In this episode of Finding Family DNA, we meet a California adoptee who grew up knowing she was adopted but never imagined how her story would unfold. After decades of quiet curiosity, a chance moment during the pandemic sparked her decision to finally search for her birth family. What followed was a whirlwind two-week journey that led her to not just one, but two loving families she never knew she had. She shares the emotional first meeting with her birth mother on her 52nd birthday, the surprising ease of connecting with her birth father and his family, and the powerful realization that biology and love can run deeper than anyone expects. It's a story about second chances, unexpected belonging, and the courage it takes to open a door you thought was closed forever.

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https://youtu.be/5WyQ0VqlFJA

00:00 Intro and show updates

02:00 California Adoption Bill update

03:01 Welcoming this episode's guest

03:24 Growing up knowing she was adopted

04:50 Deciding to search for her birth family

09:04 The 23andMe discovery that cracked the case

15:56 Tracing her birth name and birth family

18:40 Ad break — BirthParentFinder.com

19:32 Life in Portland, Oregon

20:09 Meeting her birth mother

25:15 Connecting with her birth father's family

34:49 Reflecting on luck, love, and closure

38:03 Adoptive father vs. biological father

40:05 Advice for other adoptees

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Adoption Reunion, Birth Mother Found, Adoptee Story, California Adoption, DNA Genealogy, Finding Birth Family, Emotional Reunion, BirthParentFinder, Family Discovery, Adoption Podcast

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