A WOMAN has revealed that she is reuniting with her daughter after giving her up 12 years ago due to her drug problem.
The "starstruck" woman revealed she can't wait to hug her and see her for the first time.
Taking to Reddit, a woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, begged Redditors for advice on how to approach her situation.
She began: "Twelve years ago, I was strung out on drugs, proving to the judge that not only was I unfit to care for my daughter, but I was also a bad influence. I brought nothing good to her life.
"My ex (and father of the daughter) was stable. He went to rehab and turned his life around for the better. He also met someone who was willing to step up where I failed.
"So I did what I thought was right. I signed away my rights to them and planned to end my life.
She revealed that she "failed at that, thankfully.
"After that stunt, I did end up turning my life around. Never made it to rehab because I just couldn’t afford it but I did move to a new state where I didn’t know anyone except for my religious great aunt. Life went up from there."
She revealed that she was able to leave drugs behind and has been sober ever since.
"As I got clean and tried to make things right, my ex and his wife were not so accepting. They would not let me see or talk to my daughter under any circumstances. I tried to fight it but I had given up my rights, there was nothing I could do. I had no legal right to ever hear her voice again.
"This year, she turned 18. I had a missed call from my hometown while I was at work. I didn’t want to get my hopes up but I just knew in my heart when I saw the area code, it had to be her.
"I was starstruck when I heard her voice. She called me mom. I heard my daughter call me mom for the first time in over a decade. I couldn’t even speak I was crying so much.
"I tried to get it together because I didn’t want to make her uncomfortable but I was so honored that she reached out. Just to know that she had been thinking about me all these years was more than I could ever ask for."
The excited mom revealed her daughter told her she would like to see her in person and she made it happen.
"She’s angry at her parents. Apparently, she found me on Facebook a few years ago and has been asking to meet me because I looked like I was doing good. They forbade it. She also told me that her legal mom is mentally ill and it’s been rough living with them.
"My feelings are conflicted on them but I’m doing my best to just focus on HER. On one hand, they raised her and kept her safe. She’s beautiful, smart, and heading to college on a soccer scholarship.
"On the other hand, I’m so angry that they didn’t even try to let us have a relationship when she was a teenager old enough to make that choice. They knew I was clean. They knew I had a stable home and job. I wrote letters every birthday and Christmas. I will keep telling myself they were trying to protect her but between the three of us, we robbed my daughter of having a relationship that she wanted.
"Anyway, I’m driving six hours this weekend to pick her up, go apple picking, and stay in an Air BnB. It’s close to her home so if she’s uncomfortable at any time she can just leave. I also told her she can ask me to leave at any moment and I will with no hard feelings.
"I’m honestly freaking out. This doesn’t seem real. I still do not want to get my hopes up or have any type of expectations, I want to be there for her in any way she wants me to be.
"Does anyone have any advice or guidance for how I should act? I know it’s always best to 'be yourself' but if I do that, I’m just going to cry and tell her I love her for the entire weekend. Because that’s all I want to do. Show her how much I’ve loved her every day since I made that stupid and selfish decision to give her up."
Plenty of people rushed to the feel-good story and applauded the woman for turning her life around and extending her hand out to her daughter.
"Try not to focus on her legal parents or bash them in any way," one person advised.
"It may be hard considering it feels and sounds like they kept you two apart but they’re still her parents and it may hurt her if she hears you bashing them. But be yourself.
"If you’re at the point where you can be open just explain you felt you were doing the best for her and that it was a hard time for you. Best of luck!"
A second one shared: "Good luck. I don’t have much advice, just a suggestion. Maybe take a little gift for her – a scarf or bracelet, just a little something to mark the occasion & for her to have something from you."
And a third commented: "Cry and tell her you love her all weekend, she needs to know she's loved.
"Sounds like you got a great attitude and I think you'll be just fine with your daughter. By the way, congratulations on your recovery. I've been on the journey to recovery myself and understand how difficult it is."
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