Julie's Adoption story

So, I was told it is National Adoption Awareness month.  I never knew they had this.  

I don't know if you all knew that I was given up for adoption as a child.   I thought I would share a little about my story.

I came to live with the Schultheis' when I was about 3 months old.   My parents, Gene & Shirley wanted to have more kids and so they "chose" to adopt a child, lucky for me!

My mother was a social worker.   She had kept visiting the Catholic Charities in Spokane and checking out all the babies.  
And she was drawn to baby Florence (Me!)   She kept coming back to me and hoping she would get me.
They finally told my mom that she needed to leave cause they weren't supposed to get attached to one baby.  Back in these days, you didn't get to choose which baby you got. 

My mom put in a letter to Catholic Charities to request baby Florence even though this was frowned upon.

So, the day came that they got to find out which baby they were getting and it was a different name.  They were sad but they thought that is was God's will.   
My parents mentioned about the letter they wrote.  And it wasn't even read until this point.   They ran into the desk to see if the letter was there.  
And then they told the the birth of the baby....it was my birth date.  Turns out that they did get baby Florence, ME!

I was told my whole life that I had a little bit of Native American in me.  I was proud of this.  

When I was 18yrs old, I found my birth mother.  Janice, lives in Bellingham, WA.  She had a total of 7 children.  And I was the first of the 7.   She had me at the age of 16.  


I had searched for my father from the time I was 18 until I was 30 years old.   Finally, the day came that I met my dad and his wonderful wife!  


I also found out that both my parents were Native American.  In 2002, I became a registered Lummi Indian!
And I am also proud Nooksack Indian.


I am no longer in touch with my mother.   There is too much emotional pain there & I don't foresee much of a future for her and I!


However, I am so blessed to have such a wonderful birth father and his wife!


And great parents.  


Once I had my child, Alexis.   It was the best day of my life.   I have felt close with my families but I have never experienced having that special bond with anyone else.  And it is so cool that we look so similar!   
I feel so complete now.   

I love having such a large family!   I love my parents, and my birth father, his children and my birth mother's son as well!  


So, adoption has been amazing for me.  And wonderful.


After marrying my husband last year, he has a son and I am anxiously waiting to meet him and be a mom to him.  As his birth mother isn't actively involved with him!

One of the first baby pictures of me when I first was brought home!