How I Became Kristin

If you would like to join me on a walk down memory lane, click on the picture above to find out how! I promise you will have lots of fun!!

Once upon a time, there were two sisters: Ella and Bennie. Ella grew up and had a son named Bob and Bob had a daughter named Susan. Bennie grew up and had a daughter named Dana Kay. Susan and Dana Kay would spend the summers together, along with Susan's sister Barbara and they would just have the BEST time.

Eventually, the girls grew up and had children of their own. However, Dana Kay was unable to have any children. Susan was kind of a wild child. Her Dad, Bob, had basically disowned her and her sister before she was even born. By the time she had her third child, a baby girl, things weren't going so well.

I'm not sure of all the details, but I do know that I was Susan's third child and she named me Summer Suzette. I know that I have two half brothers who are older than me. I know that one of those brothers totally remembers having me as his little sister when he was a little boy, and that Susan eventually ended up giving us all up for adoption.

When Dana Kay was visiting her Mom for the weekend, her Aunt Ella (my biological Great Grandmother) asked her if she could babysit me. Who knows where Susan was at the time. She pretty much left me with whoever could watch me at the time.

Here's a picture of Dana Kay and Summer Suzette (me), when I was 9 months old.

Here's a picture of me and Bennie (Dana's Mom and my adopted MeMe):
Here's a picture of me and Ella (Susan's Grandmother):
Remember Bennie and Ella were sisters.
So, Ella knew that Susan wasn't going to be able to raise me properly. One day she asked Susan why she didn't give me to Dana Kay, who had been trying for over 9 years to have a baby. I guess Susan thought about it, and decided that it was best for me. If you want to read more about my entire adoption story, it's on my sidebar.

My Mom wrote in my adoption story:

I want you to always remember that it takes women like Susan for women like me to be a mother. I thank and love her for that. I really wish you could've known Aunt Ella, because she is the main reason I am your mother.......Before she died, she told MeMe that she had done a lot of rotten things in her life, but bringing the three of us together was the best thing in her life. Kristin, she loved you more than life itself. She would hold you and her eyes would just twinkle.

My parents were thrilled, to say the least! They were finally going to have a baby of their own to love. They decided to change my name to Kristin Denise. My last name was going to be Long, and they just couldn't imagine my name being Summer Long!! LOL So, they named me Kristin after my Mom's maiden name, Christian, and Denise after my Uncle Dennis. I was 13 months old when they got me, and six months later, on Good Friday in 1978, my adoption was finalized!

I just realized just now that this Good Friday, it will be 31 years since I was adopted!

Here we are outside the courthouse on my adoption day! It makes me tear up just to look at this picture. This was the day that God gave me the greatest gift of all, a family. There is nothing more priceless than that.
Growing up, I remember always visiting Aunt Ella. She would always say, "Kristin, your Granny loves you so very much." I never understood why she referred to herself as my Granny until my Mom felt I was old enough and told me the story of my adoption. Then, I understood that she was my biological Great Grandmother and it all made sense. It also made sense why my Mom always made a point to take me by and see her when we were in town. I know that my Mom was so eternally grateful for Ella suggesting that they adopt me.

When Ella passed away, Susan was at her funeral, but I didn't speak to her.
When I was graduating from High School, my Mom did invite my two half brothers over so that we could meet. I have not seen them since then, but I hear they are doing well.
Here's a picture of us:

I saw Susan again at her Dad's funeral. I had just had M. We did speak to each other for a few minutes and she held M. It was despicable how Susan was treated at her own father's funeral. Her Dad's wife did not want her there. They never treated her very well after she gave up her kids. It always upset my Mom so much to see them treating Susan that way. After all, Susan was the reason she was able to be a Mom. My Mom and Susan's sister convinced his wife that Susan had to be allowed to come to her own Dad's funeral. It saddened me so much to see her be treated that way. She did the most selfless thing in the world when she let go of me and allowed me to have the most wonderful parents in the world. I know that wasn't easy for her, and I know that it hurts her very much looking back on how she handled her life.

I know a lot of adopted childen are mad at their biological parents for giving them up, but I have never ever been mad at Susan for giving me away. One day, I had planned to take my girls over to visit their Aunt Barbara (Susan's sister). Susan just happened to be visiting that day too, from out of town. My Aunt called me and told me she would understand if I didn't want to come over. They weren't sure if it would be awkward for me. I told her I would love to come over. I knew that it would mean a lot to Susan. We had a nice visit. It was like meeting a relative that you don't really know. It was weird to talk with her and realize that she gave birth to me. Because I have three girls of my own, I know how deep that connection is for a Mom. I cannot imagine the emotions she has had to deal with all these years, being separated from her own daughter. It is because of that, that I am in awe of her selflessness and I have a deep love for her, because she wanted me to have a great life and I have.

This is a horrible picture of me, but I am going to post it anyways, because it's the only one I have of us that day. Looking at it, I can definitely see the resemblance.

After talking with Susan that day, I realized where I get my craftiness from. She loves doing crafty stuff and selling it too. You should've seen her face light up when I told her that my business was named "Summer Suzette Couture". I think that made her proud that I hadn't forgotten where I came from.

So, that's how I became Kristin. It's a story that I love to tell, because it is a story of two families that came together in love, to give a little girl a wonderful life. It's not about one family being better than the other, it's not about material possessions (my parents were so poor that they had to borrow money to pay for my adoption! LOL)......it's about the love that they both had for me. I cannot believe how blessed I am to have been so very loved my entire life.

My Mom wrote:

Kristin, I hope you never get tired of me telling you how much I love you because you will hear it till the day I die. Then you will hear it in your heart every day till we meet again.