VF>Dear Bill,
VF>I almost passed this message up until I noticed who it was from!  Oh
VF>Bill!  This is wonderful!!!!!!
VF> BS> One small milestone passed:  our two daughters, 6 and 13, finally
VF> BS> met face-to-face! [...]
VF>I cried tears of sheer joy when I read this entire message!  I am SO
VF>happy for your girls!  I didn't even know you had a second daughter,
VF>but was glad to find out that you do and that the girls were finally
VF>reunited, even though it was briefly.  It may seem to you like a small
VF>milestone, but I think it is really much more than that, much bigger
VF>than that.
Thank you, Valery!  I realize that in many ways it's not a small mile-
stone, but there is *so* much still to do, and it's going to take years
yet.  But last night we saw pictures of the meeting, for the first
time.  Wow.
Our second daughter was a miracle.  Kathy became pregnant while we were
still under supervision (before we lost at the state supreme court and
were sent to prison).  We had long since known that if the State knew,
they'd arrange to take the baby away at birth.  (This did in fact happen
to another couple within days of Heather's birth -- the father was
accused, not convicted, but the mother insisted he was innocent, so they
took the newborn from the delivery room!)  The next few months were a
bit difficult, trying to keep Kath out of sight from the state (we almost
blew it at a Scottish folk concert) and ensuring there were no records in
the county to tip off the system.  Our attorney drew up two sets of
adoption papers; one for before the birth and the second after (how many
people have their attorney present for the birth?).  The birth was at
a friend's house in another county (now he knows a number of the
Wenatchee defendants).  And when the doctor gave the okay, four days
later, she left with her grandparents for South Carolina.
Washington state sent an assistant attorney general there, after they'd
learned, to try to fetch her back.  The judge threw him out of court.
It was several years before Beth could be told that she had a
younger sister.
But their visit was very good; the girls are attached to each other.
It's started questions from both the girls, but all is for the good.
Thank you, Valery!
 * OLX 2.1 TD * Meeting: Where you keep the minutes and waste the hours.
--- Maximus 2.01wb
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