My Special Day

Today Is my special day. 40 years ago today my parents brought me home from the baby store. Also known as the adoption center. Thats right I am adopted. My parents picked me. I have been told that since I can remember. My parents have always made me feel special. When I was little kids at school knew I was adopted. They used to ask me what does it feel like to be adopted. I used to say what does it feel like not to be adopted. You see I've always known. My parents read books to us as children explaining adoption and what it meant. To me it meant that my parents asked for me, waited three years, passed a number of home inspections as well as interviews, all in an attempt to bring home a baby girl.
The day came when they got the phone call Mr. & Mrs. A February 10 (my uncle's birthday) there's a little girl who needs a home. When do you want to come see her. They said as soon as possible. My mom said that it was love at first sight. My dad knew in his heart that I was his little girl. They wanted to take me home that same day. Red tape made them wait. They left me there and went home to prepare my room. It would be three weeks before they could see me again. The baby name argument was on. Mom wanted Deadre Ann, so she could call me DD. Dad hated it. Yet he couldn't think of anything else. (typical guy). So the day finally came. They where on their way to pick me up. February 13, 1964 which ironically was my grandmothers birthday. My parents where in the car argueing about my name when a song came on the radio, Maria from West side story. Dad turned the music up and said thats it we are naming our daughter Maria. Now when you ask my mom about this story she says the song is from Sound of music, How do you solve a problem like Maria. But we all know the true story now don't we.
When they picked me up. Mom said I was sick. There was no way my mom was saying keep her till she is better. They took me home cleaned me up and called the clinic. Mom said "would you look at my new baby she is sick" The Dr. said bring her in. On the way to the clinic we passed friends who where on the to my new home to see me. The Dr. looked at me gave me medicine and sent me home.
The party was on. In Italian families you celebrate. You celebrate, birth, life, breathing. Everything is a celebration. What a great family I was adopted into. I have an older brother and a younger brother, a mom and dad. Alot of Aunts and Uncles, and what seems like hundreds of cousins. What more could a girl want. Oh yea a dog. Even got one of those. Duchess.