He Called Me Dad
 

Gang, I have some very exciting news to share with you. As some of you may already know, my wife and I made a baby boy who was born in 1988. Due to the circumstances at the time, he was adopted out to a couple who had tried for 10 years to conceive and were unsuccessful. Over the years, I have tracked the family down, but never attempted to make contact with them. I promised the family I would not interfere and they promised me he would grow up knowing the circumstances around his adoption.

Well, this child of ours is now 19 years old and I thought I would try tracking the family down again. I searched public records, court records, and finally paid a service to give me whatever contact information they had on them. I got the courage up to try the phone numbers I had been given, and I made contact with the family today! In fact, I just got off the phone with them!

His adoptive mother and I spoke on the phone for about an hour. It turns out our son is very borderline retarded. I was shocked to hear this because none of our other children are retarded. They don't know what caused him to be retarded, but we think it may be because he got stuck in the birth canal during delivery and this may have caused him to go without oxygen. He didn't start showing any real symptoms until around the 5th grade, however. His mom says you would not guess he has any issues by looking at him and his handicap is very borderline.

We originally decided she would talk with him about speaking with us, even though she was confident that he would want to talk with us. Within five minutes of us ending our call, she called right back with him on the phone!

Y'all have no idea how nervous I was. It takes a lot to get my nerves rattled, but I was literally shaking. We got the whole family around our phone, put it on speaker, and proceeded to introduce ourselves to him. He does have a slight speech impediment, but he was very excited to talk with his sisters (our son is at a friend's house right now), and he especially wanted to talk with me and my wife.

I couldn't help but tell him that I loved him and missed him and have thought about him so much over the years. He told me he loves me too and called me Dad. We all started crying at that point. Isn't God good? For the first time since I left, I wish I still lived in California.

Anyway, our house is unusually quiet right now. Everyone is off somewhere thinking about the missing member of our family. I don't know what God has planned through all of this, but I want to publicly thank Him for answering a long standing prayer I've had on His desk. I found my son, and he called me Dad.

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

That is awesome that you would make contact with your son after all these years.

God is good.

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

Rico,

That's awesome! Thanks for sharing with your cyber family!

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

Wow Rico. You got me teary eyed.

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

I am normally not a cry baby, but my lord that story can jerk a tear. God is good for sure.

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

Beautiful account, Rico!

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

Rico!!!! How wonderful, okay it made me cry. But I am so thrilled for y'all.

DAD!!!!!

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

What he said.

Congratulations.

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

My Dear Brother,

My cheeks are wet with hot tears right now. Being a parent myself and even a grandparent now, I cannot even begin to imagine the longing in the hearts of you and your dear wife throughout the years. All I can say is that I am so happy for you. I know that this is probably so overwhelming, but I just want you to know that I'm thrilled and thanking God for you. God bless you Brother Rico. Thanks for thinking enough of all of us to share something that precious.

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

Rico, I, too, made that call but I made it to my biological mom. Talk 'bout emotional.

Glad the first step went well!

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

Rico, I am glad to share in your joy. I am even more glad that 20 years later, God has your entire family in a better place. God is good and faithful.

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

Wow, Rico! Thanks for sharing that!!! :hanky AND :tissue !!!!!

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

great story, Rico.

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

Rico what a wonderful story yet a very familiar one. I too felt the opposite end of a phone call just like you described just 5 yrs ago and it has since developed into a wonderful relationship with a family I didnt know for 32 yrs. There will always be questions that no one can answer for your son but just know that he is relieved himself that he now knows you and has been able to speak to you and knows the reasons behind and most of all knows that now he has someone else that loves him dearly (even though one knows and is told their whole life that the B-Parents love them its a totally different feeling when they hear those words for themselves) :) You are blessed and so is that young man

Re: He Called Me Dad--how are you feeling
 

How are you feeling? Last night you had a pain in your side. Did the ex-lax loosen things up? LOL.

