Worth it All: Kevin's Story

In light of the tragedy of losing Paige at NDFH, I cannot think of a better way to end this fundraising drive then with the story I have to share with you today.  Laine, Kevin's mama, shares her story... a story that isn't yet over but shows just how very much this is all worth it.  I love the end of it, especially.

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I have been so blessed to read all the amazing stories that New Day moms and dads have shared on Carrie’s blog the past six days! Haven’t yall? I mean, if these stories don’t increase your faith and make ya wanna give give give then you must not be breathing! :)

Here is our New Day miracle boy Kevin:

We first saw his picture in January 2009. After looking at his file along with the various cardiologist opinions, it was apparent that without further medical attention, Kevin would be in dire straits. Kevin was diagnosed with a severe congenital heart condition. He has dextrocardia, heterotaxy, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, & a large VSD. He also had severe pulmonary hypertension. When he was almost two he was moved from his orphanage in Hunan province to New Day in hopes of receiving the medical care he so desperately needed.

Here he is upon first arriving at New Day: Scared, Sick, Sullen & Shy

Kevin is a rare case, and the surgeons in Beijing were very concerned that he would not survive surgery. It was decided that Kevin needed to wait until he could be adopted to attempt any surgical procedures on his weak and frail little body. The nannies at the Healing Home took such good care of Kevin.

They made sure he did not overly exert himself. They made sure he had healthy foods to eat. They kept a close eye on Kevin’s oxygen levels. And above all of these necessities, they made sure Kevin was loved, loved, and loved some more. Oh how thankful we are for the tender care his nannies, as well as so many interns and staff gave to Kevin. We know, without a shadow of a doubt, that God used New Day to save Kevin for us.

Upon arriving home it was indeed confirmed that Kevin’s pulmonary hypertension was too extensive for him to survive the Glenn procedure, which he needed for his single ventricle heart defect. Instead of the Glenn, Kevin received a much less invasive BT shunt to redirect blood flow and hopefully help repair his damaged lungs. Our hope is that over time, his lungs will be in a good place that he might receive his heart repair surgery. We praise God that in the 17 months since his shunt was placed, his lungs have improved somewhat, and he is doing really well! Are his lungs to that ‘magic number’ where the doctors feel comfortable performing the surgery? Not yet. Will they ever be? God knows.

Here is what we do know:
God saved Kevin. While most moms of heart babies are thankful their children had heart surgery at New Day, we are thankful Kevin did NOT have surgery! The surgeons in Beijing were wise and discerning in suggesting Kevin needed to wait on surgery. Indeed, his little lungs just couldn’t have taken it. What a BLESSING that New Day has such caring doctors who look to the best interest of each child, taking into account their individual health and prognosis.

The recent death of little Paige has not only caused much sadness at New Day, but it has hit really close to home for us. Our hearts hurt for those who loved her so. Paige had similar defects to Kevin. We realize that Kevin could easily not be here with us today. Heck, everyday we realize we don’t have a clue how long he WILL be with us. Kevin is worth that risk. Paige was worth that risk too. The unconditional love that New Day shows to each child truly brings healing. Maybe their physical defects are not immediately healed, but their little hearts and souls are soothed with the balm of love and physical touch. They are EACH so very WORTH IT ALL.

The matching fund goal has been met, PRAISE GOD! But the needs? They go far beyond that goal, yall. Please don’t stop giving. After 7 days of stories, real-life-heart–beating-tear- invoking-stories, we can all see that every dollar given to New Day goes toward changing and saving LIVES of children who are WORTH IT ALL!

Kevin Today: Spunky, Sassy, Silly & Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!!!!!!!!!!!

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As Laine pointed out, the fundraising drive is over and we reached our goal.  $30,000 for NDFH's medical fund.  But as she also pointed out, the needs don't stop there.  If you didn't get a chance to give, and you want to do so, please feel free to donate to the medical fund either online or by check - instructions are on NDFH's website.  

And did you see the comment left on our blog yesterday?

