A brave woman we will never know.

62 years ago today, a young woman gave birth in a hospital all alone. No family was with her. No loving support by her side. Other than the nurses and doctors present, in what was probably a chilly sterile room, this woman brought a life into this world. She was very young. She had to have been scared. She had a secret that only herself and one, maybe two other people knew.

She made the toughest decision of her life when she found out she was pregnant. That decision was to give life. I am sure it wasn't easy. I'm sure all her options were spoken to her, and I'm sure they were all at one point even considered-we will never know. You see, back then in the 40's, you did not see or accept a young single mother. It was taboo. All alone for the 9 months she was pregnant, she did not see her family. They never knew. She had to experience morning sickness, a growing belly, physical changes by herself. Doctors appointments if any, were by herself.

Then she had her baby. Did she hold her baby? Touch the baby? Did she cry? Did she have her own special name for her child? We will never know. 8 days later this baby was adopted. This woman who made the decision to give her child up for adoption, who in my opinion, is one of the strongest, bravest people, lived her life and moved on. She would go on to get married, have other children and raise them. She would go on to be a trailblazer. She dedicated her life to children's work. Fundraisers for special needs kids, for sick children in hospitals. She won awards and many accolades. Her life wasn't perfect. She definitely had her hardships. She kept this secret of her other child her ENTIRE life. No one in her family and friends ever knew.

The baby born that day is my Mother. Today is my mom's birthday. Each Mother's Day my mom would always say a prayer for her birth mom thanking God that she gave her life. We have oftened wondered what her birth mom went through. What the real story was. We know bits and pieces and over the years have gathered quite a bit of information. This brave woman passed away a few years ago. Many questions go unanswered and we have to be ok with that.

I'm proud of her. Her decision and life story is actually very inspiring to me. My mother's story is inspiring to me. That is the first taste of adoption I ever heard about. I think she would have been proud of who my mother became.

2 summers ago, over a glass of wine and a skype session with my mom and sister, we decided to do a little work to find out more about my mom's story. Google and Facebook did wonders. After a lot of discussion we made the nervewracking decision to make contact with my mom's half sibling. After a few emails back and forth, a relationship was formed. (A lot of details, questions, and stories of course!)

My mom grew up her whole life as an only child...but will live the rest of her life with "sister" added to her many titles.

Sometimes with risk comes the greatest reward.

That reward started 62 years ago in that hospital room.

Thank you to the woman I'll never meet or never know. "Thank You" doesn't seem big enough.