Our Story
In Loving Memory of Kristin Desiree Durrence
On December 1, 2016, Mark and Linda Durrence lost their daughter Kristin as a result of a car accident. While Linda was not Kristin's biological mother, Kristin had been in her life since she was five years old. It was a devastating blow to them and their two daughters Sara and Mattie. They were living in Brunswick, Georgia at the time.
After some time, they decided to move back to Tattnall County, Georgia to be closer to family, and soon began attending a local church where they met Chelsie, Princessa, Juanita, and Zamora, who is Princessa's daughter. During this time the girls were in foster care. When Chelsie turned 18, she signed herself out of foster care and Princessa and Juanita were placed in their second foster home. Within six months, the girls had to be moved again but this time, they were going to be separated. The Durrence family was made aware the girls were about to be separated and agreed to take them in temporarily until they could transition to their grandmother's house in Florida.
Princessa, Juanita, and Zamora arrived with one black trash bag that was about 25 percent full of clothes that didn't fit them, three toothbrushes, and one hairbrush. The Durrence's took them shopping to ensure they had everything they needed and more. The girls begged them to stay with them. After much prayer and with their grandmother's blessing, the Durrence family adopted the girls in May of 2019. After some time passed, Chelsie later agreed to let Mark and Linda Durrence be her mom and Dad too.
It wasn't long after that God showed them that they all needed each other. So much healing took place with the merging of their family. Through unconditional love and the planting of the Word of God, the girls blossomed. As a matter of fact, the whole family blossomed. Mark and Linda Durrence now have six daughters between their biological and adopted daughters. They are truly one big happy family.
In spite of their unconditional love and joy of living in the blessing of God, Linda couldn't get that black trash bag out of her mind. What did other families do when foster children came to a new home with practically nothing? Foster parents don't get funding from DFACS right way if at all.
So, in January 2022, The Durrence's and extended family began working on Blossom Boutique to provide free clothing to foster, adopted and disadvantaged children. Blossom was officially opened and began officially serving families in February of 2022.
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