Kenna's other Families

Kenna loves families. She loves ours, but she LIVES to be included in other people's crews. As many I you know when we got to Ouray, we noticed all kinds of changes in McKenna and that turned out to be depression. She stopped eating and rally couldn't see much joy in the world. It was tragic and scary to watch.

I'm pretty worried about how McKenna will react when we move to Nashville in 3 weeks. I feel that she recovered from that first major depression because of the love sent to her by special people in Ouray. Her first sleepover at the Cervone's, her love for her sitter Sarah Pankow, sneaking out of the house to visit Maple two houses up and sharing the 4th with his family, Samantha Lizzio's hugs and love and perfect inclusion. She wasn't in school. She had no 4 year old friends. But these people made all the difference. It was beautiful. And suddenly she could eat her Mac and Cheese again.

So it's scary to take her from her home again. She bonds with slurs and with families. She loves Heidi Pankow and Melissa Cervone, and now I am taking her further from Aunts Krisite, Katie, and Annie plus Lindsay, Renee and her best friend Joy and away from her Ouray family. I feel pretty horrible about this. She senses it, too. Almost every day she asks when we get to see Aunt Lizza and Aunt Avery since she kind of gets we are moving closer to them. She is reaching for lifesavers already.

But in many ways she has grown so much here. She is stronger and more positive and more confident. And we've changed too. We know her triggers. We know that she needs something different from the rest of us. I was the different one in my family -- so I get that. I can work with that.

Here is Kenna with two of her favorite Ouray families. Bowling with the Cervones and enjoying a camp fire with the Pankows. I hope to God with move doesn't take away my baby's joy again.