You just can't make this stuff up

Have you ever woke up one day and just thought that today was going to be different than any other day you've ever had in your life? I have, and I'm going to tell you about it. 

In March of last year (I'm trying to remember the exact date but it isn't coming to me) I woke up with a weird feeling in my stomach. I brushed it off, brushed my hair and teeth and went to work. Later that morning my sister Courtney and I decided to go have lunch at one of our favorite restaurants, P.F. Changs, so we met there around noon or so and were casually talking about life when our waitress showed up. She introduced herself as Halie and I instantly felt a wave of nausea, fear and love sweep over me. 

Now I'll backtrack so you understand why. Growing up I lived in a single parent household with my mom Kelly and my younger sister (who I was at lunch with) Courtney. I never knew my father. My mom was young (18) when she got pregnant with me and her and my father went their separate ways. My dad always paid child support and I was kept on his insurance until I was 18 but there was no contact with me, a decision made by the two of them. I didn't know why and honestly I never really cared. I was surrounded by people that loved me and my grandfather had pretty much taken on the "Dad" role. As I got older and more curious I can remember asking my mom about my dad, what he looked like, where he lived, was he married, did he have other kids and things along those lines. She told me I was the spitting image of my father, he lived somewhere by my grandparents, he was married and he had three other daughters. She even gave me a picture she had a long time ago but who knows what I did with it because I certainly don't have it now and if I did I would probably make fun of him because more than likely he was wearing "jorts" in the picture.

One day my mom and I were at the Chow Wagon (a Derby Festivity in Louisville) and she saw my dad. She made the mistake of telling me she saw him and then I spent the rest of the time we were there looking for someone who looked like me. Of course I didn't see him. There were times that I went to St. Pius for mass and my grandmother would tell me if my dad, stepmom and sisters were there. I was always looking for them just to see what they looked like. I do believe I saw them maybe once or twice but of course I never said anything. 

Fast forward a few years, I graduate high school and join the Navy where I serve onboard the USS Iwo Jima LHD-7 for 4 1/2 years. I completed two tours in the Middle East before I decided not to re-enlist. On December 15, 2006 I left Naval Station Norfolk with a U-Haul truck and headed back home to KY where I started working almost immediately and enrolled in school and started my photography business. One day while sitting at home bored I decided to look up my dad on Facebook. I really didn't expect him to have a Facebook so you can only imagine how surprised I was when his face popped up. His picture was of him and his wife Jeannine on the beach. Instantly I started looking through all his friends and his pictures that were available and that's when I saw my sisters for the first time. Meagan, Halie and Lindsey. I looked over their profiles, examined the pictures that I could see that weren't private and debated on befriending them. I decided not to but I did call my mom and sister and tell them about my discovery. Now that I sit back and think about it, my mom may have been the one to tell me my dad was on Facebook and that could have been what triggered my search. Anyway all that matters was that I found them. 

So back to my story. My waitress Halie introduces herself and takes our drink orders. As soon as she walks away I freak out. Courtney knows what's going on and she calms me down and asks me what I'm going to do. I told her I didn't know and asked her what I should do. She simply said, "If it were me, I would want to know." Welp that settled it. I guess Halie was going to find out that she had another sister that day. We ordered our food and ate, all the while I was thinking how I was going to tell her. I think I even called my mom and asked what I should do. She said it was my decision and to call her later and let her know what happened. So after we asked Halie for to-go boxes and she was boxing up our food I casually asked her if her dad was Jeff Wise. She smiled and said yes, assuming that I was one of the girls he coached in volleyball or something. This is where things kind of get fuzzy for me. I really think I blacked out while talking. Don't know if that's possible but I can hardly remember what I said to her. Courtney could probably tell it better than I can. I basically blurted out that her dad Jeff was my dad too, and that my mom had gotten pregnant when she was 18 and they went their separate ways. Halie's smile slowly faded as she absorbed all this information and from what Courtney has told me she did say "Yeah we do look alike". Haha. Anyway I was such a mess and so was Halie that we left without even paying our bill. After realizing this I went back in and paid the bill and left Halie a $20 tip. I figured it was the least I could do for making her cry at work! I also left my name and phone number on a piece of paper for her to call me so we could talk. 

