“Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together.”
― Vesta M. Kelly
(My Aunt and Uncle’s driveway, March 2019)
(My Dad’s driveway, March 2019)
“Ding! Ding! Ding!“, my cell phone announced the arrival of no less than nine mostly-white pictures from relatives in Minnesota last week.
It made me think about the snow days of my childhood. I spent ten freezing, white-cold winters on a farm five miles from the nearest town. It was at the end of a long, gravel road, privately-owned by someone else, which meant it didn’t always get plowed right away. We would literally just be snowed in.
Every year, the grassy field in front of our house flooded and made a big, bumpy ice skating rink. I don’t remember ever using actual skates, it was just fun to run and slide around on it in our boots. If the wind chill was too brutal, we’d play in the barn. Mom would string up heat lamps for the chickens and my brother and I would spend hours reworking baled hay into houses for all our kitties to stay warm. Eventually, we’d high-step our way through the snow back up to the house…red cheeks, runny noses. I haven’t been cold like that in years.
The weather is supposed to be warm and cloudy here in Alabama this week (yay!), and based on some buds I *think* I saw on a tree in our neighborhood last night, I feel like Spring is about to…well…spring. 😉 It was warm enough to sit outside yesterday and Kevin and I got to spend a couple of hours with our friend, Sonia, on her back porch. Sonia is a social worker and has been such an amazing resource for us when it comes to talking through all-things post adoption and foster care. Sonia told us more about her friend, Lee, who created an organization called Kids to Love, whom Sonia works with and which exists to help find forever families for children who are stuck in foster care and who are hoping to be adopted. She told us about how, in 2015, the Lord led Lee to an abandoned mansion nestled on 10 acres up in north Alabama, and about how a generous gift from Tech CEO/Philanthropist, Dr. Dorothy Davidson, allowed Kids to Love to purchase the property, which is now named in her honor.
Today, the 10,000-square-foot house is home to seven teenage girls, as well as a team of house mentors who provide care, guidance, and stability for each girl in the group family. The girls get to attend a nearby school, have chores & allowances, and live in the home with house parents so that it as close to a family type setting as possible until they are adopted.
Kevin and I drove back home at dusk, moved and inspired by the stories Sonia shared about the girls and the entire Kids to Love organization.
Snowflakes and people…just look what they can do when they stick together.
What’s the weather like in your neck of the world this week, friend?
Layla
PS- Want to learn more about Kids to Love? Just click through to be re-directed to their website…I know they would love to hear from you!
You guys are just the most wonderful folks ever.
I’m thankful these children have a stable place to live while waiting on their forever homes. Thank you for using your platform to share about these children. I pray more people will open up their hearts and homes to these children and others like them. Our family was truly blessed through the adoption of our son and I pray others would be open to it also.
Blessings
❤ that you are always thinking of others. We are all one & in this life together.
My grandad grew up in an orphanage!
This is such a great story! What an amazing way to transform a house for such a beautiful use. Looking forward to mid to upper 40s an 50s this week in Illinois.
What an awesome ministry! As a little girl I always wanted to start an orphanage. I would still love to for younger children, but I’m not sure any states still allow them.
I love this! Thank you for taking your time to share this ♡
Layla. Seeing your Christlikeness in loving others, especially the unloved is so moving. Please continue to share your heart with us. (In the UK)
What an incredible story of God’s hand and mercy. So thankful for those who tune into His Spirit + MOVE in obedience
What a great ministry. Comforting place as they wait for forever homes and family. It is hot already in North Fla!!!! But I’m happy because I don’t do well in cold. Love to visit but love living in a warmer climate.
I love reading uplifting stories such as this! God is doing amazing things! I live in WV and the weather here is expected to be in the 50’s-60’s this week. I’m loving the sunshine, it’s so good for the soul!
That’s amazing! I love hearing about wonderful people like this. Those girls are so lucky to have a group behind them that truly care for their well being.
My godparents fostered 4 siblings and officially adopted them just a few months ago, and they have been such a HUGE inspiration in my life! I have loved getting to watch their relationship grow with each other! It has been such a beautiful thing to witness!
That’s so great praying for all involved
Thank God for people like Lee, Sonia, you, Kevin and all the others who open their hearts and homes to these children!
I love this! Such an inspiring testimony. ❤️
We live in Opelika and adopted through foster care in our county. Adoption is just beautiful no matter how it’s done!!! Our family has been forever changed !!!
What an amazing ministry!! Thankful to the Lord for providing a safe place for those teen girls!!
What a beautiful story! Thanks for sharing.
We live in the beautiful land of Denver, CO.
It’s starting to feel more like Spring today, temps
at 47*
May God Bless you all with beautiful blessings❤️
Love the comparison of snow and people. Makes the snow seem more magical, and that’s how I need to look at it here in the northeast! Thanks for always spreading joy and love.
Sounds like a remarkable place!
At the coast of North Carolina its warm one day, rainy the next and cold the next. So glad their are places like Kids to Love for kiddos. Safe place, a place for them to be to get love and family.
God bless!!!
WOW. My heart. How amazing it that. ♥️ What a safe haven for those sweet girls and give them a new life. Thank you for sharing this. There are some good people out there.
I was holding back sobs watching that video. I’m going to their site right now and see how I can help. ❤️❤️
The weather in Sunny side Sacramento, California is now semi-cloudy but COLD. Glad today for a break in the rain cause we are 10 ft away from a flood! God bless you and your hopeful stories and joy you bring!
As always, thank you for sharing your heart for the world of fostering & adoption. This ministry sounds amazing!!!
