We look the same!

Don't we look the same!

The house was cleaned into a shining beacon of welcome, the food prepared, the children dressed in their new clothes and the nerves stretched to almost breaking point when finally they pulled up the driveway. Daniel and Mandy had arrived and I promptly burst into tears and pushed my sister out the door first so I could compose myself LOL.

And sorry, Gail it looks like you missed out on the height genes on both sides of the family! Even I felt small beside Daniel and Mandy.

So once the intial nerves were calmed and the few tears were wiped away we got on with getting to know each other. Lots of questions were asked (sorry Daniel) as I tried to find the missing parts of myself that I actually hadn't noticed until this day. Daniel and Mandy helped me build a picture of my father and their life with him as we revisited this topic throughout the day while celebrating Daniel's 30th birthday and exchanging gifts, photos and letters from their children Alex and Sam. All too soon Gail had to leave to drive home. The rest of the day flew by on wings of laughter and connections being made. Comparisons were made of our funny little Virgo habits (we are so anal sometimes!) and promises made to meet up again soon before they had to finally leave late in the night to drive back to Wellington.

So now the accomodation is booked at Waikuku Beach for Christmas 2013 and we are going to have our first away family holiday in Christchurch. We will be catching up with my extended Caldwell family, visiting a few tourist spots but most of all spending real time with the Palmer crew and further building on this amazing connection!

My best weekend ever!

Wanna know why? My brother Daniel and his wife Mandy became my friends on Facebook. Why I hear you ask is that such a big deal? Because my dear friends I have never met my brothers Daniel or Rhys. I only learnt of their existence in 2003 after making contact with my father George whom I hadn't seen since I was about 2.

Here is Daniel on his wedding day with Mandy, Alex and Sam. Mandy, you may have noticed I've stolen a few photos LOL.

And heres Rhys, don't they both look dashing in their wedding finery? He has brown eyes like mine.

 This is me, (hint I'm the very cute baby in the middle) with my parents George and Patrica Palmer.

Here are the photos George sent me back in 2003.

These were the only photos I had of my "other" family, so it was really cool and a little sad to be able to look through all of Mandy and Daniels photos. (Man I thought I took lots of photos, I've got nothing on Mandy! LOL). I have felt really weird all weekend, happy because I never thought i would get to know Daniel and Rhys, but really really sad that I didn't already know them and their families. More than one tear has been shed this weekend.

 Here are some more Palmers, George's brother and sister and spouses. And where there are Aunties and Uncles there will be cousins...

So begins the journery of learning about my "original" family