Alice's Daughters: Our Story of Adoption, Secrets, Courage, Truth & Love

By Margo K. Freeman-Smith and Patricia Ann Brown

Patricia A. “Trish” Brown was born in Upstate New York, and still resides in New York. The proud grandmother of one granddaughter, her pride & joy Skye. She enjoys unique crafting, garage, yard and estate sales. She is an avid spades player; loves studying the Alaskan lifestyle, log cabin living, and has a desire to eventually be very involved with the homeless community as a volunteer. This is her 1st co-authored publication.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Dec 17, 2018
• ISBN: 9781984568892

Margo K. Freeman-Smith

As the main author of this publication…..it was imperative that my story be told. It has been a very surreal experience and I also found I am from a line of writers and professionals on my mother’s side, which is something I never knew. This is my second publication. My first “Spirited Reflections” was a cumulative of writings long before social media and cell phones…..So as a young woman, I WROTE my feelings out….which 40 years later I put in book form.

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Alice’s Daughters

Our Story Of Adoption, Secrets,

Courage, Truth & Love

Margo K. Freeman-Smith

Patricia Ann Brown

Copyright © 2019 by Margo K. Freeman-Smith Patricia Ann Brown.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 12/14/2018

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD

DEDICATION

Our Mother Alice & Mama Ruth

Choosing to Search

Secrets

Beyond Social Media

Our First Hello

Where, When and How My Search Began

They called me Margo Kae

Memories that will forever flood my soul

They called me Patti

Our Cherished Elders

Sundays with Alice

Lost Time

As told by Trish…..

Lost Time

As told by Margo…..

Miracles Do Happen - It’s Not Over

FOREWORD

When I think of restoration, many thoughts flood my mind. We are indeed in a season of restoration, physically and spiritually; but it comes with some effort on our part, maybe even a price. It can take a tremendous amount of courage to press through a search for family. Yet freedom and healing awaits to be captured, which is priceless. Alice’s Daughters gives our family secret a voice divinely orchestrated by God. I will forever believe it is our destiny. Our voice was, and will continue to be, an empowering journey of discovery; one in which we have both agreed to take on with great anticipation.

At ages 58 & 67, respectively, my sister Trish and I found one another. From two totally different backgrounds and upbringings, two chronicled versions of our lives which will unfold within these pages. Two different women, from the same fabric. We are Alice’s Daughters, and this is our story as best as we can tell it. Choosing to be transparent has helped us both step into a place of truth and discovery. I’m honored and humbled to have collaborated with my sister Trish on this project. I could not have done it without her, our bond is forever unbreakable. We were lost from one another, now we are found. Everything is going to be fine.

DEDICATION

Margo

To Mama Ruth

Queen of my Heart

Sunrise 1896-Sunset 1966

Your unconditional love & prayers grounded me.

By the Grace of God,

I landed on my feet,

And I can still fly.

I will forever cherish my childhood memories.

To my sister Trish, for your tenacity and courage

I couldn’t have done this without you.

*********

Trish

To my son Mark,

The reason I have continued on.

My beautiful granddaughter who lights up every dark space in my life.

My big brother, whom I’ve always looked up to and love unconditionally.

To Grandpa Claude & Grandma Viola for the loving memories

I miss you to this day

My sister Margo, who has filled the void that I always felt in my life.

To

Our Mother

Alice

ALICE-1.jpg

From you came our…

Life

Courage

Strength

Intuitiveness

Perseverance

Tenacity

Sense of humor

Wit

&

Wisdom

For that we are forever grateful

Your Daughters

Margo & Trish

Margo’s Mama Ruth

MAMA%20RUTH-1.jpg

Thank you Mama Ruth,

For keeping all the promises you made to your niece and my birth mother Alice.

For adopting and raising her babygirl, Me!

Giving all that you had to give for the first 17 years of my life, but sadly you transitioned too soon 1966.r.i.h

For all the ups and downs and sleepless nights I’m sure I caused you,

I was always in your heart and prayers.

You never let me go.

I love and still miss you so much!

Your great-niece

Margo

Choosing to Search

The real work of a search is inside. Underlying every search is a need for the resolve of something connected to your adoption experience. On average a search can take anywhere from three months to years. If you stick to it, your chances of finding what or who you are looking for are very, and thanks to social media, extremely high. BUT you must be aware that there are no promises at the end of this emotional journey. Reunions, in and of themselves, can be positive, but there are some that can be less than desired or anticipated. The ideal scenario for you, the searcher, is to be as emotionally prepared as you can possible be. It can be a bumpy, fragile ride.

There can be really high moments, ones which will never be forgotten. The day you get a name, an address, a picture, or actually find the person you have been searching for and make that very first contact. Very high moments indeed.

Try to remember that you may or may not encounter rejection or resistance to your search and find. Not everyone is immediately open to being found. Being found can feel extremely invasive, especially in the perilous times that we live in presently. Try not to get too excited. Trust has to be built, and the person on the other end has to be