just found new family!

Hey everyone,
I have the most incredible news ever.  I just made contact with a huge part of my family that I didn't even know existed because my grandfather changed his name in the 40s because of the Red scare - his boss told him his name was 'too Red' - for anyone too young to understand that it means too Communist, back when the US was even more paranoid than it is now...well maybe about the same, but it was directed to everyone.  So I am suddenly being embraced by a very large, Catholic family as a lost member thereof, which I am.  I will be meeting them when I visit the US in June I think.  I just cried and cried when I got a response to my letters - sent out in hopes they were to the right people, who are all in their late 80s.  They live in the same area my grandparents grew up and I just can't believe I'm going to finally find out what happened - I had heard about the name change but was not sure about spelling or anything and tracked them down using a card sent to my grandmother when my grandfather died - a card that I found in my father's things the week I was in California for his death.

I am completely overwhelmed for so many reasons.  As an only child from a multiple-broken home (many mothers and fathers) I used to envy the kids with big Catholic families.  My grandfather had 14 brothers and sisters!  And I never knew any of them until now.  Only a few are alive but my new great uncle is beside himself with happiness I'm in touch a new cousin is too and I cannot wait to meet them.  It is all reminding me of my grandfather's love, which was the closest to unconditional I had growing up.  And to feel this warm embrace now, in this time of my life which I'm in such transition and doing all this research on my grandmothers is just amazing.

The card I used to track them down was sent my a great aunt who died last November but who arranged for mass to be said for my grandfather when he died in the early 90s for a year.  And from her name and that fact I started searching and I found them through her obituary.  I wish I had started the search earlier to meet her.  Perhaps she is the one who has guided me along here, it could be.  I know that may sound hooey but I believe in that type of thing...

I am old enough that the family and love embrace means so much.  I have only recently begun feeling the cool chill of having been an only child and the lack of support or just allies in my life.  My father was an only child too and so it's a shame he lost all these cousins in the name-change and what appears like some kind of icing out of this family....who's decision was that?  My grandmother's?  I really don't know.  I will find all this out soon enough, but right now just finding out who these wonderful folks are that are being so loving and trusting and Embracing.

Wow is all I have to say.  Wow.  I keep crying - with happiness - the big Catholic family I always dreamt of as a child and suddenly, it's here.  I never knew I had one.  What an amazing gift.

Wishing you all many blessings.