A Precious Priceless Picture

I received a wonderful email from our contact in Ust Kamenogorsk which contained a second solid contact with Leah's birthmother. A picture, of her and one of Leah's brothers. Words cannot express the emotions I felt opening that attachment and seeing the photos download before my eyes. A solid link to Leah's beginning of life. An answer to one of the many questions, I am sure Leah will ask one day. This gift is both precious and priceless. Seeing the face of your birthmother, and being spared a lifetime of wondering if that face in the crowd is her.
Leah is still to young to understand her adoption story, so for now I search, collect, preserve and protect the pieces of her life story I am able to uncover. Each snippet of information a gift, and an intricate part of who Leah is, and of the women she will grow up to be.
As her parents, our unconditional love for Leah drives our desire to learn all that we can for her now, so that when her intellectual brain matures and meets her emotional heart we can share with Leah, her truth. We pray that God who created her, and then allowed us to become her parents, will guide us as we continue on this journey in waters that for us, are uncharted.
I am not prepared to share these photos on line, as I feel this part of Leah's story is hers and hers alone to share when and, if she chooses.
I am truly greatful however for the difficult choices Leah's birthmother has made. She has my total respect and admiration. I can only hope fostering this connection somehow brings Leah's birthmother peace.


A Special Bond of Love
by Karen Ledbetter
A poem of thanks to a birth mother.


Once strangers, not knowing of each other,
God brought us together
To share a special bond of love
With a sweet little girl named Leah Natalya.

You may never understand the pain
Or know the tears I cried.
My heart's desire was for a child
To nurture, love, and guide.

I may never understand the pain
Or know the tears you cried.
You said good-bye to this precious child,
Entrusting me to nurture, love, and guide.

I see your face in her pretty smile,
And love in her sparkling eyes.
She's the answer to countless prayers,
A blessing to many lives.

No longer strangers,
We share a special bond of love
With a very precious gift
From our God above.