game, I was contacted by a woman named Suzanne who said she was a cousin.  She was adopted and had a DNA test so she could find her biological family.  She had a beach house at the Outer Banks so we made plans to stay a couple of nights with her.  (We had flown to the Miss. State game, then drove through AL, GA, then to SC, then NC (I served a mission in GA/FL/AL so got to see some people along the way - it was a great trip).  We talked with Suzanne on the phone multiple times since we connected prior to our in person meeting.

Suzanne is about 13 years older than me.  It turns out that I have an uncle who got a girl pregnant before he went to serve in the Marines.  She quietly hid away, had her baby, and gave it up for adoption.  My uncle never knew about it.

Suzanne grew up in Wake Forest, NC.  Her father was a local attorney there.  Her home was very near Wake Forest College.  She would have been about 10 years old when my dad began attending college, and 14 years of age when he graduated then went on to medical school.  That entire time, Dad had no idea that he had a niece just around the corner.  They may have seen each other without any idea of their close relationship.

When I met Suzanne for the first time, we embraced and I felt such a rush of love for her.  It was an amazing experience.  We ordered dinner and ate on the back porch of her beach house with nothing between the deck but grass, sand, and beach.  Suzanne wanted to know all about our family, so we talked for hours into the night.  I shared with her my parents' conversion to the Church and she ended up being the first (and only) family member with whom I have shared the gospel.

Suzanne and I have stayed in touch.  We talk now and then.  But, I think it gave her great comfort to meet some family members and feel that connection.  We are planning to go to the BYU/ECU game next season to see our NC family again.  (Most of our extended family resides in NC/VA area.)

Now that I'm thinking about it, I'm gonna call Suzanne tonight.  We need to catch up.