Divine Connections & "THE ELEPHANT"

My beautiful daughters, who are my greatest gift from fate ❤️

Hello magical friends!

The Woo Story: When Friendships Reveal Hidden Threads

We were thrilled to spend time with some old friends this past week. I first met my friend Dede over half a lifetime ago when I was a young about-to-be mom learning about adopting from Eastern Europe. I joined every online group, forum, and mailing list I could find—in those days it was "Yahoogroups" with names like "FRUA" for Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption.

Over time, a smaller group of us with common destinations, dates, and darker senses of humor fractured off. We called ourselves the "Madmamas" because we were constantly advocating for our kids, many of whom had special needs. Also, we were a crazy crew. Tip of the oversized hat to the Mad Hatter.

I was by far the youngest in our group. Adoption was my first choice in my path to parenthood and probably one of the most certain things I've done in my lifetime. I can't explain it without getting seriously woo—I woke up one day and knew it was time. My daughter was out there... and she was. But that's another story for another time.

Over years that became decades, the Madmamas stayed in touch. Our kids became honorary cousins, looking forward to gatherings and reunions as much as we did. We shared resources and celebrations, and unfortunately what felt like more than our share of sorrows as many in the group lost someone they loved.

For the most part, it was the mothers communicating. We heard about the husbands but rarely met them beyond brief introductions.

The Revelation

So I knew about Dede's husband Keith in broad strokes—that he was a doctor, a kind man, and as deeply involved in humanitarian work as his wife. I wasn't prepared for the connection that emerged when they visited our area last year and we all went out to dinner.

It turned out Keith had a similar academic trajectory to my husband's father Gene, who we lost a few years ago. Gene died suddenly and unexpectedly—the kind of death that makes you feel like the last chapters were suddenly, maliciously torn from a book you love. In short, he was taken from us.

Grief is grief and loss is loss, but this sort of loss leaves a different kind of scar. We'd never felt the urgency to story-gather or examine the relationship the way you would with an older or less healthy relative.

So when my husband mentioned his dad's name and Keith froze, turned to him, and repeated it with a look of shock and recognition, I got gooseflesh.

It turned out that not only had Keith trained under my father-in-law many years before we met, but Gene had also caught a potentially life-threatening misdiagnosis in their son. That correction saved their kid from dangerous and unnecessary surgery.

They'd never forgotten him, his kindness, and the impact he had on their family.

How had we been friends for over two decades and not uncovered this connection!

Sometimes stories are gifts and connections feel divine. We were thrilled to see Dede and Keith again this year and spend more time together. Though we're different ages and at different life stages, with differences of religion and politics, I still wouldn't hesitate to call both of them "my people."

It's a soul thing.

It was a pleasure to introduce them to my famous neighbor Dr. Sears (another story, another special soul) whose parenting books we all carried on our adoption journeys. Literally in my case! What a full-circle moment, and what perfect timing as I edit the final chapters of the third book in the Natural Magic series.

For another sneak peek at the final book in this series, a cover reveal and to read the full letter the Magpie Oracle is holding, head to my Substack!