a shout out to costa rica

many of you know that i am full spanish, and that is because i was adopted from costa rica. i was placed in my mother's arms when i was 2 days old. she had to stay in costa rica for about 3 months to close the adoption. i was brought home at christmas time and was holly and adam's christmas present that year.
although i wondered for years about where i came from, there was no way of contact but my parents would share all there memories of my birth parents. my dad would always share with me about my grandma and how so was so tiny and wonderfully kind. my mom would share stories of what an incrediable brave birth mom alba was and how she gave my parents one of the greatest gifts...me. as i grew up i would day dream about my birth family and hoped they were doing the same. in my youth i would even write them letters and i really believed they could hear my heart. ever since i can remember my parents promised me they would take me back to costa rica after high school, and sure enough they kept their promise. it was about six years ago that i returned, and to my surprise it wasn't that difficult to find my birth family. it is one of my most prized memories. that in the rain, under an umbrella that my parents held, i embraced my birth mom for the first time. and later that evening my birth mom alba lead me down the street to the home of my birth father mario. it was amazing to hear about their life and to know that they to felt like a huge part of their heart had been returned.
we had a big celebration and i met my half-brother and half-sister and neices and nephews, aunts and uncles, cousins, employers & friends. it was behind all that i'd ever dreamt!
i returned home and life has gotten away from me and i've had no contact since that week. i have thought about my birth family all the time. wishing that i could share more of my prized memories such as in falling in love to the man of my dreams and marrying him and my very favorite having the honor of becoming a mother to such a strong spirited daughter!
okay now a small break in my story. many of you know that my brother adam and his family have made the long trip out to milwakee, wis. to finish his residency for dermotology. my parents went along for the ride and i agreed to stay at their home and watch the three younger kids. which hasn't been to difficult cause faith and mystery are at girls camp and holly took jonathan for the second part of the week.
okay back to my story, today i was rather bored, just playing on the computer talking to holly on the phone, when the other line rang in so i told holly i'd call her back. this is how my call went.
janie:hello
lady caller:is merry taintor there?
janie:she's not available right now, can i take a message?
lady caller:well i'm calling for a friend named alba, from costa rica.
janie: umm(speechless)
lady caller:hello?
janie:i'm sorry, alba is my birth mom
lady caller:oh my gosh, is this janie?
janie:yes
lady caller:i'm an interpretor and alba has been trying to find your information for years and she is standing right here and wants to talk to you. and i will interpret.
janie:(crying)..okay
we carried on a conversation for about 30 mins. or so, telling each other all the inportant details..like that she has a granddaughter! and that i'm a aunt again!(from my half-brother)..and just how much we have missed each other and she shared that she thinks about me everyday. (now i asked about my birth dad, because he was in bad health when we went down there six years ago) she told me that she sees him everyday when she goes to work and that after we get off the phone that she will go give him a hug and kiss and tell him he's a grandfather.
then the interpretor and i exchanged information, #'s, e-mails and such and she asked if i could send a picture of my husband and daughter to her e-mail right now so that she could show alba. i asked if they had internet and she said yes, so i told her that i have a blog (i have to thank my sister holly for bothering me so long to get a blog started, cause see what came of it!) and so the interpretor said she was going to show her right now...and then there was a lot of crying. then the interpretor said she had to go but that alba has been working on something and want to say goodbye. alba gets on the phone and in english says "janie, i love you so much and think of you everyday, goodbye my daughter."
it was unbelievable! she has been learning english! it made my day to think that she's had the will at her age she to learn english so she could tell me that she loves me! it made my heart fill with so much joy!
next week I'm signing up for night school to take a spanish class!..i mean there has got to be a balance...and come on I'm full spanish and can't speak it, that's a little embarrasing :)
anyway, my family in costa rica this is a shout out to you...
TE QUIERO!!

now here are a few pictures of my family from when we went to costa rica




and this is for my birth family. my memories that i wasn't able to share with you till now.