Join us on a heartfelt journey as Bob delves into his adoption story, searching for the roots, family, and a sense of belonging that has eluded him for so long. In this episode of ‘Beyond Bloodlines,’ we explore the powerful quest for identity and connection that transcends the ties of blood.
This episode takes you on a heartfelt journey through Jonathan Engle’s remarkable adoption story and the intricately woven tapestry of family legacies. Join us as we delve into Jonathan’s profound connection to both his adoptive and biological families, exploring the challenges and triumphs he faced in embracing his dual heritage.Through captivating storytelling, we uncover Jonathan’s relentless pursuit to preserve and honor his diverse family legacies, as he strives to pass down their wisdom, values, and love to his own children. This podcast celebrates the power of unconditional love, resilience, and the enduring bond that transcends bloodlines. Discover how one man’s extraordinary journey redefines the meaning of family and echoes the timeless echoes of belonging, hope, and legacy for generations to come.
I found my father! Yes! It’s true!
After searching for him for most of my life, and especially
the last ten years, I found my father through a DNA match! It’s OFFICIAL, there is NO DOUBT!
Imagine my surprise that my father, Gus, is ALIVE, and 92 years old, and
still living in the place that he and my mother met!
We talked for the first time on Facetime a few days later, and we
met in person on May 20. We spent five days together and this is just the first
of many trips to see him. In between, we Facetime and talk on the phone.He has fully accepted me, and I’m the happiest gal in the world!
There’s so much to write, and so much to share but for now I’ll
just say I’m on a cloud and may never come down. The search is OVER. My father is ALIVE. I can hear his voice, talk to him about everything and anything, and hug his neck!This is quite literally the best news, ever.
It has been ten months (310 days from today, to be exact) since I found my bio father Gus, and
reunited with him. And in those ten months I’ve learned many things too
numerous to list on one blog post. But today, here’s the one I will focus on.
The entire freaking world is obsessed with adoptive parents. Nothing has changed. And
before you say, “It’s just the Christian world, not the whole world…” you’re wrong. I
promise you on a stack of Bibles, it is THE WHOLE WORLD.
My story hit the news media without me even trying. The extent
of my “try” was writing Facebook posts about my father and I to my friends
(that were set to public) and made their way into the hands of the media. I was
fine with that, and actually honored. However, it has not been without
frustration.
One of my biggest headaches in this season has been navigating
media inquiries regarding my adoptive parents. One hundred percent of the time,
when any media outlet has contacted me, they have wanted to go there. Sometimes
literally! One media outlet requested to send a crew to interview both my
parents. I said no, that I would refuse to do the interview, if they did. They
backed down once I set that boundary.
One news outlet said that if they did not include my parents
in the story, their readers would, “not be able to handle it.” I pushed back on
this and was told that they (the media) would be bombarded with emails and
calls asking about my parents. I said, “So???” They said, “Well, you might be
bombarded with questions about them, too.” And I said, “And you don’t think I’m
used to that?” I set a boundary by saying, “If you need to contact my adoptive parents to do the article,
then I’m not your person and my story isn’t the one for you.”
Recently, I was interviewed by Haley Radke on the Adoptees
On podcast, and she said that she found the media coverage about my bio father
and I refreshing because it was centered on us, and not my adoptive parents. She noted that this is not typically the case. I
let her know that this was only because I fought for that, and set a strong boundary. If the media had their way, it would have been different.
I say all this to let you know…nothing has changed in this
regard. Nothing.
They still (even the liberal news media) focus on adoptive parents
first, birth parents second, and IF they focus on the adoptee it is third, but
many times we are not considered. The world is still very much adoptive parents centric.
I was assured multiple times that a story would be adoptee
centric, but in every single case, it was never exclusively so, as they
would push to include my adoptive parents in some regard.
Sadly an adoptee can be 56 years old, and they are still
asking to “check in” with our parents. And they wonder why we say we feel like
perpetual children?
I literally qualify to order off the freaking SENIORS MENU at
a restaurant now and people are STILL CHECKING IN WITH MY PARENTS.
How crazy is this?
Fortunately for me, I am not trying to get news coverage.
I can take it or leave it. Every person who has contacted me has been out of the blue and I have not
sought it. If they want to include my adoptive
parents in the piece, I can drop it and they can find someone else.
This just gets tiring. I really thought when I hit a certain
age, this would stop. But it appears you can technically be in your senior
years and people will insist on talking to Mommy and Daddy.
And nobody but us thinks this is bizarre?
