"Hello Everyone"
I'm Sally, and I have a wonderful story to tell.
So sit back and be prepared for some excitement.
Here is some background:
I was adopted and have been researching my birth parents since 1984. It has always been my desire to search for my roots and perhaps find my parents. Out of respect for my adopted family, I never pursued this desire until after my family's deaths for I had a good life and wouldn't betray the love we shared.
In 1984 with the help of a relative, I was able to visit a maternity home in Scranton, Pennsylvania. I found out that I was adopted in September 1942 and was given this general information:
ADOPTEE: MOTHER FATHER
Born: March 16, 1942 Age 20 Age 23
Wilkes-Barre, PA High School Grad College Graduate
Weight 6 lb. 8 oz. Secretary US Serviceman
Adopted: Sept. 29, 1942 German English
At this point, I was thrilled. A couple months later, this same relative called to say that Pennsylvania has always been a closed state and would not release any information on an adoptee. But now the state lifted this ban for three months. About two months later I received my original birth certificate. Now that I had my parents' names, could begin my search. At the time, my husband Jim and I tried the normal routes of phone listings without success.
About four years later, Jim's cousin who was also adopted told the family a story of how he found his biological parents. This sparked my interest. Jim & I again searched the current phone listings and contacted my mother's brother. We learned from his wife that my mother was married and living in Norfolk, VA. The conversation with her brother didn't go well and he wouldn't talk to us. With this new information, we were able to find a current phone listing for my mother and Jim called her later that evening. He was told he had the wrong person. I was crushed.
We tried all the phone listings for my father, but couldn't contact any relatives. However, I didn't give up and was able to get additional information such as birth, marriage, and death certificates for my parents and grandparents. Adding to all the information I've gathered over the years.
Two years later, I decided to take a chance and write a letter to my mother using the address from the phone listing Jim used to make his call. About three weeks later I received a copy of an article from the Ann Landers column stating: "Why an adoptee should not interrupt their biological parents' life by trying to find them." This had to be the right person, but it was another rejection!
Jim talked me into being content with the information I had and not to pursue it any further. This was in 1989.
THE STORY DOESN'T STOP HERE.....
THE INTERESTING PART IS ABOUT TO BE BEGIN........
