Merry Christmas!

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord."

Luke 2:11

WAIT, HOPE, DREAM, REPEAT

Here we go again . . . we are adopting another precious daughter/sister into our family! It's Christmas time, and we pray that next year we will have one more gift around our tree! We have been praying over adopting another little one for quite some time, and we believe that God has said now is the time.

"Joy to the world, the Lord has come. Let earth receive her king. Let every heart prepare Him room!" Our hearts are full of joy because of His love for us. He is preparing our hearts to now receive another sweet love. We are answering God's call with a "yes", and we are completely trusting in Him as He guides our path.

We know that as we take this step into the unknown, God will work deeply in our hearts to love Him more. We will be forced to cling to Him with all of our might. He will cause us to let go of the things of this earth with both hands as we hold on tight to Him.

The process is long, and the details are many. Having traveled a similar path before, we know that the way will most likely be bumpy. It is not safe or easy. In fact it is quite the opposite. Yet, we are confident that our heavenly Father has intentionally planned each and every step. He has promised to be with us!

"I lift my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip - He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. He watches over you - the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm - He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."

Psalm 121



Joy's Surgery

Surgery #4 is complete for little Joy Joy! We woke up extremely early and left for the hospital at 5 a.m. Joy's first words were, "Is it March 10th?" The girl was so excited for her surgery. It continually amazes us that she literally gets giddy about doctor visits and hospital procedures. She is a resilient little thing, not to mention I think she kind of likes the special attention. Right as we were about to turn into the hospital Joy wanted to recall the Bible story we read last night about Moses. She really seemed to identify with Moses and his fear about going to pharaoh. She remembered how God told Moses that His name is "I Am" which showed that He has always been and always will be. He never changes, and He promises to always be with us and to never leave. I love that she is learning how to trust in the Lord with all of her heart and to know that He is good and faithful all the time! Here she is in the waiting room before going back to pre-op . . . all smiles!

We were escorted to our pre-op room, and Joy was greeted by a bed full of special toys, books, coloring pages, and stickers. The hospital does such a wonderful job at making kiddos feel special, and the care is outstanding. Needless to say, Joy was happy and comfortable while we waited.

Joy was dancing and entertaining everyone who came to visit. She truly brings "joy" to others, and it is always a blessing when we have the opportunity to tell our story of how this joyful little girl became ours.

The nurse gave her the "silly juice", and then she got all prepped to go. She was calm and sleepy as we kissed her and told her we loved her. We whispered in her ear that God loves her and He is with her. She smiled, happily returned our affection, and simply said "bye-bye".

The surgery only took an hour and a half, but we were expecting two and a half. That was a welcome surprise! The doctor said everything went great, and Joy is now hardware free! She is all bandaged up with thick dressings on her thighs and around her waist, and she will stay that way for a week. (Although a week pales in comparison to five months in a spica cast.) She needs to lay low for a while and limit her physical activity in order to let the bones gain strength. We will care for the incisions, and pray that they heal quickly. She is experiencing some pain and discomfort, but regular Ibuprofen and Tylenol seem to be doing the trick. And of course a promised strawberry shake from Chick-Fil-A definitely helped her feel better. It is our pleasure to care for and love on our special girl. We are thankful to be home, and we praise the Lord that the surgery is now behind us. May the joy of the Lord be her strength!

"Hand Picked"

Oh, my heart . . . I can't seem to take my eyes off of vulnerable, waiting children, children who need a family, children with broken hearts. These children are a world away, yet so near to my heart. I know that the God of the universe sees each one, and He knows them by name. I was recently pondering how long our dear, sweet Lindy waited for us. She had just turned 5 years old at the time of her adoption. We are extremely fortunate to have numerous pictures of her from the time she was a baby until the time she joined our family. I was simply scrolling through the pictures grieving at how much of her little life we missed. I came across a picture of her as a baby wearing a shirt inscribed with these words, "hand picked".

It was just so precious to realize that God knew exactly what He was doing when He hand picked her for us. Our family gets to be a part of God's sovereign plan for Lindy's life . . . that is amazing! When I see her as a baby, I feel sadness at not be the one holding her, taking care of her, and loving her. Yet I am so thankful that someone was there to hold her and care for her while she waited.

