Meeting Kirsten

Being back in Idaho has been a trip.  I'm not sure how to feel about it all, but I'm learning to deal with it, seems like most of it I don't have a choice about anyway, so after a few day's of processing I'm usually ok again.

 

  In January Amber invited us to Taylors birthday party.  We got there and were enjoying our time with family when Amber came up to us and let us know that she had invited Brian's estranged daughter to the party and that she was on her way as we spoke.  Pretty awkward!  Brian felt like the party was the wrong place for them to meet after all this time so he hid in an adjoining room so he could see her then sneak out.

 

Pretty soon she walked in the door.  It didn't take long for her to recognize a few of my kids, this flustered her and she immediately went upstairs to the bathroom.  As soon as she was upstairs, Brian headed for the door.  The whole thing was done in very bad taste!  Who decides to throw a father and daughter together after 17 years apart...at a party with some 25 other teens.  I was mortified for Brian, but curious to meet the daughter I have never met.  I pulled myself together and went upstairs to find her and introduce myself. 

 

About 2 years earlier I was talking to my niece on the phone when she informed me that Kirsten was with her and wanted to know if we wanted to talk.  We did, for 3 hours, then she set up an email account so we could communicate.  We did that for a year then she felt guilty for sneaking around her mother's back so we stopped.  So this party was not the first time we had spoken, but the first time we had seen each other.  I found Kirsten upstairs in Amber's bedroom, she was telling Amber and her husband Eric about Theron (Brian's son, her brother)  he had been in an auto accident and broke his knee cap.  She was telling them about his surgery and how he was healing. He had recently received his mission call and would most likely be late for his mission.  After she finished they introduced us.   

I wasn't sure if Kirsten would want to meet my kids, but Ethan came in with something in his eye, I helped him and she introduced herself to him, then to the girls and Brock.  I was happy to see everyone getting along so well.  The kids hung out together for the rest of the night. 

Brian and I kept in contact all night.  He asked me to stay until Kirsten left.  He wanted the kids to have as much time as they could with each other, we weren't sure they would get another opportunity once her mom found out.  They had a fun night.  Kirsten took time from the rest of the party to hang with the kids. 

We have copies of these pictures beside each of the kids beds.  I was relieved that such a horribly awkward situation turned out so good.  The kids really loved meeting her.