Ah, the CUB retreat. Think stunning orange/pink sunsets - perfect weather - a few strolls on the beach. Imagine 60 or so birthmothers, adoptees and a few birth dads together and basking in feeling understood and accepted. I often comment that I feel most understood with other birth mothers. CUB retreats offer a phenomenal experience for attendees.

All last week, Oct. 2-8, I was in Florida, visiting with my friend Patty, and then attending the CUB retreat. I can't wait to tell you about the retreat! I did get a chance to make some footprints in the sand myself while I was gone. I saw some awesome shore birds and took a few photos.

Patty and I had a day or so to catch up with each other and that was wonderful. Then on Wed.,we headed off to the retreat. It was such great fun to see some of the people in adoption that I have met over the past few years! Plus I had the great pleasure to meet many people whose I had heard of for years and never met.

A week away. I am rarely away that often, and I did miss my dear husband. However, it was so great to see old friends and make some new ones. Many of the people I met were people whose names I recognized, but had not met.

Because CUB recently celebrated its 30th year in existence, many of the founders and original members attended the retreat. CUB Founder, Lee Campbell did a presentation with some of the original members, and recalled an interesting history of the origins of the group.

Their tale of the early beginnings of the CUB, and all the fears of "coming out" was pretty amazing.
"Coming out" and publicly acknowledging being a mother who relinquished a child to adoption was quite different thirty years ago. As hard as it still is today, being a mother whose child was being raised by others took uncommon courage in those days.

The people I met; their stories are what touched me, and what I want to share. The stories included mothers of adoption who are nurses, college professors, therapists, lawyers and authors. All are forever connected because each relinquished a child to adoption. First, I will tell you about the birth mom who is searching for her 65 year old daughter.

To Be Continued.......................................