Monday, August 25, 2008

Stamps of Approval

We had a wedding party at the salon Saturday morning, so I was up before dawn even thought about cracking, preparing food and making things pretty. 

I paused in the midst of that whirlwind to write a letter to the adoption agency, asking them to forward Katie's letter to her birth mother. I put the letter in a large manilla envelope and addressed it. 

Katie is perfectly capable of writing such a letter for herself. After all, she spent most of the summer in Australia, writing marketing copy for an international environmental agency. She could manage "Please forward this letter."  It was not about her needing my help, it was about her needing my support. 

After the salon run, after breakfast with my folks, after almost all our goodbyes were said, I handed her the envelope. "Hey. You even got stamps," she said.

"Yeah," I said. "It's ready to go. All you have to do is write your letter and drop it in." 

"So it really is okay with you?"

"More than okay, Babe. It's good."

She put the envelope on the passenger's seat, gave me a quick kiss, and drove away. I didn't break down until her car was completely out of sight.

6 comments:

Nancy said...

A faith-filled symbolic gesture that shows who you really are. And you even got stamps.

Anonymous said...

It is all good, you know. I hope the breakdown was of the good variety.

This is a daughter who will always be with you. No question about it.

Jess said...

I just read all these posts about this. Katie is so lucky to have you and so lucky to have your support in this. If it wasn't a bit hard I'd be surprised. A few breakdowns seems appropriate, but I am quite sure you are both doing the right things for yourselves and each other.

Big big love.

riversgrace said...

Please continue to chronicle this....that's what you're doing, and it's important and lovely and deep and wonderful.

kario said...

She does need your support. And you've got mine. Sending love and light your way and Katie's - no matter what happens.

Alijah Fitt said...

I've been gone too long- need to catch up but already know- there is nothing to worry about. Katie knows who her mother is, and loves that woman to death! She needs to find out who her biological mother is in reality- not fantasy.