I am sad that she went through two major open heart surgeries without us. She was born with tetralogy of fallot as well as spina bifida. She endured pain and suffering without her family by her side. But these surgeries, they saved her life! God was with her, and He had a plan! Oh, my heart . . . these eyes looking right into mine saying "Mama, come and get me."

God gave her an angel of mercy to be there to care for her, filling the need the best she could.

It was just after this picture of her leaving the hospital after heart surgery number two that we first saw her face . . . and we knew. This girl was "hand picked" for us by our heavenly Father to be our daughter.

Lindy's story is one of healing, redemption, grace, and love. However, it didn't begin without brokenness, pain, and loss. Our faithful, loving, and good God makes all things beautiful in His perfect timing.

February is "heart" month. I have been reading story after story about precious heart babies at 28daysofhearts.blogspot.com. Not only has Lindy had surgery on her heart, but I have too. My heart has soared with joy for the little ones who have loving families by their sides, and my heart has been broken for all of the precious "warrior" children waiting to be picked. They are fighting battles with strength and bravery beyond their years.

When we entered into the world of adoption, like so many others, we wanted a "healthy" child. However, our eyes were opened to the countless children who waited for a family because they weren't "perfect". Each one is just like every human being who walks this planet - imperfect, broken, hurting, and in need of a Savior. Only One is perfect, Christ alone is the Savior! Jesus came to seek, love, heal, and save His broken, imperfect people. He hand picked us to be His children.

"He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will." Ephesians 1:4-5

There are just so many spiritual parallels with adoption. We are not the saviors, but we can be His hands and feet. We can point His precious ones to their one and only Savior! Choosing a child who is medically, emotionally, and mentally fragile is scary. Knowing that it will be hard, painful, and exhausting and that the outcome may not seemingly end the way we want is daunting. Our human instincts are to protect and ward off hurt. But I know that God does His absolute best work through pain. It's when we need Him most that we truly cling to Him, and He receives the most glory. The privilege we have to point little hearts to Jesus is one beyond compare no matter how much time we have.

Our children are currently doing very well, and they are all happy and healthy. Lindy's heart is functioning beautifully, and she currently has no limitations. Like many children with repaired TOF, her pulmonary valve has a mild leak. She will most likely need intervention in the future, and we trust the Lord with that. When she joined our family her heart had already been repaired in China, and that was a huge blessing. To adopt a child who is labeled "terminal" or "inoperable" is a completely different diagnosis. It usually receives a "no thank you". I am wrestling with this one myself. To adopt a child who may not live a long life on this earth feels so sad and painful. Then I remember that we are all "terminal", and none of us knows how many days we have. But we do know that we will have all of eternity to spend in the arms of our Savior. We have HOPE which is the remedy for pain and loss. To share that HOPE with another is the greatest gift we could ever give. It is the gift that we have received through Christ.

I don't know exactly what the future holds for our family, but I know that I want my heart to remain open to whatever the Lord may have in store. Thank you, Lord, for this "hand picked" beautiful gift!

 

"See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven." "So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish." Matthew 18:10-11,14

 

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." Luke 19:10

*Update . . . we are adopting again! A little heart warrior! Exactly 8 months from when I wrote this post our application was accepted to adopt another little "hand picked" flower!

Another Surgery

We knew it would have to be done . . . and the time has now come. Two weeks from today Joy will have one more surgery. Exactly two years ago Joy underwent her first of three surgeries on both hips and one knee. Both of her femur bones were severed, and a small wedge of bone was used from each one to repair her dislocated hips. Three screws were then inserted into her femurs to hold the broken bones together. The bones are completely healed, yet the screws have remained while Joy has worked on strength and mobility. However, the screws now need to be removed in order to avoid potential problems in the case of any necessary surgeries in the future.

This is an out patient procedure which should only take a couple of hours. Yet, it is always hard to watch your baby wheeled away knowing that her little body is about to be invaded. Our doctor will cut back through the previous incisions made on the sides of both thighs to remove the screws. The aftermath will be incision care of which we are not strangers. And then there is the scar care including nightly massage and tubs of Aquaphor. Joy will probably be sore for a couple of weeks, but we pray that she is up and about as quickly as possible. The good news is that she won't come out of surgery in a spica cast!

