Feeling disappointed.

Dear Bennett,

They're like a hazel green <3

I miss you a lot. I thought that I might be able to meet you this year but I think your mom changed her mind. On July 5th of this year your mom texted me. She sent me some photos of you and for the first time in 7 years, I know your eye color. I've been wanting to know your whole life but I never got clear enough or close enough up photos to know.. and I was always scared to ask, I felt that it would be weird or something, so I've been waiting.
I had told her that I had a lot on my mind and I would like to talk to her (which took an incredible amount of courage from me which took several months to build). She asked me if I would like her to call me, I said yes. After a couple hours - after putting you and your brothers to bed, she called me.

This screenshot has names whited
out because I put it in your photo
album on my FB.

We had what I felt to be a very sincere, open, vulnerable conversation. We both poured out heart out to each other and we both cried. I felt like we were becoming closer and that it was a good thing for us and ultimately you. I told her about what I had been experiencing with missing you and wanting to know you. She told me how she was afraid to hurt your heart. But ultimately she told me she would would be telling you soon that you're adopted and she had told me to expect a call from you in a couple weeks to ask me questions you might have or to just talk to me. We got off the phone after a few hours and I felt so much relief. I felt like my heart wasn't as heavy as I felt it previously was. But I was still cautious and nervous based on my past interactions with your mom.
It's now August 28th - it's been almost 2 months now and I haven't heard from your mom since. On August 7th, I reached out to your mom asking her how you all are and if there's an update but I haven't received an update at all. I feel so hurt and disappointed. I just really wanted to know you and for you to know me and your siblings over here. Noel often tells me that he wishes to know you and that he's sad you're not here. Lailah asks me often how you are and if you're happy. They both ask me when they can know you, but I don't have any answers for them.

I had nightsmares the other day where I missed you so much that I cried and cried and cried during my dreams and then I woke up crying multiple times. I miss you and all I ever wanted to do was to keep you safe and to show I loved you and I would do anything to protect you but I worry that you won't ever see that. You'll just see that you were "given away" and that I wasn't there for you. I hope so much that you will understand one day.
I love you so much and not a day passes where you're not on my mind,
until the future, my little puzzle piece..

Do I deserve to suffer?

Dear Bennett,
I've been oddly stable.. yet struggling inside about it. I hate that I feel stable and I feel wrong for doing so. Why? Because I know it relates directly to avoiding your mom and the adoption. Since she's ignored my requests to meet I've been finding it really difficult to talk to her. I think about you all the time and I so badly want to know you and show you how much you matter to me and how much I love you and just wanted the best for you. I want you to know that I have always loved you, more than I love myself.
Your mom texted me on mother's day, she was kind to me, but I couldn't respond. In her text she ended it by saying "I hope that you always know how special you are! We love you!" I definitely don't feel special or important whatsoever and that's okay. But you are important and I wish you knew how we all love you and think about you all the time. If she loves me and if I hold such importance to her though then why can't we know you? Why can't you know you're adopted and loved by more than one family?
Your sister and brother ask about you all the time. They wonder what your favorite things are, what sports you like, if you like dinosaurs, trucks, trains, blocks, and card games like they do. They ask me when they'll get to meet you and play with you all the time. I never know how to answer and they get quite down and disappointed.
I have been wanting to contact your mom again but every time I think about it I want to practically beg her to meet you and know you which I just don't feel would turn out well.. so I just don't reach out to her.
I don't even know what I should do anymore. I don't know what you'd want from me. Should I just keep moving forward with receiving some photos, becoming triggered often, and just hope for the best when you're older? Should I give up and just wait to see if you want to know me some day but leave your family alone? Should I ask your mom again to know you and press her until we can or until she closes the adoption if she goes that way? Should I tell her how I feel and about my worries or concerns? Do my feelings, what I feel or worry about matter? Did I lose my right to all my feelings, worries, and concerns the moment I signed TPR to protect you from my assaulter? Idk what to do and maybe I deserve to suffer.

Request ignored.

Dear Bennett,

I've been missing you a lot lately. I've been reflecting on the past over and over and over again trying to figure out if there was any way I could have kept you with me. But I always come up short - because at the end of the day, my job, my top priority was to keep you safe. I was so afraid that you would be harmed by your biological paternal side.. and I couldn't allow that to happen just because I wanted you. I couldn't put you in that type of situation where you had the potential to be harmed.

It's been almost 7 years now... your birthday is quickly approaching. I can't even believe this long has passed. I texted your mom requesting to know you.... for your siblings to know you... for us to be able to be in your life.. but I was ignored. That hurt a lot. We really wish to know you and for you to know that you're loved by so many more people than you know.

That was my first "attempt" which I wrote about a few blog posts back....

And this was my next attempt on March 12, 2018

I didn't receive any response back..

On April 1st - Easter day 2018 I texted your mom again

She pretty much skipped completely over my request for us to meet. I wish she would have just said no or that you're not ready or really anything... But it is how it is. 

I then asked for some photos of you and she sent me a few. 

And a few others - but my computer is being glitchy and making it difficult for me add more. <3 

Anyways - I love you very much and I think about you every day and hope you're doing well.