Next Step

Well at this point, I must say what is going on or nothing will make sense.
On Monday I found out that I have a half sister.  My dad had no idea he had another daughter out there. The biological mom contacted my dad via Facebook to tell him and open the lines of communications between him and his other daughter. She was born before me, right after my dad joined the Marines in 1968.  She was given up for adoption, and reconnected with her bio mom when she was 18.  Until Facebook, they had been unable to locate my dad.

My emotions are a bit better since earlier in the week.  Like I said in that post, I handled it badly at first.  In private, but not in front of my dad.  I didn't want to tarnish his excitement. It was a selfish reaction, one of not being the "only child" anymore.  And that my dad has grandchildren.  I am trying to transition into being happy and ok with all of this.

Terminology is really important, and I am still struggling with that.  I am now a "sister" (even if it is a half). I am an "aunt." These are hard for me because although it is a perfectly acceptable term for the kinship, sister and aunt to me has to do with having a relationship, really knowing each other.  That's the sister or aunt relationships I have been exposed to the most. So I almost feel like I am not allowed to use the terms sister or aunt until those relationships are formed.  Her children I suppose will call me Leslie, then maybe in the future I will be Aunt Leslie.

My half-sister and I have been communicating through email for now.  I think my dad wanted me to call her, but I am not ready for that yet.  She is very smart, very insightful, and seems really nice.  A person who would fit great into our family.

So that's what's up, and as I explore this new adventure, I will post more on it.