Adoptee looking for bmom advice

Hi, My name is Lori. I believe (thanks to alot of help from this site) that I have found my bmom. I have written a letter to her and would like your opinions. I am hopinig to get the letter out in the mail today. DH says that i could write and rewrite this letter forever and that I should just mail it. Please let mw know what you think. I am just sending it in a hallmark card which is blank inside but am really unsure of what to write in it to ensure that she reads the letter. I was thinking of starting to write part of the first paragraph with (...). Please let me know what you think. Dear Mrs. X, I’m not sure how to start this letter. To tell you the truth, this is my third attempt at putting this down on paper. I’ve been thinking about it for days and can’t seem to find the best way to start. So, I guess I should start from the beginning. My name is Lori. I was born on October 5, 1967 to (name) in Minneapolis, MN. My birth mother gave me the name Teresa Rappalea Moran. I was given up for adoption through Lutheran Social Services and I believe you may be my mother. Before I go any farther, I would just like to say that I am not trying to disrupt your life or intrude in any way. That being said, I am looking for (name). Born March 15, 1944 in Stanley ND. If you are this person, the first thing I would like to say is Thank you. Thank you for having me. From my non-identifying information, you sound like a very caring person who was going through a very difficult time in her life. It goes on to say that they believed this to be a very hard decision for you. I can only imagine what may be going through your mind. Honestly, I’m still having difficulty coming to terms with the fact that you might be her. As an adoptee, you often wonder about your biological family. Who you look like, who you might take after. After many years of starting the search only to shy away, I finally requested my non-identifying information at the beginning of this year from Lutheran Social Services. I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful it was reading that information. The family that I was adopted into found out they was pregnant shortly after my adoption so I grew up with a brother. Less than a year after his birth they adopted another girl and 1 years after that they gave birth to my youngest sister. Growing up I was the only one with brown hair. I know this is going to sound strange, but just the fact that you all had brown hair made me feel connected in some small way. Silly how something so small can do that. The paperwork I received also talked about the things you liked to do, many of which are things I like as well. I love crafts. Although I’m more into what I call my “quick fix” crafts. I’ve made everything from wreaths to no-sew blankets to painted on shirts to jewelry. I’m mostly into making jewelry now. I don’t seem to have the patients for sewing, knitting or crocheting though I have tried. I like when I can put something together quickly and show people. I always seem to be looking for approval from others, that “job well done” feeling. I love to write but I’m not someone who can just sit down and put something on paper. Something has to touch me in order to get the words out. When it does though, and I think it’s come out well, I have to share it and get other’s opinion. I’m on a bowling league. I’m not very good but have been on the same team for the past 3 years and have an average of about 121 – 124 depending on the day. And, I have a love of animals. I had always thought that I would become a vet when I was younger. At one time in my marriage we had a dog, 4 cats, 2 guinea pigs, a turtle and 2 huge tanks of fish. I would have had more but our parents already thought we were nuts to have so many. I’m sure that you are wondering after all this time, why now? To be honest, I’m not sure. I am a true believer that things happen for a reason. We don’t always see it right away but somewhere down the road it becomes clear. All I can say is that I have thought about searching for years. Came close to sending off the information many times but always stopped. One of my sisters, the other adopted one, and I would talk about searching every once in a while but neither of us ever did anything about it. Then one day before Christmas last year, we talked and I got excited about looking again. Since then I have been on the path to find you. At this point in my life I am married and have 3 beautiful children. I married on December 1, 1990 at 23 and had my first child at 25. A daughter that we named Michelle Nicole. I had a son at 28, Jonathan Christian, and had another son at 37, Connor James. I am including a picture of them taken this Easter. In my heart I feel that you may be the person that I’m looking for. If you are my mother, I would love to hear from you. I would love to know you if possible. I have no expectations and I don’t wish to put any pressure on you to include me in your life if it’s not what you want. But I would like to know you. I think you were a very brave person to do what you did 40 years ago. I guess I just thought that I needed to do this now. I’ve always wanted to know you. I just want you to know that I hold no ill will towards you. I believe that you did what you felt was the best for both of us and again, I Thank you for that. I believe I am a good person and I truly believe that you are a part of that. I am enclosing a self addressed, stamped envelope. Whether you are the (name) that I have been searching for or not, please send me a response back. Let me know if my search isn’t over or if I have found you. Regardless of what the outcome is or what you decide, I would still like to know. For me, the hardest part has been not knowing. Sincerely, )Thanks again for your help with this letter! Lori)