IN THE BEGINNING...

For those who I am sharingt his blog with, I feel it's important for you to get a little bit of background history on me in order to understand and help me.


IN THE BEGINNING...

...there was me. Born January 11, 1987 in Salay, Misamis Oriental Philippines to a Flora Ubatay, 32 years old. I was born in a situation that made it to where she couldn't give me the life she felt I deserved. So on January 16, 1987 she surrendered me to Bethany Christian Home for Children in Talakag, Buiddnon. I stayed there until I was 13 months. While I was playing and sleeping as a baby, my parents were back in the States finalizing paperwork to adopt me. During the adoption process my parents had sent over a Mini Mouse stuffed animal that to this day sits on my nightstand. It is a small token of their love even though they had never even met me.

MY ARRIVAL...
...I arrived at the DIA airport on February 3, 1988. At the time, the Philippines weren't allowing any foreigners into the country because of the civil war that was going on so my parents were not allowed to come get me.
I arrived wearing a white ruffled dress with a red ribbon around my waste and my mini mouse in my arms (that dress stills hangs in my moms closet). My uncle video taped my arrival so trust me, I'm not doing this by memory. Everyone was at the airport...grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles, great aunts and uncles, friends, and a social worker from the adoption agency. I cried and cried, not quite sure what to think of all of it; however, I wasn't the only one crying that day...my mom was bauling!
SIDE NOTE: I wasn't the only adoptee that day who came over to their families. There were a total of 5 children including me who were brought over to live with their new families in their new country.
The ticker of the video of my arrival says we were at the airport for 3 hours and 23 mintues AFTER my arrival. But according to family, it was much longer. My uncle must've turned the camera on and off thru the whole ordeal.

HOME SWEET HOME...
...well according to the video my parents brought me home and everyone gathered in my new bedroom. My mom (who is a wonderful artist) painted a mural of Micky Mouse and Mini Mouse on my wall. I can remember looking at that painting. It had Micky and Mini skipping up a green hill with a rainbow in the background. Pluto is sniffing flowers on the side of the hill. It was happy and cheerful and has instiled in my memory forever.

I'm here to stay. Can't get rid of me now...sorry!