Finding Andrew

Epilogue

Sometimes in life we go through things that make us stronger people. My strengthening point was when I met my biological father, Andrew. Ashlyn, Raelyn, Locklyn, and Colyn all have a great relationship with their three grandfathers and two grandmothers. “Mommy,” Colyn will say to me sometimes, “How come you have two daddies and a mommy?” I explain it the best I can to him, but something are better left unsaid.

          All the kids are very different; Rae loves painting, Colyn is our sporty one, Lock loves ballet, and Ash is our little singer. Our life isn’t perfect, but it’s almost as close as you can get. When one of the children asks me how Daddy and I met, I explain to them. I leave out the part about meeting Andrew for the first time, and the part when Aunt Fee goes missing, but the rest I try to be as truthful as possible. Ashlyn and Raelyn still have some trouble understanding how they were at our wedding without actually being there, but they’ll get it someday.

          If someone were to ask me which one of my kids I love the most, I would say none: I love them all equally. As cheesy as I thought it was before I had kids of my own, it’s extremely true.  When I started dating James did I think I was going to marry him? Have four beautiful children with him? I had hoped so, but I had no idea how much I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. Calling over the phone and video chatting isn’t anywhere near similar to being together. We broke up once or twice along the way, but we came to where we are now; happy and together. If you don’t believe in true love, you don’t believe in happiness.

          Every once in a while you get to feeling sad about something; your weight, your height, your finances, your friends. There’s always someone there to pick me up when I slip: James. He has always been and will always be my rock. I like to think I’m his rock as well, but only time will tell.

          Meeting my biological dad for the first time was a mix of emotions, but spending the summer with him I was sure of two things; I am the second coming of my father, and I loved James with all my heart. I snuck out of my room one night to read the letter he wrote me that I was supposed to read on my wedding day. I was sobbing so had that he had to come out and calm me down himself. That was the first time I told him I loved him. He said he had and will always love me.  

          Over the years you come to realize that people change, and no matter what I will always have the two people that mean the world to me, and have to stay because they’re not family, my best friend Peneolpe, and my wonderful husband James. I have to thank Penelope, because without her I more than likely wouldn’t have been in Florida to meet James. Over the years, you also realize that people not only change for the worse, but also for the better.  

The End