August 24, 2009

Déjà vu

Remember that time I had my adoption records opened? Chirping birds flew in my window and they started singing that Tra-la-la-la-la La-la-la-la-la song. Outside the heavens opened up and bright sun beams shined down all over the planet. I remained composed of course, because I was somewhat busy being shell-shocked by an event that took some 43 years to transpire. But I took some comfort in it all because my waiting on this information was also consequential to the fact that my very life depended on it. I was hoping -- praying -- that I would be able to use this information to help me enroll in my Indian tribe. Because, you see, that's what it was all about to begin with -- getting enrolled.
That first week while Lois and the girls and I took time to process this all, we realized that we still didn't have my original birth certificate and so we set about to take care of this. I should actually say that Lois did, and through much effort, frustrating phone calls and a lot of determination, the bridge was hurdled. On Monday last, Lois Fed Exed the certified court order the judge issued and they sent us a copy of my original birth certificate back by the end of the week.
On Friday morning Lois called me at work and said, "I got it!" For the second time within a couple of months the heavens parted and the birds sang. I held my breath as Lois spoke to me. The first thing she said was that there was something weird about it all.
"What's that mean?" I thought to myself.
And before I could ask her she said, "The name's on your birth certificate don't match the names on your adoption records."
"What names?" I asked.
"All of them!" she said. "They're all different except for yours. Your name is the only one that is the same."

(insert Perry Mason music here) "WTH?"

After another month of waiting for a name that would tie me to the tribe, everything changed. The names of both of my birth parents in my adoption records didn't match my parents' name on my birth certificate. The only name that was the same was my father's last name; but not his first. And my mom's name was entirely different, though slightly similar. She wasn't a minor as was reported in the adoption records. She was almost 30.
I cannot imagine how any of this is possible. What happened all those years ago? As I try to wrap my head around the thought that this could be a clerical error, all I see is stars; blinding flashes of light that make me blind. How could any of this have happened? The only thing that makes any sense to me is the fact that my mom signed her name on the birth certificate.
So why doesn't her name match on the adoption records?

(to be continued)

11 comments:

Linda S. Socha said...

Incredible. This is a turn of events definitely. I hope you will get the help you need from all of this none the less
Hugs
Linda

kn said...

how does this change the immediate issue of registering with the tribe? i hope that does not change.

birth certificates are very funny things. a parent can really put down anything on it.

my sister put her boyfriends last name only to find out later that it wasn't really his last name. so my niece and nephew have a last name listed as their last name that wasn't even their father's real last name.

i'm sorry this is not all rolling out the way you would hope. i cannot imagine even for a moment the emotions you and your loved ones are going through.

i hope you are able to find the truth and very very soon.

Krëg said...

Stay tough man. This will shake itself out.

Ungrateful Little Bastard said...

I can't imagine how overwhelming this all must be... I'm totally at a loss :(

Something Happened Somewhere Turning said...

Linda,
Thank you very much.
:-)

Kristine,
The thing with the tribe is that we give them my parents' name and then they can see if either one of them were registered with the tribe to begin with. We had a possible match that we were waiting to verify with the tribe on my mother. But we've been waiting for the birth certificate so we could show them her age. This changes everything as far as she goes. I suppose now we will re-summit the new names we have and wait and see what happens.

Kreg,
It is unbelievable. We will regroup.

ULB,
Yes...at a loss is a good description. Lois said, "I don't know what to do now."
Some how we will figure this out.

kn said...

i am so sorry. i thought it would be something like that.

you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.

ZDub said...

Man.

I have a friend that needed help getting his birth certificate a few years ago because he needed a CO driver's license. I helped him out, doing what I could online. When he finally got it in the mail, he learned that his dad wasn't who he thought it was and his name wasn't what he originally thought it was. He thought his name was Shawn and when he got his birth certificate, it had Christopher Robert HisLastName, but with all his correct birth info.

Totally wild.


This will all get figured out. Soon. I am keeping my fingers crossed that one of them is indeed registered.

ZDub said...

Man.

I have a friend that needed help getting his birth certificate a few years ago because he needed a CO driver's license. I helped him out, doing what I could online. When he finally got it in the mail, he learned that his dad wasn't who he thought it was and his name wasn't what he originally thought it was. He thought his name was Shawn and when he got his birth certificate, it had Christopher Robert HisLastName, but with all his correct birth info.

Totally wild.


This will all get figured out. Soon. I am keeping my fingers crossed that one of them is indeed registered.

Sultan said...

Very odd. How incredibly frustrating that must have been.

Debbie said...

What a story. The mystery just gets deeper.

Something Happened Somewhere Turning said...

Zak,
We will make it.

Laoch,
Very weird, huh.

Deb,
A very big mystery.

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails