I Am From...

I was inspired to make an I Am From Poem tonight at Table229.

This link is about the I Am From Project by George Ella Lyon and Julie Landsman who's goal is to be inclusive, bring communities together and lessen hate through sharing I Am From poems. https://iamfromproject.com/

I am from love, not DNA
I am from Hortons and Kiernans
I am from a mother who gave me up and a mother who adopted me
I am from love

I am from China,
I am from a birth family that I know nothing about
I am from the Yangchun City Social Welfare Institute (orphanage)
I am from Mary Kiernan and Don Horton (my parents)
I am from Saint Paul.
And I am from Falcon Heights.
I am from Minnesota.

I am from a white family
I am from a white neighborhood
I am from a white world

I am from a working household
I am from summers with Bea (our nanny)
I am from fishing trips with Daddy
I am from jumping on my trampoline with friends
I am from always running from bees

I am from a two parent household
I am from daily family dinners
I am from so much Dairy Queen

I am from Ramen Noodles
I am from everything with noodles
I am from the candies from my Grandma Helen
I am from jellybeans from my Uncle Jellybean (His name is actually Steve)

I am from divorced parents
I am from a blended family
I am from friends who are family

I am from assuming I was straight
I am from confusion
I am from questioning
I am from loving who I love

I am from Grey's Anatomy nights with my mom
I am from lunches with Anne Green
I am from babysitting so many kids

I am from grandparents whom I love dearly
I am from trips to 314 Banbury Road in Mundelein, Il
I am from playing with kittens with Grandpa Dan
I am from Canasta with Grandma Helen
I am from buck euchre with Grandma Ardis and Grandpa Dan
I am from Grandpa Don who I didn't get to meet
I am from memories of them now

I am from the Episcopal Church
I am from Saint Mary's Episcopal Church
I am from Teens Encounter Christ weekends
I am from Peer Ministry retreats
I am from Table 229

I am from God
I am from Jesus
I am from the Holy Spirit

I am from hope
I am from grace
I am from Love
I will end in Love


*** This ended up being a lot longer than I had anticipated. Sorry!