How did you deal with "including" your birth family?

I should have filled out more of my profile, and I will, in time but... A question: How did you deal with the addition of your birth family into your current life? I was reunited over the phone with my birth mother in November of last year. I wasn't looking that hard, but every now and then I would get a wild hair and search. I found her one day (details in a later post...) and we spoke on the phone for 2 or 3 hours. It was kinda unnerving at first, but we settled in pretty quickly. She kinda teared up at the beginning and I tried to quiet her by saying that she did a GREAT thing for me and that she should not feel that she did me any wrong. I had several questions about me, but the most important one to me dealt with race - "What makes ME up?" I got half of an answer, but that was plenty. We speak every week or two. She only lives about 10 hours away, but we haven't met yet. I always wondered about her and my half sister but I'm sure it wasn't anything close to what a mother felt for 31 years after giving up a child. I just find it hard to relate to her sometimes, because really, we have nothing in common other than blood, which is a lot, but...not everything. Advice, stories, comfort (in knowing I'm not the only one lol) please!!