Once Born, Twice Blessed

Sat., May 8, 1999

Tina Clayton-Berner Special To Opinion

Dear Birth Mother:

I am writing this to you because 37 years ago you had me inside of you. You may have only been 15, but you did something that took a lot of courage. You made the choice to let me go, in the hope I would have a family that could give me the things you could not. I have never had any kind of bad feelings toward you because of your choice. And even before I found out for sure that you were very young when you had me, I always knew inside that was why.

I always dreamed of one day finding you. But as things turned out, I was eight years too late because you had passed on in 1988. At first, I was very hurt, but then I realized that it was OK because for the past 11 years you have been able to be my guardian angel. And I know that even though we are not together now, that we will be someday. And until that day comes, I will always know that you are with me and looking out for me.

Dear Adoptive Mom:

I am writing this to you to let you know that I love you! You are my one and only MOMMY! You are the one who has always been there for me. You have not only been there for me, you have also been there for your grandson. It was always you who took care of me and supported me.

And I want you to know how much that has always meant to me. You have also always been there to help me and support me as I searched for my birth family. And it was because of you and your help that I was finally able to find them.

As long as I live I will never forget the phone conversation we had when I found my birth mother’s father and I called you from his house. You told me to tell him thank you for allowing you to have me and raise me as your own.

I repeated what you said to my grandpa and right away he said to tell you this: “No, thank you for loving and raising Tina like she was your own.”

You even supported me when I decided to change the name given to me by the children’s home - Austina Marie - to Dustina Marie, the name my birth mother gave me. And even though I always wanted to find my birth mother, it has never changed the way I have always felt about you. You truly are my one and only mommy and I will forever love you!

I may have two mothers but I truly have only one mommy. And I am writing this because I want them both to know how deeply I feel about both of them. And what better day to do that than on Mother’s Day!

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