Dear Karlee...

One of the things our church does for graduating seniors is host a special banquet in their honor. At this banquet, parents were asked to read a letter written to their son/daughter. I have to say this wasn't an easy assignment. I choked up and started crying after writing "Dear Karlee!" And yet, I'm glad we were asked to do the assignment.

This is our letter I read to Karlee at the banquet.


Dear Karlee,

As we sit down to write this letter we are overcome with the speed of time and how fast the past 17 years has gone by. It’s one of those things that people try to warn you about but until you’ve actually lived through it you just can’t comprehend. Now, we get it. Seventeen years is now flashing through our minds faster than the speed of light. It is hard to summarize the past 17+ years in a letter. It seems like yesterday, we were at Pheobe Putney Hospital in Albany, Georgia welcoming you into this world- it took awhile to get you here but finally you decided to make an entrance on your own time. We remember your baby dedication ceremony and the way you screamed over the pastor’s sermon and prayer- stealing the spotlight. We remember our move across the country to Oklahoma, your first trip to the hospital with Asthma- 6 breathing treatments in the ER and then you were climbing out of your crib and running down the hall! Also your concussion by trying to stand on your daddy’s basketball in the living room, your first trip to the principals office to get paddled in K-3 for going into the boy’s bathroom and then your second trip in K-4 for running away from the teacher in the parking lot-not so proud moments there. We were so proud when you won the Miss Footprints award in 8th grade when told that no one has ever won this if you are not from Lebanon. You have helped make so many fun Christmas celebrations, yearly family vacations, church camp experiences, and mission trips. It was such a privilege to have your dad baptize you here at TDF.

We want you to know that no father or mother could be prouder of their daughter than we are of you. God has blessed us beyond measure in giving us the priviledge of being your mom and dad. Your bubbly personality is contagious. You have a beautiful smile that brightens a room when you walk in. We thank God each day for you! We know that we have moved many times in your life to different states and churches and you have ALWAYS been so willing to go where God was leading us! We remember when we felt God leading us to move back here to Nashville and it was the end of your sophomore year. You had just been elected Junior Class President and was ready to start planning the prom for next year.....we asked you if you were ok with the move. Your answer was...if this is where God is leading you and our family then I know that God has great things in store for us and who am I to argue with that. We knew then that God was first priority in your life and He had great things in store for you!

Your humor and sweet personality is such an asset to our family! You always make us laugh by being so goofy sometimes! That is what we love about you- you can find the humor in so many things! We love that you are willing to try new things and are not afraid to take chances- such as playing in the pit for the band at DCA when you had never done that before! You were great! :) Also, going to a new school your junior year and making lifetime friends!

Karlee, you have always been and always will be a blessing to us! Our hope and prayer for you is that you always let God lead you in all your decisions throughout your lifetime and put Him first in all you do! We dedicated you to the Lord 17 years ago and we have seen God working and continue working in your life. We are so thankful that God chose us to be your parents! We pray that God will continue to bless you beyond measure in all you do! You make us proud, but more importantly we want you to make our God proud and we know He is so proud of you too!

Our prayer for you is: Ephesians 3:14-20
16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your heart as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

We love you, Karlee more than words can ever say!!!
Mom & Dad