Kristin Williams Balla

Many, many years ago I purchased a grapevine wreath. It had the name Balla painted across the top banner, a wood cutout of a little house at the center-bottom, and six painted wood hearts (three down each side) declaring each family member’s name: Attila, Kristin, Lyryn, Brent, Declan and Ashley. That was two children ago!

When Johnna joined our family in 1999, I pulled off the old wood hearts and purchased new unfinished ones at the craft store. I bought nine so that I would have a just-in-case-one-is-ever-needed left over. I coated all of them with textured vanilla-colored paint. Using an antique maroon acrylic, I carefully printed each one of our seven names onto each heart, and super-glued them back to the wreath.

My OCD compels me to create balance, which meant I had to have an eighth name. I decided that Jesus would be perfect, and voila! I was able to simultaneously achieve balance and proclamation.

Johnna was nine when we threw her first birthday party that was ever held in our home (she had arrived at the age of eight). We decided to invite some friends from her previous school. Mrs. Hernandez complimented me on the lovely wreath over our fireplace and innocently asked, “Who is Jesus?”

I tried not to laugh. Really, I did. In Spanish, Jesus is a common name.  Mrs. Hernandez thought that maybe she had missed meeting one of our children! I had to explain that I was referring to Jesus Christ.

Leigha had written her name on our hearts when she lived with us as a foster child from June 2002 through June 2004. We were devastated when she returned to her birth family at the age of eight, but were also blessed by regular weekend visits with her over the next two years. When Leigha returned to foster care two years ago we were devastated once again, but there was nothing we could do about it at the time.

And then the call came in April 2008. Were we willing to be an adoptive resource for Leigha? As one friend said, “It never occurred to me that you wouldn’t say yes.”

The Balla Family wreath hangs above an antique sideboard in our living room. Today I took it down. Close inspection revealed a disturbing amount of dust. I had to vacuum it with a brush tool, blowing a fuse in the process (our house was built in 1900!). But tenderly vacuum it, I did. I gently detached the Jesus heart and reapplied it to the bottom-center of the grapevine. 

I retrieved the box that held the extra white heart and the small container of paint. At first, I forgot to stir the paint and it poured out clear and pinkish on the test paper. After vigorous shaking it returned to its’ original warm brown color and I was in business! I was very careful (nearly reverent) as my paintbrush slowly formed the letters    L e i g h a  across the heart. 

It has come full circle. Our daughter has returned home! To prove it, I have a recently-Hoovered wreath with her name on it. God knew she would return to us. He gave me just enough faith to hold onto one last heart with which to officially announce it.