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

I can tell y'all this much. We now know what next year's tax check is going towards! California here we come! :yahoo:bliss:woohoo:shockamoo




His mom is gonna put some pictures together and email them to us. When I get them, I am going to do something I have never done before. I am going to post the pictures of my family for you guys to finally see what I look like, and what my kids and Sister Honey Smooches look like. I will also include a pic of our son from California. I've resisted the urge to post my picture, mainly because of my beard (I really do look like a wildman :D), but I guess it would be ok. Maybe I'll trim the whole thing up so I look more respectable like. :D

Re: He Called Me Dad--how are you feeling
 

Much better. Thank you for asking. The ex-lax kicked in last night while I busy cuttin loose on Rev, Deadeye, and Jekyll. :lol

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

As far as pictures go just send the ones of the kids and Honey Smooches.....:whistle

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

:D

Re: He Called Me Dad--how are you feeling
 

You are temporarily a regular guy........:ursofunny

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

Bro. Rico,

This is so neat! I have been praying for you and for your family. Just something
the Lord God laid on my heart to do. He really, really cares for you and your
family.
It is amazing how when we delight ourselves in the Lord, HE gives us the
desires of our heart! He knew you and your wife's deep heart desire. Isn't
He Wonderful!!

Blessings,

Falla39

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

RICO!!! No tear jerking allowed without prior warning!!

JK, this is a really beautiful thing to read this afternoon, I am so happy for you and your wife!! :roseglasses

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

So HAPPY for you Rico!! and yes I am :tissue crying happy tears for you and your family. :stars

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

Awesome........God never fails to amaze me!!!!
Blessings!

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

Rico,

there is alot of this meeting of the biological families going on right now here on AFF, isn't there! We're taking Justin up to Michigan this coming Sunday so he can meet his biological mom. He's already met his bio-grandma and bio-aunt and her family, along with a biological half-brother. He has one full sister, but the biological mom is pretty adament about him not meeting her right now because she is very into drugs, drinking and sleeping around. She's 17 and was raised by the biological mom and also the biological dad (who abused her regularly and even broke her arm last year!). He also has 2 biological half-brothers that the bio-mom has custody of and a biological half-sister who was given up for adoption at birth.

This has been a very interesting two weeks at our house (since this whole ball started rolling). Believe me, even with the joy Justin is feeling at getting to meet his biological family - he also has a whole lot of other feelings he's experiencing. LOTS and lots of questions. Right now they're in the honeymoon phase. I'm praying that this goes well for him.

And now I am praying that this meeting with your son will continue to go well for you, as well. I know it has to be a huge relief to you just to hear his voice and know that he has been happy and well loved. God bless you for having made the hard, hard choice in the beginning of his life to do what you felt at the time was what best for him. I know that had to have been soooo hard. Greater love hath no parent, than to choose what is best for their child, even at their own expense.

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

God is good am happy for you and yours. Many blessings...

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

Rico, this is so awesome. Thanks for sharing it with us. I can't wait to see pictures of your family!

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

The Pictures I Promised You!
 

Well, gang. The moment has arrived! I got the pictures of him today, so, as promised, here ya go!

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

Jonathan is a very nice looking guy - I know you are so proud!

He looks a lot like his momma!

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

Very touching story Rico.

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

It's hard to believe the two of us have made that many babies together. It does feel good to be able to see what he looks like. It amazing how God can undo years of pain in an instant! :D

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

Rico, you've got a beautiful family............thank God for Sis. Honey Smooches :tease:tease:tease:tease

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

:D Back in my younger years, I was a confirmed ladies man. I used to walk down the street and the woman couldn't help but look at me. Now I walk down the street and they really look at me! :covereyes It's all my wife's fault too. The first thing she did after she got her claws into me was to start fattening me up, and she's never stopped! Hehehehehehehe!

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

Well now you've got me thinking. My wife is trying to make me get back in shape by cooking all these healthy substitutes and wanting me to go to the gym with her....maybe she's trying to get rid of me. :ursofunny

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

Rico, you have a great looking family. Jonathan is handsome. Congrats my brother.

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

Speaking of walking down the street...have you noticed they have changed the way the pour the concret on the sidewalks?
I used to walk with no problem. Now my rear keeps bouncing on the sidewalk. I am sure it is a republican conspiracy.

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

Awesome pics Rico!!

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

Beautiful family Rico! :D

Re: He Called Me Dad
 

Bro. Rico,

Beautiful family! The Bible calls children the heritage of the Lord.
God puts a lot of trust in us to let (allow,permit) us to train up
such priceless treasures!
By allowing someone else to hold and care for your son until you
and your wife would be able to, you two can now rejoice. Added
to that, the joy of Jonathan calling you "DAD". That's profound!

Blessings,

Falla39