A Christmas Miracle - Straight from Santa

16 years ago today I received a knock on the door. My one year old son clung to my leg as I opened the door, to my amazement it was the mail man having me sign for a Christmas Card. That was different I thought. As my son Dalton is jumping up and down with excitement while I open the card it was a shock to see what I saw. Could this be true? Is this real?

As I pulled the pictures out of the card and started reading the note inside, I realized it was from my birth dad. 16 years ago on December 12, 1975 I was adopted out to the Morris family without my dad's knowledge. As I read the card I can feel his emotions pouring out of the words. He gave me his email and I sat and looked for hours at the screen as what to write. Here I am not only amazed that my birth dad found me after all these years and at this very moment I am starring at a picture of my dad playing Santa Claus.

Every year as a child I would write Santa thanking him for the family I have followed by a barrage of questions. Well 16 years of wondering and several years in believing there was a Santa here I stand before the computer to write him to tell him I am his daughter.

As my son sat in my lap I proceeded to write all I have done, where I have been and all the things I wondered. After a growing relationship I have learned I am just like my dad BRIAN BRUEN in so many ways but I do have a little of my mom BRENDA JOHNSON as well.

As my relationship grew with my birth parents my adoptive parents seemed to totally let go. They say to love someone unconditionally is to let them go. So props to them.... this is when my relationship with my birth dad, Brian grew into something I could never imagine.

We were actually dad and daughter. Learning to argue but still love one another. Supporting each other during the good times and the bad. Most of all my dad has taught me to compete within. Each day my dad becomes a better man, from the stories I hear from when I was born to the day he wakes up. He is a better man than he was yesterday!

That was the most important lesson. It helped me focus on myself and fall in love with who I am. It took 16 years to know who I am, what I want and learn to love myself. That is the best gift a parent can give. Merry Christmas to ALL!

Thanks Daddy! You are the best dad and Santa EVER!