I went to see Judge Ricks again. I told her that I now had both names and she would not be protecting anyone's privacy anymore. I told her about my mitral valve prolapse. She said she would give it consideration with medical reason. When I got home, the DHS papers were in the mail. They had gone to a great deal of trouble to scratch out the name, but I held it up to the light and there it was....Baby Girl Phipps!!! I jumped up and down and said in a sing song manner, "I'm Baby Phipps! That's me!" It felt exquisite to see it in writing! Jimmy, Dawn and Paul called me Baby Phipps for about a week. I called Cliff but he was out of town on a case. We went to Tulsa over the weekend and Cliff could not get hold of me. When I returned to town he was gone again. We kept missing one another.
July 18, 1990
I went to the library and searched phone books. I found Shirley's address. I also wrote down every Phipps in Jacksonville. (At some time before this Victor told me he had gotten his phone bill and she is in Jacksonville.) Just 30 minutes before the library closed, the librarian told me about the city directories. I could not believe the wealth of information contained in those. I scanned as much as I could before they closed.
July 19, 1990
I left work at noon and went to the county courthouse first and searched marriage licenses and divorces. I got a little excited when there was one Shirley Phipps married in 1971. I got a copy of the license and the girl was 17 at the time. It was not my mother. Then I went to the library and searched every city directory from 1940 to present for Wm. E. Hubbard and Shirley J. Phipps. It took me over four hours to complete the research. When I came home I was drained. My head hurt and I was discouraged. I told Jimmy I give up.
July 20, 1990
Jimmy called the marriage license bureau in Jacksonville and got a recording. It costs $2.00 per year to search. How would I know which years to search? On a whim Jimmy called information and asked for Shirley J. Phipps and the operator said the number was unlisted. I was excited again. I was ready at this point to go to Jacksonville and stand on street corners and ask passersby, "Are you my mother?"
July 24, 1990
I have the following notes written for this day:
"I am at a standstill. Now, I wait for information and the Lord to do His work. I feel so impatient inside. I am waiting to hear from Theresa at Edmond Hospital about the medical records, Judge Ricks about the adoption papers and Cliff about helping me."
July 25, 1990
At work on this day, I was contemplating my situation and prayed for guidance. I felt led to place an ad in a newspaper. I had thought of this before, but now was the time. I called the Jackson Union Times and they said it would run a week from Sunday. I HAD to get it the next Sunday's paper. So, I federal expressed the money to them.
July 27, 1990
I called Victor and told him if he happened to talk to Shirley this weekend, tell her to read the Jackson Union Times classified section. He said he probably would not be talking to her. I had hoped he would call her for me, but he did not offer.
I am getting closer to the reunion part of the story. There were so many human angels along the way that worked together to assist me. I appreciate those that are taking the time to read this tale. More to come! When the time is right things work out for us all. Hang in there those that still struggle to find your past truth. ❤️
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