As one of the families who is providing the "match" for this fundraiser, I want to thank everyone so much for their generosity and living out so beautifully the call to care for orphans. I am thankful we met our "goal", but if you want to give and haven't done so yet, we will still match whatever comes in before the chip-in ends tomorrow, even that which is above the $5000. I don't know our max...push us! :-) And dear sweet Paige, rest in your Father's arms.

So what do you say?!  If you give and want your gift to be matched, please drop me an email and let me know how much you sent.  I'll pass it along to the person doing the matching grant.  Why stop doing a good thing!?

And in closing, I want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH!  On a personal note, it meant a lot to me to see this goal reached.  Margaret Mead once said, ""Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has." That, my friends, is what we are doing.

A Mother's Prayers: Khloe's Story

Before sharing today's beautiful story, I have some very exciting news! Hope International, a small adoption agency in Dallas, TX, has just committed to giving the remainder of the funds to the matching grant drive. You know what that means?! WE HAVE REACHED OUR GOAL! (They are sending their donation via check, which is why it doesn't show up on the ChipIn bar.)

Say it with me friends - WE DID IT!

And it couldn't have come on a better day... Monday, September 12 was a terribly hard day for everyone at NDFH. Sweet little Paige passed away at 6 months of age. I know from my time at NDFH that that you wonder if it's all worth it when you lose a little one... it makes you question everything. So for them to get news that we reached the medical fund goal just a few hours after they got the terrible news about little Paige's passing; well I know it is a reminder that though the way is hard, it is the right path. Please be praying for the staff of NDFH today; especially Andrea, the nanny who first did CPR on Paige.

I still have the remaining two stories I lined up for this week, and I want to share them because they are simply too beautiful, too encouraging, and too amazing not to pass along.  And, for these last two days of stories, I'm going to go ahead and leave that ChipIn box up there.  Now, we have met our goal of $30,000 this summer, but I know there might be a few people out there who still want to contribute.  Anything given from this point forward is simply above and beyond what we aimed to raise... one excess which is never a bad thing.

Today, Khloe's mama Tanya is sharing her daughter's story.

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Our beautiful daughter, Khloe Mei, was born in Fujian Province on February 8, 2008. Just two days later, she was abandoned at the gate of the local orphanage, where they quickly discovered that she was born with an obvious special need and was diagnosed with bladder exstrophy, where her bladder was actually on the ‘outside’ of her body. Upon being found she was immediately taken to the local hospital for treatment. However, they were not equipped to handle her case, so she was transferred to a larger city. This hospital was also unable to do her surgery, so the orphanage made a request to New Day for help. On May 5, 2008, baby Khloe arrived in Beijing. Her case was still too complicated for the hospital in Beijing to handle, so arrangements were made for Khloe to receive treatments in Hong Kong four months later. Over the next few months, she was lovingly cared for by the amazing staff at New Day as she grew and gained strength for the surgery that was to come.

In the meantime, half-a-world away, I had begun to research special needs adoption in China. Through a series of blogs and other posts, I began to hear the name “New Day Foster Home” popping up over and over in a rather condensed period of time. It caught my attention and eventually I spotted a link that led me to their website. What I found there changed our lives forever and would set us on a path that we were not yet aware.

The moment I landed on the NDFH website, I knew something was very different. I did not just see a list of “special needs” faces that I felt sorry for but were someone else’s child to worry about… No, instead I saw smiling happy faces. Short video clips of children learning, playing, giggling and having fun. Kids being KIDS! ~ Kids with a variety of medical needs who were also “fearfully and wonderfully made” by our Creator, and all of whom deserved a family of their own. It became blatantly obvious to me that New Day was a very special place and the children there were extremely blessed to be in such tender care. They did an amazing job of making these kids ‘more than a picture’ on their website and so very real.

