They both knew my Grandma Ada, and they told me a few things about how wonderful she was and they were both going to send me letters, they also told me that my Aunt Sue was going to send me a letter, and call me. It was very emotional! I wasn’t expected a connection like that and so quick! My eyes instantly filled with tears. I felt like I was the only person on that tram with The Guitar Hero. He read the messages and saw me crying, and called me a girl. In a sweet loving way of course!
The next day I was looking at their pages, and I saw a picture that I thought was me, and it turned out it was a picture of a cousin that is my age. Then I saw her pictures as an adult, and I really thought we looked a lot alike! We have the same hair, the same mouth, the same eye color. It’s so strange to see someone who you have never met, but is your family, and you happen to look alike. My whole life, I’ve always felt a little bit on the outside of my family. I don’t look like my brother, I don’t look like any of my cousins, and so it’s weird to look like someone! It’s pretty cool though!
I’m so excited for the letters and phone calls to come! This is HUGE in my world right now!!!
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This is fantastic!! There is nothing in the WORLD like discovering family. I have a cousin from Germany who I met about 6 years go when she was an exchange student here in the US. We aren't closely related (can't remember the exact connection), but we look SO much alike! People thought we were sisters, something about the big Prussian faces we have lol. Right now husband and I are working on his family, and it's been tough, but always a fun mystery to solve. Good luck with your family, if you ever need help, let me know! :)
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