Letters dated July 22 and 23, 1999

Hi Merrily,

I was so excited to hear back from you. Well, the tentative date of our arrival in Atlanta on Sunday August 15th. We PLAN to get there in the afternoon, around 4:00. Would it be alright if we came straight to our house? We PLAN to leave Atlanta Saturday August 21st. Of course everything is flexible.

Melanie and I would love to stay at your big old house. I don't mean

to impose the whole week on you. We can easily make other arrangements. My mom insists that I warn you about my eating habits. I'm a strict vegetarian (vegan), I don't eat any meat of any kind (beef, chicken, fish) or dairy or butter or any product or ingredient that is animal derived. I'll be happy to shop for myself while I'm there.

Could you email me back with directions to our home as well as your phone number (in case we are late or get lost)? I wish I had more time to write you but I type with one finger and I have a seven and a nine year old boy waiting for me downstairs. (I'm babysitting.)

Hope to hear from you soon.

Bryan

* * * * * * *

Dear Bryan,

Thanks for the warning - that will help determine my menu plans. Gapetto and I are both so excited that you are coming. Be forewarned it is HUMID here and usually in the low 90's. You'll do some sweating!

Directions to our house:

[deleted]

[phone numbers

I hope you and Melanie have a safe and wonderful trip. Call if you need us or to let us know that you are close. I imagine there might be some awkwardness in some of this but we can work through it together. There is an awful lot of catching up to do and I am really looking forward to it.

If your allergies will bother you let me know, it's not a problem to make this a cat-free house while you're here. Are you allergic to dogs too? We could make arrangements there too if need be.

See you soon!

Love

Merrily

Letter Dated July 15, 1999

Dear Merrily,

We were all thankful and delighted that my note reached you.

Thank you for responding so promptly. It took Bryan a couple

of days, trying to make his letter 'perfect', but he decided to

mail it today (anyway). I think it's a perfect letter, and I hope

you will too. I have a million questions, and suppose you do

too, but I will take a back seat for awhile, and let you and

Bryan begin this. If you do want or need something from me,

do not hesitate, because I am here.

I would like to tell you that you have been in our hearts and

prayers all these years, with special thoughts of love and thanks

from me to you each April 1st. This does not mean that Mr. D

[Bryan's A-dad] has not felt the same, but I will let him speak

for himself when the time is right.

Love,

Mom-of-Bryan

To view letter Bryan sent and his picture click here.

The Letter - July 1999

Dear Merrily,

I've wanted to write this letter ever since I saw my own face smiling back at me. On April 1, 1997 my parents gave me the letters you sent them when I was eleven. I've thought about this letter alot since then. Only recently have I had the courage to attempt writing and I've found it is as difficult as I imagined. It's hard to put a lifetime of thoughts and feelings into sentences and paragraphs. I have to start somewhere though, because there is alot I want to tell you and alot I want to know about you.

I want you to know what think of you. I've always thought of you as a nice lady. But when I saw your face and read what you wrote about me and how considerate you were to my parents, I was overwhelmed. All the wondering...and you seem so sweet and so nice and so wonderful.

I want you to know that I've never regretted what you did when you were nineteen. I've always been proud to have been adopted. My parents always told me that somebody loved me enough to give me up and somebody loved me enough to take me, I've always believed that to be true. When I read what you wrote about loving me with all your might when you carried me I cried. I wondered why I was so lucky to have an angel bring me into this world.

I wonder how you're doing alot. How is [Mr. In-The-Wrong-Place-At-The-Wrong-Time]? How are your cats? (I'm allergic to cats.) How are you? Do you have any children? I thought about you on Mother's Day and wished you a happy one.

I've written this letter so may times. I really want it to be perfect, but it never seems to come out right. I wish I could meet you. I've always thought that one day I would like to meet you. And that's a big part of why I'm writing you now.

My best friend Melanie and I are taking a road trip around the country in August. We are going to stop in Atlanta for a few days in the middle of the month. If you aren't too busy and would like to meet then I would love it. Of course it's up to you. But if you would, you can send an email to my mom's address and I'll read it. Or if you want to send a letter, that's okay too. I just suggested email because we are leaving on the twenty-sixth [of July] and I don't know if a letter would get here in time. If this is too sudden of you don't have an interest in meeting me, I will understand. If that's the case, I would still like to communicate with you.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Love Bryan