Hello Brother, Hello Sister

We've got 1/2 sibs out there.  Looks like 8 that I know of.  Most of them on the East Coast.
Whoa.


Last year I started to sign up for the Donor Sibling Registry--paid the $50 and everything, but then Chicken wasn't so keen on the idea so I didn't go through with it.


This year she's had some time to think about it and so last week I signed up for the free registry on CCB.  And....then I got an email.  Single mom with a 4 year old.  Lives about an hour away.  
I was stunned.  I knew there was someone in NY and I had a feeling they could be in the area, but still...there's nothing like the knowing.
There's a couple in PA, RI, MA, Seattle and Portland.  Some families with twins, some with singletons.  Heavy on the boys.
We've started connecting on FB.   I've seen the photos and heard about the similarities.  It's crazy.


The mom who made initial contact has met all of the other families and kids.
Well....we have always wanted to visit Seattle and Portland....now we have a really good reason to make it happen!


I'm excited.  I came from a very small family and don't have a close relationship with my siblings at all.  The boys have us and they have each other, but they only have one close cousin through Chicken's family and none close by.  


This past week we had the chance to watch "Donor Unknown" on PSB and I thought, "Yeah, I want to go forward with this. I want to see if we can find the other families.  I want to give my kids the opportunity for a bigger family."  If, when they are older and they choose something else, then that is up to them.


For those of you who saw this documentary--did you cringe when you found out how the 'star' donor #150 turned out 20 years later?  Brilliant, but a crazy stoner?
Chicken and I just looked at each other and said, "Oh god I hope our donor turns out ok."  We do have an open donor, so in just 16 short years our sons might also be taking a trip to California looking for some answers.  And whatever they find, I hope we can all handle it with grace.


In the meantime...looks like we're going to do some more family-building after all.