Here's Gloria's Story!

I gave up my daughter, Suzanne, for adoption in 1968 where she was born, Washington, DC.  I have been looking for my daughter for a period of fifteen years, on and off.  I registered with ALMA in the early 1990's and decided to do some searching by contacting the area where she was born - going over directories to find agencies that might jog my memory.  I tried to get help from the hospital in which she was born, but all the records are sealed and they would not give me information.  I also contacted the state of VA to see if the adoption might have been finalized there.  It turns out she was adopted by a husband and wife who lived in MD.  I needed to find the agency that handled the adoption and even called the birth father to see what he remembered.  He didn't recall much and spoke about his concern for her adopted parents and how they would feel if she was found, and he felt as a courtesy she should not pursue the search.  He did have one clue re the agency, and in Feburary of 2009, I learned that it was the Barker Foundation that acted as the agency.  I contacted them and they put me in touch with a Ms. McKofsky who was a post adoption specialist.  She was most helpful and suggested that I was in the right place.  I was shocked!  She then said she'd be able to help me find my daughter.  As it turned out, my daughter had inquired of the Barker Foundation a few months before I did but they had not heard any more from her.  The counselor was able to contact my daughter, and she was very open. Our first correspondence was through the counselor, and eventually it grew to emails back and forth, etc.  She wanted to meet me, her birthfather and siblings. 

We then drove to Fredericksburg, where she was living, my husband and I met her, her husband, and her four daughters, ages six - twelve years of age.  This meant that I had four granddaughters.   We stayed at a local bed and breakfast in town, went site seeing, and spent time on our first visit.  Subsequently, we have visited with my daughter who had gone to visit her five times since we found her in 2009.  Suzanne also came to a wedding for my brother's daughter in Milwaukee, WI where I grew up.  She got to see where I grew up, met her three new cousins, and her uncle, my brother.  She also got to see my grade school, high school, church, my old home where I was born.  She really enjoyed herself. 

Next Suzanne and her husband came out to Los Angeles in late October of 2009.  Their children were left with her adopted Mom and Dad.  She was able to stay with her newly found full blood sister, Noelle, at her home in Hermosa Beach, CA.  and hang out with her. She got to spend some quality time here as well. So that is the story so far.

I guess you could say that we are all happy campers in this scenario of finding my daughter. Although Alma was not directly involved, I stayed registered with your group and I never gave up hope and just being connected to the group was encouraging and helpful and did give me some ideas on who to contact, how to search etc. Alma was like having a parent there overlooking everything and ready to be there if needed. So thanks to you, as well.

Submitted by Birth Mother, Gloria, December 2009!

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