It was September 9th of 2018, I was with my grandparents for the weekend and my mom called my grandparents saying she had planned a family picnic at Meeks Park in Blairsville, GA. I was so excited; family picnics were something we did not do often.
The drive over there was not the normal car ride, it was quiet. We pulled into Meeks Park and we started driving toward a pavilion. The pavilion was full of people that were not my family. I saw signs that said”Kyleigh Upegui” but I wasn’t an Upegui, I was a Roth. All the emotions hit me at once. My dad had finally adopted me. I had officially become an Upegui. For years, I was the only one in the house with a different last name but on July 17, 2018, that changed. I remember praying and wishing for that day for years. I had tears rolling down my cheeks as I hugged my dad. I looked around and saw all of these pictures of me and him over the years. Pictures from holidays, boating trips, and our silly moments.
The last name “Roth” will always be a part of me and I’m okay with it. I can now look back and think about how cool it is to say my last name is from South America and that my dad is from Medellin Colombia. I will forever be thankful for my loving and supportive family.