We have two adult children now but our plan was always to adopt and/or foster. Step back 18 years when my husband got cancer. Was given only two years As you can tell God had a different plan. Well that changed everything for us, but I still wish we could have done either or both. Sometimes things don’t work out as we plan however, we are blessed to love on other children at our church. Several are adopted and my husband is a lawyer who helped with several of those adoptions. And perhaps one God will bless our daughter and son in love with children. All I know is it’s in His hands. Y’all are doing a great work. Love from Birmingham,Al.
It’s high 60’s low 70’s here in NC this week! I love it. I grew up in the twin cities! I did not love it and wouldn’t live in MN ever again. What an amazing organization!
It is going to be so much warmer here in southern New England this week. The snow from the roof is melting and that dripping water sounds so much like spring! I am so ready for it!
What a great organization! It’s amazing when people act in love!
What a blessing to have people follow God’s calling and bless these children with His love.
What a blessing to the people in that community! Maybe this story will encourage others to start something like it!
By the way, I’m in the midst of all that white in Minnesota. Praying for Spring! 😄
This is beautiful. Let’s be real here, since you always are with us. I swiped the link when you mentioned ‘inspiration’ and got distracted by my toddler. Came back to your stories and swiped again when you mentioned sending something sweet. Clicking on this the second time was led by wanting to receive something “sweet” though just reading this post has given me something. The way you described your childhood, very different to what mine looked like, though I could picture being in your shoes (or “boots”) and it was a very sweet and simple picture of a childhood with freedom and love. And I could relate, without the snow. Ours involved running through puddles, playing in the gutters with our toy boats and making mud pies after the evening thunderstorms had left us with a wet wonderland. I didn’t realise how simple our childhood was at the time, there wasn’t a lot of money though my sister and I didn’t know it. We had freedom, Love and our basic needs met and it was a wonderful childhood. Thankfully enough we were also surrounded by a beautiful neighbourhood. I’m so glad that organisations like Sonia’s exist, so these girls can experience their own beautiful childhood memories, surrounded by people who love and care for them. The quote about the snowflakes is incredibly inspiring. No snowflakes here today, sun, a small breeze and warm temperatures… off to create some beautiful memories for my son now. Thank you.
I watched the video and that’s such a cool story and so inspirational! Being in Alabama, I immediately went to the website to see how we can help! ❤️
Love this! I hope you will be able to,share a bit about your visit there. I know to protect the kids it might be limited but it will be awesome I am sure.
I love snow when I can sit inside and watch it fall. As an adult we loose some of that joy of playing and sledding until I get to do it with a grandchild! Love your spirit and I’m learning so much from you about therapy and healing myself. And how to let go!
Thank you so much for sharing your story and your life! I love your honesty and willingness to share even the hard things! You are such an encouragement! And Let’s go! Is my favorite!!
Oh my word – that touched my heart so much. It never gets old hearing about what God can do and IS doing! Our God is an awesome God 🙏🏻🙌🏻
If only it were cold enough during my childhood to have snow. Our private road would flood because of the irrigation in the fields across from us. My neighbors and I would canoe down our street and hunt for floating fire ant hills. It’s amazing how full of laughter my childhood was because of these memories. It breaks my heart that not all children are privileged to that carefree laughter we had. They have worries and trauma. It’s great to hear about organizations like this are helping those teen girls have less worry and more love in their childhood. Thank you for sharing!
I’ve been thinking about the snowflakes and people sticking together analogy all day. What a wonderful thought.
So inspiring. Every day, you make me pause and rethink everything just a little bit at a time. ❤️
Your writing is well done. Are you going to write a book?
Thank you for this blog post. Well done.
It sounds a little bit like Wedgewood, an amazing organization in my neck of the woods. Considering how I might be called to get involved there.
What a sweet post! Davidson Farms seems like a truly beautiful place ❤️
Layla, love your honesty and love your heart. What advice would you give someone who feels their heart pulled in a million different and worthy directions? I want to join with other likeminded snowflakes and have a ball. (Oh my. Too far) Praying the Holy Spirit will help me discern where my energy, my heart, my money, and my time can go to best glorify Him. Keep posting. You are brave & inspiring.
Love this! Can’t wait to hear about your visit to check out this cool place!! In all things we Choose JOY!!
Cheers
~Jillian
Layla, I love your heart for others, especially sweet kids needing forever homes. Thanks for all you’ve shared- I’ve learned a lot!
Thank you so much for your sweet soul. When I think of snow I kind of frown now because we had a severe snow storm recently & we were without power for 8 days. But on the other hand, we saw our community come together to help each other. So I guess we became one big snowman together ☃️
I did the same thing with my brother and sister in our barn and our pond. While I love a good snow day I am wishing for your warmer temps here in Southern Illinois. That is awesome about the group home. I work at a residential treatment facility as the Development Director ( formerly and counselor and case worker for the kiddo’s) I love how you exude love about fostering and adoption. Sometimes kids are in our residential for far longer than they need to be because of a lack of foster parents. Keep spreading the word! You are such an inspiration to many people! ( even if you don’t feel like it all the time) 🙂
I love your heart for people, kids, who are marginalized. There are so many hurting children who just want to be loved and part of a family. Thank you for sharing this!!❤
My husband and I have 3 young children and recently became licensed foster parents. We are praying God sends us a little girl to adopt through the foster care system but until then, we will be fostering whatever babies he sends our way, for however long then need us. The system is SO broken here in Massachusetts, seeing stories like this one about Davidson Farms is inspirational to all of us who only really see the tough side of foster care/DCF.
Wow!! Thank you soo much for sharing this Layla. I love to hear about these kind of organizations and how people help people. I am soo glad that I started following you on Instagram and that I have been able to learn about many things through you. Keep sharing your life and amazing people like this. And to answer your weather question, here in Georgia it is warm but we are suppose to get some showers this week. Have a blessed week. God bless you.