She knows that she is having surgery again soon, and she talks about it very matter of factly. She is two years older now, and she completely understands everything. She doesn't seem anxious about it, but she has expressed a little bit of uncertainty. We simply have another opportunity to point our hearts to the One who holds us in His capable, loving hands. We recently read the story of Daniel as well as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. What great stories of courage in the face of trials! Joy memorized Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and brave. The Lord your God will go with you. He will never leave you. He will never desert you." I pray that she will know deep within her soul that God's promises are true, and He is always faithful!

"Ah, This is the Life!"

Smoothies and parasols in the backyard

Hot chocolate while shopping at Target

Frosties at Wendy's

It doesn't get much sweeter!

"Timon and Pumbaa"

 

The big kids love to come up with famous duos to describe our little girls . . . some of the past favorites have been: Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, Pip and Pop, Mike and Sulley, and as of late its . . . Timon and Pumbaa! Timon's tenacity, spunk, and big ideas, not to mention the fact that he is pint sized, describe our little Joy.  Pumbaa's gentleness, easy going nature, and support of his sidekick's ideas, not to mention that he is quite a bit bigger than Timon, describe our little Lindy. These two are the best of friends, partners in crime, and an extremely lovable pair!!!

 

 

"Hakuna Matata!"

Happy 6th Birthday, Joy Joy!

Our little colorful, rainbow of a girl is 6 years old today! And boy was she excited!

 

 

This precious girl is a shining light, and the world is a whole lot brighter because she is in it! She continues to amaze us with her curious mind as well as her loving heart. She is oh so sweet, and oh so spicy! Her laugh is music to our ears, and her zest for life is simply contagious.

She woke up this morning grinning from ear to ear and pretty much didn't stop all day!

She requested heart shaped pancakes for breakfast, and Daddy added a little something extra special!

 

 She was very pleased with her plate! She then opened up her presents and especially enjoyed her new Mulan doll (favorite princess at the moment) as well as her new scooter.

However, after trying out the scooter she wasn't too sure . . . she had really wanted one "just like Lindy's" because the platform is nice and wide. The new scooter didn't have quite the foot space she was comfortable with, so we made a quick return and then a trek to pick up a new one. It wasn't until later tonight that she was able to try it out . . . in the house. But Joy was oh, so happy! Both feet fit perfectly on the board (which has princesses and tassles I might add), and she was off enjoying her new ride. This whole escapade is quite comical considering the fact that our little Joy has the tiniest feet ever!

We had a special celebratory lunch of Joy's favorite, Chinese food! And my favorite way to prepare  it is from the authentic cuisine of . . . Pick Up Stix!

And for dessert Joy chose pink strawberry cake with pink strawberry frosting and colorful marshmallows, and strawberry ice cream. So yummy!

Joy was so tickled she could hardly stand it!

 

 She blew out her candles and announced, "Bye bye 5, hello 6!"

 

 

The Lord has given us such a priceless gift, and this little one is a treasure beyond compare! We love you more than words can say, Joy Joy, and you will always be our "special girl"!
Happy, Happy Birthday, 6 year old!
 

 

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

"Dear friends, since God loves us so much, we should also love one another." 1 John 4:11

 

 

Winter Fun!

We had some fun as we traveled to New Mexico to visit family after Christmas and to celebrate the new year. The little girls got to experience some firsts . . . ice skating and playing in the snow! Here they are with skates on . . . ready to go!

 

Mommy and Daddy helped them along, and even though it was a bit challenging, the girls had a ball!

 

However, they were equally happy to sit with Nani and drink a cup of hot chocolate! The weather was cold while we were there, and one day there was just enough snow to make some snowballs and a very little "snow mouse" as they called it.

 

 

All the cousins had a gingerbread house making contest . . .

 

 

and we had a very cultural Spanish experience making tamales with Nani! Yum!

 

 

It was a blessing for everyone to be together making memories, and we had wonderful time!