The Girl Next Door

by Diane Searels

My e-mail address is searels@alltel.net
and I live in GA.

I have been researching my mom's bio family for about 12 yrs. I had a query on a genealogy web page and a nice lady from S.C. answered me. She said that she had lived close to my mom as a child, growing up in Bham, AL, although she did not recall my mother, she did remember the Foster parents, that my mom lived with her first 8 yrs.

She was able to give me valuable info, that I am now working on. In the long run, she suggested I call a gentleman in the Autuaga/ Elmore Co's. of AL. She gave me his name, and told me that she was distantly related, and that he could probably help me.

As it turned out, I am also related to this gentleman. This gentleman, has a sister (who has a different mother than he), who's mother's father, was her gggrandpa (or some sort of relation). And we relate because this gentleman's sister is daughter of my dad's 1st cousin.

I really thought that was strange to meet her and find that out, considering I was doing research in a completely different county. And then she introduced me to another relative/friend of hers, who once lived next door to my mom in her adoptive home. Her mother and my grandma, would visit each other everyday.

She has said she may help, by talking to her son-in-law about the Welfare laws, etc., as her son-in- law used to work for them. Also, when she wrote me, she thought she was speaking with my mom, who has been carried to heaven for 14 yrs.

I thought that this was appropriate for Serendipity, because I was amazed how much, kinship and friendship came from this.

Submitted:  Thu Oct 14 19:41:22 1999

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