Dearest Kenzie Girl,

We had no way of knowing how crazy beautiful our lives had just become the day God blessed us with you.  So many times this year we have asked ourselves how eighteen years passed so quickly. The truth is though, we know exactly where it went.  Every moment of it.  Memories of a million simple moments, and a few pretty complicated ones, that add up to our together with you.  The nights that you fit perfectly in our arms while we watched you sleep.  The little girl that refused to take off her Cinderella costume with the sparkling lights. High School Musical karaoke nights and cheesy road trip playlists. Dance recitals and t-ball games with your glove on the wrong hand. Mountains of stuffed animals and baby dolls that each had a special place on your bed each night, and all of the “just one more” minutes well spent tucking you in.  We blinked and you were ordering iced coffee and dancing the night away at prom.  Instead of watching six year old Kenzie serving underhand in her favorite purple volleyball uniform, we were watching you flash us a heart stopping smile when you stepped onto the court at the high school state tournament against one of the top rated teams in the entire nation. Then the purple uniform came full circle when you earned yourself the chance to play college volleyball.  Over the last four years, some of these million moments have been laced with sadness and pain.  Watching you navigate the darkness in this world with courage, grace, hope, and faith has been both gut wrenching and beautiful.  We don’t fully understand the journey God has had you on so far, but we have faith that He has prepared you well for the plans He has for you. He has not brought you this far to leave you, and we aren’t going anywhere either.  Remember, sweet girl, that God isn’t asking you to figure it all out.  He is asking you to trust that he already has. We will miss your laughter filling our home with joy each day dearly, but we are so excited for you to fly. The world needs you to keep lighting it up with that beautiful smile of yours.  It needs you to continue to show kindness and forgiveness to others like only you do. To love more fiercely than others hate.  To continue taking brokenness and turning it into something beautiful.  You are a blessing we are forever grateful for, and we could not be more proud to call you our daughter.  We love you, Kenzie.

Love always,
Mom, Dad, Jack, and Landon

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