A new beginning....

There are several things to know about me:

One of the things I'm told I do well is get things off the ground.   I have this ability to get things moving, started, begun.  Now, keeping up on the day to day, that sometimes feels like torture for me.  I will do my best with this blog, but please accept my advance apologies for any inconsistency....


The second thing to know is that the purpose of this blogging attempt is access.  When you have loved ones far away and lots of them, it can be challenging to keep them all up to date without making emails and phone calls sound like repetitive recitations.  I LOVE all of my people abroad way too much to be impersonal, and I really believe it is the little day to day details that make us truly feel connected to one another in the way we need.  We need our communities and some of mine is far away, so I hope to give access to those details through this forum.  Uh oh, did I just commit??

Lastly, I not only have had the immense privilege of being married to my best friend for just shy of a decade (August 18th) but this past Wednesday our family grew by 1 very remarkable, special, beautiful, intelligent, amazing little girl named Patricia Lynn Kendal Franks.  She is 2 and 4 months old, was born February 16th 2009 and was tailor made by our amazing God to be a part of this family.  When I say tailor made, I mean it.  It sounds sort of creepy to use phrases like "she was born in our hearts" but that is how this journey has felt.  More about that in a minute.  First I want to see if I can show you the slideshows we have made to date.  They aren't too long, but they offer a glimpse.

Photos from the "pre-placement journey" June/July 2011

Our first Visit!

So that is a little bit about Tricia.  She is the most beautiful little girl and the pictures literally don't do her justice.  At present, it is the middle of the night, so I will update you all with a little more about our adoption story asap but in the meantime, just know that my life is so richly blessed and it is not because of anything I have done, but rather because my heavenly Father has seen to my needs each day.  This girl in my life is His blessing, His choice for us and that is why it is so right.  I never would have thought the transition to parenthood could be so smooth, but it has been and I LOVE it!  Even in the middle of a Crocodile tear tantrum I look at this girl and can't help smiling.  She is ours, chosen and protected and God will grow us all together from now on.  Now.... if I can just convince her to keep her outfit changes to a daily limit of 6 or so, we will really be off to the races.  Does anyone out there have to hide their child's clothes??  Maybe we need one of those spinney knobs on the closet door.....  Food for thought, K