And She is 3

typical family picture and it is beautiful!

birthday presents

intently looking at mommy open the box to get the tea set out

her face says it all

yum I get to drink tea and have tea parties now!

So our little girl is 3 years old now!  Wow, time has flown by so very quickly.  I still remember so very clearly the day Kenzie was placed in my arms for the first time.  I remember how happy and content I was, and how sad I was at the same time.  My sorrow was for the woman who gave birth to Kenzie and then placed her in our arms.  I could not being to understand the heart ache she was feeling so my tears flowed freely for her and my heart broke for her, and at the same time my heart was leaping for great joy that my daughter was in my arms.  I put her in a sleeper we had bought and washed the night before and we took Kenzie to my mom's home to celebrate Christmas with my family before we brought her home to stay.

I was surprised by how natural it felt to be a mom.  I was surprised by the intensity of my fierce mommy drive to protect, love, and nurture this fragile tiny little girl who had enveloped my whole being and I knew she nor I would ever let go of each other!  Hands down the Christmas we brought her home 3 years ago was the best Christmas we have ever had or I can imagine us ever having (last Christmas finding out I was pregnant with Hayden is a close 2nd though).

We careful chose Kenzie's name - MacKenzie Joy Krahn.  We named her after a woman who was a significant part of my life at the time.  A woman who journeyed with us as we walked the adoption road.  Kenzie being named after her is a reminder to me of all the good things I want to remember from that relationship.  MacKenzie means radiant, and born of fire.  Joy means joyful one. So Kenzie's name means radiant, born of fire, joyful one.  I cannot imagine a more suitable name for our little girl than that.

So what did we do this year to celebrate 3 amazing years?  Well we had family and one close friend over to celebrate with us.  My mom made a Strawberry Short Cake, cake for Kenzie and the majority of the gifts revolved around that theme.  Then on her actual birthday we had a friend come over and the above photo's (thanks Megan), had lunch with my friend, and then we drove to Kamloops for dinner, a short visit with Grandma J., and took a walk around the Kamloops Wild Life Park enjoying the Wild Lights (they set up lights every year at Christmas).  The highlight of the day for me as her mom was hearing her ask everyone she met for birthday cake that day!  She was sure that she had to have cake everywhere we went and was not shy about asking for it!  Okay I take it back my true highlight of the day was Kenzie calling me her hero that morning!  I love being her hero!

Well I think I am going to try to sneak an hour of sleep in before the kids wake up and we let them open presents, seeing as we are celebrating Jesus birthday today.