Roots

I just found out from my friend, Fish, that November is National Adoption Awareness Month. One would think being adopted myself, that I would know that... but in all honesty, I don't feel adopted so it's not something I really focus on too much. My birth mother was only 15 years old when she had me and that is the only thing I know about her. That, and she is one of the most selfless people in the world.

Big Mouse was due one day before my birthday. So my pregnancy with her was special in so many ways- not only was she was my first baby- she was my first known relative and I got to experience a pregnancy almost exactly like my birth mother did (I now know my birth mother probably experienced horrible morning sickness and did have stretch marks. I'll not tell you where.) Through both of my children, I've received insight into my ancestors, if through appearances only.

BigM looks exactly like DM. As if I weren't any part of the equation- and he can be certain without a doubt that the milkman didn't stop by... And LM has blue eyes. I have dark brown eyes. So it's safe to say someone (one of my birth parents, even) also had blue eyes. People keep asking me "who she looks like," and in all reality, I have to remind them there is an entire family out there who knows nothing about me or my mice and she probably looks just like them.

DM can trace his family tree back to the Mayflower. I can look in the mirror and see exactly where my family tree starts.

As I used to tell BigM at bedtime when she was a little mouse, "No one loves you more than your mommy." I know that in three ways - my birth mother who gave me up to give me a better life, my mother who provided me the best possible life and myself as a mother whose children make her life complete.