No, I didn’t always know. I found out first during a fight with my adopted Mother, over a poor math grade in school (I was stubborn, willful and bad at math even as a child, and haven’t changed even into retirement) I was thirteen or fourteen at the time and I doubt she would ever willingly gave told me of my adoption on purpose. She was mad at the time and her statement of “I’m certainly glad I’m not blood kin to you!” just sorta slipped out and hung in the air for a minute followed by ‘You didn’t know that did you?” “I had my suspicions,” I replied. That set her off again, “You’ve been prowling in my personal papers, haven’t you?” No, actually I hadn’t been but now that I knew there must be something there I did look at the first chance I had. I found a letter from a lawyer, about a name change for me when I was about six months old. This was enough to confirm what I had suspected, probably what every kid that doesn’t share common looks, tendencies, or in fact, much at all in common with either parent suspects.

I never really understood all the inherited traits and familial similarities that most of the non adopted of the world take for granted until my daughter and I made contact this year (she was also adopted at birth, and we reconnected through DNA this past year, to my great joy, but that's a story for some other question) as I have spent time seeing her and communicating with my four grandchildren, and my great-grandchildren, there are so many things I have wondered about for years that have turned out to be family traits and inclinations. The boys look just like me and fortunately, the girls took after their mother/ grandmother (A very beautiful lady) who passed many years ago and also have been able to help my daughter connect with her younger half-sister. Family is very important to both of us

I am and have always been a proponent of adoption. I have had a marvelous life, that I have enjoyed because a very strong woman gave me a chance to be born and adopted by a childless couple who loved me and gave me a wonderful childhood, and helped me to become who I am today. I may well have started my existence on the wrong side of the blanket, and all those who called me a bastard over the years were probably right, but I have had a wonderful, marvelously enjoyable life, thanks to being adopted.