Day after day, I found myself back on their site, looking at the photos and watching the videos. It wasn’t long before my two older children were joining me. We were all so captivated by the kids and seeds were being planted in all of our hearts. The kids and I started picking out a new child each day, learning more about their needs and praying over them. It wasn’t long before I had signed up for their Newsletter and after a series of correspondences, was asked if I would like to join their prayer team. I took that honor very seriously and spent much time in prayer for these little ones. Of course we all had our ‘favorites’ but one baby girl always stood out to me. I couldn’t put my finger on why, but it was clear my heart was burdened for her. Her name at the time was “Elise” and I learned everything I could about her need and the surgery that was to come.

On September 7, 2008 Khloe (then Elise) flew with Karen and Grace to MedArt in Hong Kong to begin a series of tests and meet with a team of various specialists before her surgery could take place. There are many details of ‘our story’ that I am leaving out here, but I will just say that God was working a miracle and he was allowing me to be a very small part of it half-a-world away. The day of her surgery, proved to be a sleepless night for me here in the States. I was on my knees, literally, for this special little girl who had stolen my heart. Thanks to the many sponsors who gave to New Day, Khloe received a surgery that was laced with God’s finger prints and one that gave her a new life and hope for a future. This little baby girl, whose pelvis was once separated and whose bladder was once on the outside of her body, was now “repaired” and with an outcome better than the surgeons had every seen in a difficult case like hers before! New Day kept a journal of her recovery at the time, and the progress truly is amazing. From the many prayers that were going up for her from around the world, to the top-notch care she received both at New Day and at MedArt, and the financial support of sponsors that helped to pay for her surgery and months of aftercare as she recovered… they ALL played an integral part in helping to make her the happy and healthy little girl she is today. Every single one of them are part of Khloe’s story, part of “our” story. What I didn’t know at that time, was this little girl named Elise that I was praying for, was soon to be my daughter Khloe! I was praying for my daughter, long before I knew she was mine!

In June of 2009, we received our adoption approval to move forward with making this precious little girl our daughter. And in May of 2010, EXACTLY sixteen months ago today, we arrived in China and saw our sweet daughter’s face for the very first time in the flesh. We boarded that jet plane as a family of four, and returned as a very BLESSED family of FIVE! We are forever grateful to New Day and the life-saving, life-changing care they sought out and helped to provide for our daughter. Looking at Khloe today, you’d never know she was that same baby girl. She is a thriving, happy, energetic, well-adjusted, loving, caring, silly, ADORABLE little girl who is very excited to start her dance classes this month. DANCE classes, people! From a baby who could not walk due to her special medical need, to a little girl who not only walks, but runs, jumps, climbs and DANCES! Thank you to New Day and THANK YOU to all of her sponsors who played a HUGE part in making her the healthy little girl she is today. Our lives are forever blessed and changed for the better because of you!

A Whole Heart: Adahlyn's Story

Today's story is from Adahlyn's mama, Alycia.  We have two days left in this drive and only need to raise about $1,200 more.  You can give online by clicking the ChipIn button on the right side of this blog.  All funds go directly to NDFH.  Or you can give offline by mailing a check to New Day's office in Texas.  Just include a note that says it is for the medical fund drive, and drop me an email so that I can include that total in the final amount, as it won't show up on the ChipIn bar.

Our daughter, Adahlyn was born in the coal capital of China. The city where she lived the first 13 months of her life is known as the "most-polluted" in the world. Because of the coal mines, there are a lot of birth defects. Adahlyn was born with "Holt-Oram Syndrome," roughly translated as heart-hand syndrome. She was listed as a special needs child. She has a repaired ASD (heart condition) and has a "radial clubbed hand." That basically means that she is missing the radius bone in her right forearm and as a result, that arm is shorter and her hand curves in at the wrist. Two of her fingers on her "little hand" are fused and she has no thumb.

Thanks to donors around the world, Adahlyn had her heart surgery soon after she arrived at New Day Foster Home. Last week, I took her in for an in-depth echo cardiogram. Her cardiologist was amazed at how wonderful her heart is doing. The best news? Adahlyn doesn't have to go back to the cardiologist for 2 years!

