Adoption "War Babe" story continued...part 2

I quickly tried to find someone who could translate my German reply letter to English.  No one seemed to know.  I am not sure I remember correctly, but I believe I talked again to the woman who was helping me with finding my bio mom and she suggested the German consulate.  At any rate, I was able to get the letter translated and found out that she had gotten married and "disappeared" into Fort Meade, Maryland.
Going back to the adoption help people at ALMA, they suggested that I write back to the hall of records there in Germany and ask if I could have a copy of the marriage license for her.  I again wrote my letter and sent it off.  I really didn't think that I would get a copy of the marriage license so I guess I put it out of my mind for the time being.  Much to my surprise, a few weeks later, there it was!  A legitimate copy of my birth mom's marriage license!  I was very surprised and pleased to say the least!  Here is the actual copy I received, with a stamp of authenticity none the less!

I called the adoption help number again, and gave her the information.  My birth mom had married an American serviceman named Russell.  They were married in the summer of 1961. (7 years after I was born). The license also had their birth dates listed which was helpful. Once again, to my surprise, I received a return call only a day or two later and she said she had located where my birth mother lived and her phone number!  How did she do this so quickly?  Unfortunately, she had used the first place that searchers always look, and a place that is the easiest to gain information from, an obituary.
The obituary was NOT my birth mom's however, it was her husband, Russell.  He had just passed away the year before in 1990. Although sad, this did indicate that my birth mom (who was 25 when she had me) was still alive. This really would have been the only way to find her as she always went by her husband's name.  She never had a driver’s license, or anything in her name.  This was the way of Europeans of that time when she grew up, and the reason we were unable to find her listed in just her name.
The woman I was working with now gave me the address, in  Illinois and a phone number. She proceeded to school me in what I should say when I called her.  I was shaking and so nervous the rest of the day, but I wanted to wait for my husband to come home from work to call.  I was afraid that if I called before he got home I just might melt down into a puddle of nerves!