The All American Doll

K was born on September 17, 1999.

She had rosy checks, fat little fingers, and the biggest smile you could fit on a cherubs face. You might have mistaken her for the blue-eyed strawberry blonde doll in the All American Girl series.

This kid was always little miss bright and happy.

There was one problem in K’s life, however. Her mother had a substance abuse problem.

It happened one morning when K was just past three. She woke up to a very quiet house, and she tip toed out of her bedroom and called out, “mommy, mommy, where are you?”

There was no answer.

K walked in to another room where she discovered her mother once more in a stupor. This time she could not wake her. There was a reason. Her mother had died during the night.

……………………………………………………

There was a young woman named Vee Smith and her older husband Bud who had prayed for a child. They had experienced 14 years of hope and heartbreaking miscarriages. Bud was bitter, and Vee's spirit was splintered. She’d grown up in rural Oklahoma in a large family, a modest home, with doting grandparents down the lane. There was so much love in her heart that at times she felt it would burst.

The spring of 2004 arrived along with an unsolicited call to Bud and Vee. There was a little girl in need of a home. No, she wasn’t a newborn, but the caller was hoping that they would consider an older child.

K came to visit with them for the first time that May and was so frightened that she spent the weekend throwing up. Nevertheless, the Smiths wanted her to come visit them again, and told her so.

The next visit went a little smoother. K was able to meet some of the Smith's friends at a barbecue, and play with some children. She thought it might be fun to come back.

And so the early summer months went by until one day the Smiths asked K to please stay forever. K decided that was exactly what she wanted to do.

The hubby and I watched Bud fall head over heels in love with his daughter. They tell each other silly jokes that nobody else understands and laugh. Bud built her a play structure that all the neighbor kids come to share.

Vee has all the normal emotions of any mother of a seven-year-old girl. When she doesn’t want to strangle her for something, she’s snuggling and reading books, baking cookies, or sewing matching dresses for K and her All American Doll.

There have been plenty of challenges. There should be and there will continue to be. They’ll work them out because they are a family.

To Bud, Vee and Little K Smith, Happy 2^nd Anniversary.

(The All American Doll)

And to little K - Happy Birthday, we love you, too!