I was spending an evening with my mother in July of 1997 discussing how I would find the courage to reveal to my son that he has a sister who is two years younger than he. My mother was the only person who knew of this and kept my secret for 33 years. We spoke of this and cried about this often as we also did on this evening in July. I was determined to tell my son about this the next day as he was planning a family and this was not to be delayed any longer.
I went home and had difficulty sleeping . The most difficult part of telling my son about this was that he always wanted a brother or a sister in his life, and telling him that he has a sister and not knowing where she is would be devastating for him, but he still had a right to know.

God sent me a "Miracle"

I was awakened the next morning with a phone call from a lady asking me "Hello ! Is your name Audrey ?" I said "yes." "Is your birthday April 7, 1941?" I said "Why do you want to know?" (I was thinking some one was trying to sell me something or tell me that I had won a discount on a sewing machine or some sales pitch) She said "Please be patient with me as I may have some very good news for you." The very next question was "Did you give birth to a little girl in 1963 ?" I suddenly broke down and cried to her "Oh my God ! Please let this be true, where is my little girl?" I went on to tell her what I was preparing to do. I hardly gave the poor women a chance to speak for the next few minutes. I couldn't believe this was happening this way. I immediately knew in my heart and had the premonition that my little girl was home and everything was finally going to be all right........my baby is finally coming home.

The lady finally was able to get a word in and tell me that "Nathalie" whom I had named "Mary-Rose" at birth had been looking for me for the last 9 years. I had not attempted to look for her because I was told at her birth that a doctor and his wife were adopting her and I feared so much that I would disturb her life.

This wonderful lady then proceeded to tell me that Nathalie was impatiently waiting at home for her phone call to know if I was willing to meet her. I said "Please tell her that I can't wait a minute longer and that she has a very handsome brother who does not yet know that she exists; but in my heart I know that he will be leaping with joy after he gets over the shock." She then proceeded to tell me how beautiful she is and that I also have two beautiful grandsons, Christian 9 and Kevin 5, whom already knew that their mommy was looking for her birth mother. This was all so overwhelming for me. After I somehow stopped crying, I asked this wonderful lady to please give me a day to break this news to my son.

My son, Michel has longed for family all his life. I never married and his father never acknowledged him, so I raised him alone with the help of my mother and an aunt. Thanks to God he turned out a good loving child and a very understanding adult. I was finally going to be able to tell him about his sister and especially be able to introduce him to her, rather than merely tell him he has a sister out there somewhere.

I first called my mother and cried with her on the phone for at least 15 minutes, then called my son at work and requested that he take time off work to come and have lunch with me because it was very important for both of us. He arrived and I wasted no time in breaking the news to him. I said "Michel, I have something to tell you. I don't know for sure how you are going to react to this, you can hit me, hate me, walk out on me, I will understand." He looked at me very awesomely and said "What's wrong Mom?" I said "Michel, I can't put this off any longer, and I can't say this in any other way, you have a real life sister and you are about to meet her if you wish to." 

He was speechless and I just waited for his reactions while he was walking around the room trying to absorb what he had just heard. About 3 very long minutes later he turned to me and said, "Are there any more?" I said "Of course not, Michel. I might have kept the truth from you for too long, but I would not lie to you." I quess it was just his way of displaying a little anger. He immediately took me into his arms and said "Its OK, Mom, I just thought I could have a brother too !" We both began to laugh and cry at the same time, and when we got past that, we discussed what we were going to do. We decided that I would meet Nathalie alone first, and that he would meet her alone after so that we could share each of our emotions alone with her. "What a wonderful son I have been blessed with."

I was on a very busy schedule at work and had to find a way to take time off to deal with all these emotions while I was working. I finally decided to have someone fill in for me for a few days.

It was also decided that I meet with lady from the research center alone first so that she could prepare me for the reunion with my daughter. When I met with her she handed me a letter written for me from my daughter along with photographs of her and my grandsons. In her letter she said that she was dreaming of this day for a very long time and that she did not want this to be hard for me. The research woman said that she was convinced when she saw me that I was Nathalie's mother. The resemblance was so strong. 

We arranged to meet Nathalie the next day.  I was to arrive 1/2 hour after Nathalie so that Nathalie could have time to look over the pictures of myself and her new-found brother before our reunion. The lady escorted me into a lovely private little living room where there was a beautiful vase of 33 roses that represented the 33 years that we had been apart, with a card that said Bonjour Maman. Nathalie was waiting in another room to be escorted to where I was waiting. Two minutes seemed like forever when finally the door was opened and there stood the most beautiful girl dressed in a lovely tailored suit.

 We looked at each other for about 5 seconds and finally walked into each others arms, hugging, crying and trembling. After we settled down for a while, the lady left the room to leave us alone to talk. We very quickly decided to leave there and go off to spend the day together. It was the most beautiful day of my life. We went for a beautiful dinner on a Marina Terrace and showed each other our picture albums that we both thought of bringing. We then spoke of Michel and how eager they were to meet.

Michel and Nathalie met a few days later along with Michel's wife Patricia and Nathalie's husband Roger. I wish I could have been a little bird on a branch, but this was their day.

This was the day of all days. We all met at the Yacht Club where I arranged to make it a day of sailing at the same time. This was the day that my mother met Nathalie and her two great grandsons. It was truly a wonderful and emotional day.

We have become so united all of us, and we couldn't wish for more happiness. I have met with her foster mother and father and siblings. I was lied to at her birth when I was told that a doctor and his wife had adopted her. She has wonderful foster parents and siblings. Her foster mother, Shirley and I have become great friends (her being divorced now) and me still single. We spend great times together. Michel now has his family completed. He and Patricia now have a son "Yannick" and Nathalie and Roger are his godparents.

I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful family after so many years of pain and guilt. This little baby that I gave up so many years ago, came back to us just in time to make everything right again. She truly is my "Little Miracle" She has changed our lives for the better and we are all so happy to have her home.

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