Last night went great! Kim was truly surprised (hooray!) and the kids all had a ball....and the grown-ups got some grown up time! A win-win situation for all:)
It was a pleasure to throw a party for one of my best friends. Kim gives herself completely to her family and friends every day. To be able to do something special for her was a treat.
We have been friends for about 15 years. We met in a Bible study all those years ago. The first time I remember seeing the "real Kim" was several months into our Bible study when one of the other members of the group got engaged and announced it to all of us. Kim was SO excited for her that she bounded across the room to grab hold of Paula's hand and see the ring and envelop her in a bear hug.(I can still picture the scene in my head today!) Kim is the kind of person that goes through any situation sharing all of herself with those around her.
We've both seen each other through times of great struggles and times of great joy. She cried with us when we lost our daughter and she celebrated with us when Sarah was born. She always celebrated our children, even though there was joy mixed with intense pain as her own desire for a child each month never happened. Her faith and trust in God's plan, though different from her own original ideas, were rewarded in 2001, when they received a picture of their new baby girl that they would travel halfway around the world to make their own. We got to celebrate with Kim and her husband, Bud, as they brought home their beautiful baby girl from China.....and then their second beautiful Chinese baby girl a few years later!
Our whole family has been blessed by Kim's faithfulness and love. Happy 50th, my friend!
