Sweet K-My Adoption Story

Sweet K and her many faces had a Birthday last month. She's silly,
and sassy,

and sweet.

The image above is one I took  when I was taking pix for her adoption announcement.
     Her story begins 5 years ago. We had only been licensed for 5 months or so and had only had Miss M and C-Dog for 4 months. Our licensing worker called and reminded us we had an open bed and could we please go on the emergency receiving list. She explained how great the need was. The need is always great! The phone rang several times and I always ended up missing it. So one afternoon I was home from work and the phone rang. We have a 12 month old little girl who needs a home desperately. If you can not take her the caseworker may have to take her home. I told them I would call Mr. M and call them back. He said go for it. She was at our house a half an hour later in a pair of Mu mu like pants that were size 4 and a size 5 dirty nasty t-shirt.She had no shoes. She was dirty and scared. I think the images of how my kids arrived will always be burned into my memory. I bathed her and dressed her in Miss M's clothes and headed to the store. She needed clothes and shoes and I didn't know if she took a bottle or drank from a sippy cup. All things no one knew. She took to Mr. M so fast and has been a Daddy's girl ever since. She did not walk and rarely cried. Daddy taught her how to smooch and take her first steps at 14 months old. All while I was at Disneyland with Miss M and C-Dog.  Sweet K was developing like a normal little toddler should. We found out that they found her Bio father and that she would soon be leaving us. She did leave us, it was sad and hard yet I had a strange peace about it. The courts appointed me the babysitter. She came home every week day for about 5 months. Mr.M and I were heartbroken. We watched her regress. We watched the light leave her eyes. She rarely smiled and quit trying to talk. Before she moved in with her Bio father she was mimicking her prayers at night and saying names. One day Bio Father just quit bringing her to be babysat and we knew something was terribly wrong.  About two months later I got a call from a friend of her Bio father saying what a terrible situation she was in. Drug parties at the Bio fathers house a felon wanted for sexual crimes and meth production moved in to the home. I cried..... who was protecting my baby girl? I called CPS, he pulled the wool over their eyes. I called a detective from the local PD he tried. Finally I called Sweet K's lawyer and we had a plan. I remember the day we got her back. We had used the Bio Mom who was not fit but we needed her to help our girl come home to safety. We had no open beds because we had added Bubba and Little H to our family. I took her as an unlicensed placement. Her Bio Mom sat on my porch and handed her over as per a court order.  The struggle to get her talk began then. She slowly came out of her shell again but would not speak. She grunted and pointed until she was 3. I had her tested and she began speech therapy. Even now in kindergarten she has a little help with speech. She however has no problem talking. We can NOT get her to stop! The fight to keep her began again, and finally almost two years later her rights were completely severed and we could finally make it official. It is hard to describe in words the relief that brings. So on August 5th that year, 4 years after her original placement we headed to the court house and legally adopted our Sweet K.  The icing on the cake though was entering the temple to have her sealed to us 2 days later. I think for Mothers who give birth to their children that feeling must come at each child's birth. My happiest Moments are with in the walls of temple when I feel the peace brought by eternal principals that reassure me my family is how the Lord would have it, and that these sweet spirits who come into my home from such sad circumstances have been watched over by a loving Heavenly Father. They our eternally ours ,and that is at it should be. So happy Birthday to my Sweet little girl, we are so grateful you our ours!!!!