Determination...

Our family moved to Virginia in 1989.

Sis was entering her sophomore year of High School.

Tough.


Rumor was that there was a girl Sissy's age living in our new subdivision the same age and drum roll....not only did she play tennis, her family had a

tennis court in their back yard!


Not long after that, I noticed Sis was walking quickly from room to room

in our home repeating over and over,

"I can do this, I can do this, I can do this!"

"What", I inquired, "can you do?"

"I'm going to go meet the girl that lives two streets over!", Sis exclaimed.

That's when I saw a determined girl charge out the door

down the street to make a new friend.

Impressed and proud I waited to see what happened.

Well, at first nothing much. Seems Sissy's new "friend" Ruth was the type of person that was slow to warm up...really slow.

Sis did not give up and went over to Ruth's from time to time. I'd see them walking in the neighborhood,

I guess she was too shy to come in our house.....

then one day it happened.

I looked out the back door and all I saw in the backyard pool was two sets of legs hanging like this girl on the edge of the pool....

only both their heads were under water..all I saw was legs.....

they were thinking alike!

My heart leaped!

Sis has a new friend!

From that time on they were two peas in a pod...Sis and Ruth had much in common and became very good friends. Ruth helped Sis start a new school and they both were on the Great Bridge High School tennis team. They stayed friends even though we moved back to Kentucky the next year. We laugh about it from time to time that Sis and Ruth even started to look alike....

Sissy's determination to make a new friend was inspiring to me
She has continued to inspire...over and over.
Since making the decision to adopt our beautiful Kate

Sis has shown pure determination to give Kate a wonderful life

Kate will need about 4 surgeries, three for her hands and one for her inverted eye lashes. We have decided fingers are overrated...

watching her play..

watching Kate's determination to figure things out inspires.... over and over.

See how God works?

He saw a determined momma and matched her beautifully with a

determined daughter....Perfect!

"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will."

Vincent T. Lombardi

Were there is a will there is a way....