A friend sent me an email saying “You must be tired of hearing this, but I loved Mamalita.”
I responded: “Are you kidding? Never!” Not because I wrote the book, but because I believe our story is so important to share. My hope is that it sheds light on the adoption process and what that feels like, at the same time it addresses the universal themes of love, loss, and what defines a family. In my opinion, those themes are ones that matter.
In the February edition of Adoption Today, editor Richard Fischer gave Mamalita a terrific review. He concludes:
O’Dwyer writes with great clarity and conviction as she escorts the reader through this story of a mother’s love and compassion for her daughter Olivia, and the mother and culture of her daughter’s birth. She also reminds us that there are no slam-dunks in adoption, and positive outcomes are the result of positive actions and a “never quit” attitude in striving to reach our goals.
While writing the book, I considered giving it the title “Any Mother Would.” The reason is that during our process I observed so many other mothers (and fathers) as passionate about their children as I am. As parents, we continue to hang in there, doing our best. I’m thrilled and honored that Adoption Today reviewed my book, helping to spread the word to a wider audience. If you don’t know the magazine, consider subscribing. This month’s issue includes articles pertinent to the lives of many of us, including “Facing Facebook” by Joyce Maguire Pavao; “Why Birthdays are Bittersweet,” by Amy Shore; “Today’s Technology and Your Teenager,” by Carlee Bell; and “Sensory Attachment Activities for the Young Adopted Child,” by Lydia Foasco and Lucy Armistead.
On a related note: A reader pointed out that Melissa Fay Greene, whom I cited in the February 1 blog about the Good Housekeeping article, is the author of the award-winning book, There Is No Me Without You. I regret the oversight because There Is No Me Without You is one of my favorite books. It tells the story of Haregewoin Teferra, a middle-class Ethiopian widow who takes in and cares for hundreds of AIDS orphans. Melissa Fay Greene is herself the mother to nine children, one adopted from Bulgaria and four from Ethiopia. Her next book will be published in April.
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