Rooted in love

(This is the first in a series of posts about my trip out West, a trip as an adoptee to see my biological family,  spend time with my daughter and her adoptive parents during her second birthday, and a road trip with my best friend filled with new experiences!)

A year's worth of work was about to culminate in an event called the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award on Aug. 25. My co-workers kept mentioning to me they bet I couldn't wait for it to be over. The amount of stress and lack of sleep was unreal.

It wasn't so much that I couldn't wait for it to be over, but I couldn't wait for my trip out West. The team executed the event flawlessly. As I sat at a table in an Irish Pub called Sine surrounded by people I was so appreciative of, people who put everything on the line to honor our guests, it was a moment of being sublimely proud and content.

If I had to do it over again, I would not have scheduled my flight for 6 a.m. the next morning. I was sleep deprived, on a weird eating schedule and drained. I exhaled the stress once I sat on my first flight. With every exhale I felt my health declining and of course became sick..ugh! I was run down but I was soaring through the air over the county on my way to family, to adventure, to new experiences and I could not wait to throw my arms around my best friend Sarah and hear all about her backpacking adventures, especially during the eclipse. She had arrived about a week earlier in Wyoming with her sister. Her sister flew out of Boise, Idaho the same day I flew in.

On my birth mom's side of the family my Aunt Andrea, Aunt Robin, her husband Jeremy, my Grandma Mary and my Grandpa Rob were awaiting our arrival. We had a fabulous pizza dinner. I hugged each of them extra long and extra tight, it had been a long time since I had been in Boise. We talked about my birth mom's adoption decision, what each of their own perspectives were which naturally led to discussions on my decision to place BB for adoption. They were honest discussions but each from a place of love.

One of my absolute favorite things about my best friend is her story-telling ability and sense of humor, she is so intelligent and hilarious. The speed her brain works is just marvelous. The entire evening was filled with laughter. Until that moment, I didn't realize how fiercely I missed them.

(My best friend Sarah and my Aunt Robin's dog Keelyn) 

Consciously, I never think about the fact I don't really look like my mom, dad or sister. In this room, the smiles, the hair, the expressions, it was familiar, I belong. I also love the reminder that Washington D.C. is not the only way of life. Farming and being a rancher and caring for livestock and the land, it's a good reminder of my roots. It's hard work. REALLY hard work. I can't help but sometimes wonder what it would be like to have grown up here. I'd like to think I would be one hell of a horse woman, but I may not have ever left the town and gotten to see the world. I wouldn't be the same person, and I really like myself. I got the best of both worlds.

I loved getting to spend time with my Aunt Robin. She is an incredible artist!

The only sad part was realizing how much time had gone by since I had seen them. Their Rottweiler Braun was around 2 when I saw him, youthful and full of energy. He is a wonderful senior at 11 years old, but with his arthritis it was a reminder of just how much time had really passed.

We got on the road the next morning. It wasn't enough time, but I loved every minute of it. Sarah was kind enough to drive and let me medicate myself and sleep on the way. We were off to the incredible Sawtooth Mountains then to Lewiston to spend time with my birth mom Erica.