Articles by Amy Shankland

Getting to know my birth father

By AMY SHANKLAND Perfectly Imperfect As my adoption and reunion story continues, I’ve changed some names, places, and dates. I told Jack about the Notre Dame alumni publication that started…

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My first chat with my birth father

By AMY SHANKLAND Perfectly Imperfect As my adoption and reunion story continues, I’ve changed some names, places, and dates. I thought I could wait a couple of weeks after speaking…




Deciding on how to make contact

By AMY SHANKLAND Perfectly Imperfect As my adoption and reunion story continues, I’ve changed some names, places, and dates. After I shared my discoveries with my husband John, he brought…


Learning about my birth father

By AMY SHANKLAND Perfectly Imperfect As my adoption and reunion story continues, I’ve changed some names, places, and dates. I learned that my birth father, Jack, had been the chairman…


Finding my birth father

By AMY SHANKLAND Perfectly Imperfect As my adoption and reunion story continues, I’ve changed some names, places, and dates. I had successfully found my birth mother. I updated my husband…


Examining my adoption records

By AMY SHANKLAND Perfectly Imperfect As my adoption and reunion story continues, I’ve changed some names, places, and dates. It felt nearly impossible to get through the rest of my…


Examining my adoption records

By AMY SHANKLAND Perfectly Imperfect As my adoption and reunion story continues, I’ve changed some names, places, and dates. Imagine my excitement two weeks later to come home for lunch…


Getting closer to my records

By AMY SHANKLAND Perfectly Imperfect As I continued the search for my biological parents, my husband John cautioned and advised me to be ready for anything. “I just don’t want…