TAPLINK

Support for
Pennsylvania
Adoptive & Foster Families

Taproot issue 50 - December 2005

The Surprise Turns Into A Surprise

Phyllis Stevens

After going over TAP’s finances I saw that we had a little extra money in our budget, so I called TAP’s VP and told her that I would like to surprise our members and take them to lunch for the next support group meeting. Wwe called Olive Garden and reserved a room for 30 people and sent out notices that our September meeting would be a little different, so do not bring food for this meeting. Andrea said, “Why don’t we try to give each family a gift and have door prizes”. So we asked stores to donated gifts for door prizes and we purchase picture fames to give out to everyone.

When all the members had arrived that were coming we told them that we were taking everyone to the Olive Garden without the kids for lunch and TAP was paying for it. We had a great time laughing and talking about kids, family and whatever. Along with giving out door prizes and picture fames we gave Jenell a beautiful porcelain angel in honor of her daughter Rayshonda.

Once we had finished Andrea told me to sit down. I thought she wanted to say something. She did, she said that she had one last gift to give out. She reached into a bag and pulled out a big box. Inside the box was a book. She then turned to me and said, “Phyllis we have a gift for you”. She opened the book and started to read letters that people had written about me. I started to cry. There were pages and pages of letters honoring me for the work that I have done to help adoptive, foster, and kinship families. I can’t even begin to tell you how it affected me, how it still affects me today.

I would like to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for all the kind things you said. I LOVE this work the Lord had allowed me to do. As most of you know I have received many awards locally and nationally for my work with children and families. There are two that means a little more to me than the rest they are:

Ø The “Reaching Out Award” from the Special Kids Network (SKN). This award was presented to TAP because of the feedback that SKN received from families concerning the help that they received from TAP. And

Ø This book of letters. Most of the letters came from the members of our parent support group. Thank you so much! We are truly a “family”

Did I mention that Andrea was putting this surprise together for me from her hospital bed? To you Andrea; “ A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words." Thanks for being my friend!