For Kristen...

The 1st day we met you.  I tried hard not to cry in front of you, but I was so ecstatic at what God was doing, I'm not sure I succeeded!

Oh, my sweet precious girl.  Yesterday, we celebrated that it's been 1 year since you came home! (Officially, it was on Sunday, but yesterday was the celebration).   I've been thinking about what I would write, what I would say about your 1st year for a long time.  I don't think that I have adequate words to say all of what I'm feeling, but I will write down my rambling thoughts and maybe you'll be able to make some sense out of them...

I'll never forget the day you came home.  It was a Friday night, and the last day of school for both of us before Christmas break.  We both had Polar Express Day at school, so you and I were both in our pajamas!  I drove over to your foster family's home and picked you up, along with a lot of your stuff!  We had just found out the night before that you were going to get to come home!  We were all so excited to get you home!

May 29th- ADOPTION DAY! You forever became a Thomas!

We had only met you a couple of weeks before, and daddy and I spent our days in December like this: We would go to work, I would pick daddy up from work ,and we would drive to Oldham County to see you- we'd take you to dinner usually, and help you with your homework.  Then, we'd drop you off at the Spears' and head home (I would cry the whole way, because I wanted you with us!)  When we got home, we would work on getting your room put together!  We so desperately wanted you to come home before Christmas so that we would have 2 whole weeks without school to get to know you.  Mommy pushed pretty hard to make that happen, and the Spears were WONDERFUL about working with us to get it done!  We were so thankful that it worked out.

Precious girl, we have watched you grow in tremendous ways over the last year.  We have had many, many struggles, but the victories have been unimaginable.  As daddy and I have watched you grow, we have been overwhelmed by how God is working in your life.  You are more confident now, you believe in yourself.  You love reading, and art.  You are doing very well in your dance classes- your teacher even says it's already time to move up to the next level!  You are kind and caring, and always want to help out.  You are an unbelievable big sister.  You are so sweet with Samuel, and he adores you!  You can calm him down sometimes even when mommy can't!  He loves to listen to you read to him.

Our family of 4 headed home from the hospital with Sam

Kristen, we know that you have grown so much, because you have so many people who love you, and who are praying for you now.  I don't know why you went through all that you went through before you came home.  It breaks my heart to think about.  If I could take all those things from you, and go through them myself, I would.  In a heartbeat, I would.  But, I believe that God has beautiful, wonderful things planned for you.  I believe that He will take the ashes and the rubble that began your life, and turn it into something beautiful.  He promises that He will do that.  Your testimony is going to be one for the history books, precious one.

People tell us that you are a lucky girl to be in our family.  That may be true, but your daddy and I are the ones who are blessed to have you in our family.  You have taught us tremendous things, about God, and unconditional love, and about our own salvation.  Baby, we love you, forever and ever.  We are so thankful to be your parents.  Remember that when we asked you to come home and be our daughter, we said that it was forever.  We meant it then, we mean it now, and we'll mean it tomorrow, and the day after that... and the day after that...until forever. 

Love,
Mommy

to bestow on them a crown of beauty
    instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
    instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
    instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
    a planting of the Lord
    for the display of his splendor. -Isaiah 61:3

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.-Jeremiah 29:11

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.-Phillipians 1:6

This is one of my favorites of you- playing outside shortly after we brought Sam home from the hospital.