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Once adopted by Americans, four sisters and a brother searched out their natural mother and came to see her in Russia after ten years of separation.
Taisiya Shishkina nearly dropped the phone when she heard the voice on the other end saying “Mommy! Mama! It’s Oksana, your daughter from America !” Five kids – four sisters and a brother, who became the adopted children of Tom family from Texas – managed to find their mom! And they told her that they want to come live with her.
The 54-year-old Taisiya has 11 children. Five of them live in the U.S. and six remain by her side.
“After the birth of our youngest daughter Nadia my husband abandoned us,” Taisiya recalls, “I had no idea what to do and how to feed a family this large. At night we used to cry together with my hungry children, and one day I made the dreaded choice to give my five smallest ones to the shelter’s care: Oksana, Shura, Kolia, Vera and tiny Nadia…”
She couldn’t have any peace. When she went to the orphanage to visit her dear ones she returned covered in tears. Three months later she found out that her kids were adopted by an American family.
The family
Americans Lori and Michael Tom decided not to separate the Russian children from each other and took them all together. Five kids with Russian names settled in Texas with their new American parents, but despite the distance they didn’t for a second forget their natural mother back home. They talked about her to their adopted parents and remembered “Mama Taya” in their prayers.
The little Russian siblings maintained the hope that one day they would see their mother again. And it was so not because they were unhappy in their new family but because their hearts called them back to her, to Russia .
Their adopted mother Lori supported their dream. She was understanding and didn’t feel jealous. She helped her children file a request to the authorities in Krasnoyarskiy Region, asking them to find Taisiya Shishkina.
The call
Once she found out the phone number Oksana immediately dialed it. The girl broke down crying after she heard “hello” on the other end: she never forgot her mother’s voice! Holding back the flood of tears she told her mother about their life. That all five of them are happy, healthy and doing well in the U.S. but that they miss her terribly and love her dearly.
Taisiya could only whisper into the phone, “My little daughter, my babies…”
Oksana promised her that very soon they would all come to visit Russia .
The Encounter
“Mommy!” The kids rushed towards Taisiya when they together with their adopted parents arrived in Otradnaya.
Lori, Michael and the children couldn’t speak a word for the first thirty minutes; they could only cry…
“Taya, you don’t have to worry about your children living in a stranger’s house,” finally said Lori, “We love them very much. You can count Michael and me as your brother and sister, who are helping you raise them.”
The 21-year-old Oksana served as an interpreter between the two mothers, since she had not forgotten her native language during all these years. Taya was grateful to Lori and her husband, and they in turn thanked her for the wonderful children. Vera, Kolya, Shura and Nadia kept hugging both their moms.
“We love you all so much,” whispered Oksana through the tears, “Mama, we are very happy with our parents in America , but we really miss our home: Russia and you. When I finish my studies I will definitely come and stay here. Lori knows about it and supports my decision. Mama, we’ll be together!”
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