I left P.F. Changs and went back to work. She friend requested me on facebook, or maybe I friend requested her, I really can't remember but anyway it happened. Then a little while later I got a phone call from one of Halie's friends. She asked me if Jeff (Halie's dad) knew about me. I told her yes and Jeannine (Halie's mom) did too. So that was that. From what the girls tell me, Halie called Meagan (her older sister) and then they got together and then confronted Dad about the situation. Lindsey (the youngest) was in Florida for spring break so they didn't break the news to her until she got home. 

I was a little lost for a few days following these events. I didn't know what was going to happen. I assumed that I would have a relationship with my sisters and that would be it. One afternoon I was sitting at home babysitting my niece Molly (Courtney's daughter) when I got a text from an unknown number. It was Jeff, my dad. He asked if I wanted to meet somewhere and talk. I was really nervous but of course I said yes, I was running the 10k that Saturday so we decided to meet down at the waterfront in the afternoon after the race. I told Ryan (My boyfriend) what was going on and he made sure I took my cell phone and told him exactly where we were going just in case something happened and I was supposed to call him right after. I laugh thinking about it now. Seriously, did I really think my dad was going to kidnap or kill me? Haha!

The morning of the race that's all I could think about. I think it's what pushed me to run those 6.2 miles in the time that I did, not stopping once. I went home and got changed and then made my way down to the waterfront to meet Jeff. The walk to the fountains was probably one of the longest walks I've ever had in my life. My heart was racing and I was a nervous wreck. I saw him walking up and I knew immediately that I was his daughter. We introduced ourselves and went on to have the most awkward conversation every. We stood face to face about 5 feet away from each other and didn't move. Talk about weird. We talked about life, what I was doing, what he was doing and things along those lines. I must have had another blackout moment during this time because I can really only remember us talking about being UofL fans. At the end of our conversation we both agreed that we wanted to be in each others lives and we were going to take it from there. And then for the first time in 26 years, I hugged my dad.

After meeting Jeff (I was still calling him Jeff early on) we arranged for the meeting of the sisters. We decided to have dinner at Cafe Lou Lou on Thursday (I think) evening. I was really nervous about meeting all the girls and then I found out later that Jeannine (their mom) was coming too. Talk about being out numbered. I really didn't know what to expect from Jeannine. She could have hated me for all I knew. I was early when I got to Cafe Lou Lou so I was sitting in my car when I noticed everyone and got out of the car. The first person to hug me was Jeannine. I was amazed at how kind and accepting she was of me. After we all hugged in the parking lot and went inside, I was still kind of shaky. Thank goodness Cafe Lou Lou had Coors Light. We all ate and talked about life and started getting to know each other. And like Jeff, we decided to be a part of each others lives from here on out. 

After meeting the immediate family, including my mamaw Ann everything just started falling into place. Everyone accepts me and loves me and I love all them too.

 I'll never forget the first time I called Jeff,  "Dad". That word has always been foreign to me and I certainly never thought I would say it to anyone. We had tailgated the UofL Spring Game in 2010, it was raining, cold and just plain stupid outside. While leaving the stadium Jeff dropped his koozie and I said "Dad you dropped your koozie." It was weird, but hey, it happened and I never called him Jeff again. He is "Dad" now.

We now have cookouts, parties, tailgate, hang with each others families,and we have integrated our lives to where it seemed like we'd never been apart. Their home became my home and pictures of me and Ryan started popping up on the mantle and on the fridge. We have family days where we all lounge around in the fuff chairs or go canoeing. Life is certainly good.

When Ryan proposed to me last August I was faced with the question of who was going to walk me down the aisle. Ever since I was little I imagined it would be my grandfather. But now I had my dad too so what was I going to do? I asked both of them to walk me down the aisle on my big day. And of course they both accepted. The beautiful church I'm getting married in couldn't be more perfect. The aisle splits between a set of pews which enables my grandfather to walk me down the first part of the aisle (as he walked me down the first part of my life) and then my dad will walk me the rest of the way to Ryan.

                          (Sisters)Lindsey, Courtney, Halie, Me & Meagan

                       Me, Ryan, Halie, Jeannine, Dad, LuLu, Meagan & Steve

                   Jeannine, Mom, Me & Jan (Ryan's Mom) at my Bridal Shower

My life has certainly been interesting over the last two years and I know there is a lot more fun ahead. I hope you enjoyed my story and continue reading because there is a lot more fun ahead!!