Back when I first started my search in 2014 it became clear that it was going to be an uphill battle. I knew nothing about DNA test taking and certainly no clue how to interpret it for finding birth relatives. I started by reaching out to my matches, no matter how distant it became frustrated by the lack of responses. Everything was a waiting game. How long would it take before I even had a chance of making progress.

Each an everyday for an adoptee actively involved in a search is like taking care of a seriously ill close family member. They require your constant attention and draw upon your own physical and emotional reserves to keep themselves from collapsing into a mess…