While she was listed as a special needs child, she is definitely not needy! She is smart, sweet and funny! She learned English in less than 5 months, and continues to amaze us. We know that she was well-loved while she was at New Day because she is so loving to us. A friend of mine was impressed at how seamlessly she fit into our family. It truly is like she has always been with us. We cannot imagine our life without her now.

Before Adahlyn came to New Day Foster Home, her caregivers believed that no one would want to adopt her due to her "defects." After we got our adoption approval, we discovered that there were 3 other families that wanted to bring her home!

At New Day, Adahlyn learned that she is a wonderful gift from God. She learned that she is well loved, and cared for, and that she is worthy of affection. New Day Foster Home and the donors that helped her have heart surgery will always be a part of our extended family. We cannot see her without thanking God for allowing her to be a part of the New Day family.

The gifts of love and health that Adahlyn received while she was at New Day Foster Home will be with her all her life. We are so very grateful to each and every one who gives to "the least of these." Thank you!

Back from the Brink: Evan's Story

Today Molly is sharing her son Evan's story. Evan's is one of the most amazing stories I remember from our time at New Day... mostly because the transformation was just so visible.

For those who are just joining us, we're in the final days of a fundraising drive for NDFH's medical fund. You can donate by clicking on the ChipIn button on the side of the blog; all funds go directly to NDFH. And remember, all donations are tripled by matching grants! We are about 70 percent of the way to our goal... a few more days to reach the final 30 percent. Can't wait for us to reach our goal so that we can help more little ones like Evan.

It was mid-January 2009 when I saw Evan's sweet face for the first time. However, his story started long before that. Like so many special needs children in China, it is a miracle that he is alive. Born with a bilateral cleft lip & palate as well as other syndrome-related issues, Evan was in the last few days of his life when he arrived at New Day.  He arrived at the close of December 2008; he was two years old and weighed in around 10lbs. Evan was, literally, skin and bones.

On that mid-January day, I did not expect to see the face of my son, but I did. When one looks at these pictures of orphaned children, or children who have severe birth defects, most tend to think that he or she is the child of someone else. That picture was my son, but little did I know he was in a fight for his life. Despite the grim reality that Evan was on his death bed, New Day took him in. They loved him, prayed over him, fed him and gave him everything they had. No one knew for sure what was wrong with him, but they did know that he was a precious soul. They did not give up, and soon, Evan could sit up again, then stand, then walk. He even began to smile. It wasn't much longer that he was medically stable and could start preschool. Then he was placed into a foster family.

Just a few short weeks after that we received our approval to adopt Evan, and he was home a year later. Evan is remarkable, and Evan is brilliant. He is tenacious and loving and full of joy.

It was my child that New Day made all the difference for. It was his life that they made all the difference for. New Day made it possible for Evan to not just survive, but to thrive. Fixing hearts and cleft palates are one thing, but New Day goes far beyond medical care. They also work to heal the soul of the child. They did that for Evan, and continue to do that with each new little life that is under their care. As you can see, Evan is definitely not the same dying little boy who joined the New Day family in December of 2008. He is an amazing and courageous 5 year old with a heart full of love and life full of smiles.

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Molly blogs at Everyday Miracles.

A Priceless Gift: Emma's Story

If you're just joining us, we're in the final days of a summertime fundraising drive for NDFH's medical and surgical fund.  We are $2,000 away from meeting our summertime goal of $30,000.  And remember, all donations are TRIPLED by matching grants.  To give, just click on the ChipIn box there to the right side of this blog; all funds go directly to New Day Foster Home and are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.  Let's finish strong!

Today's story is written by Emma Lael's mama, Andrea.

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Emma Lael Sisler... born July 2007 in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia... found in a hospital corridor at 1-3 days old.  I am now the proud mother of this wonderful, smart, healthy, adorable, energetic, talkative, chatty -- Did I mention she is talkative? -- vibrant, sweet, loving, caring, compassionate 4-year-old little girl.

Emma Lael was born with tetrology of fallot (TOF), which is 4 separate heart defects.  All four of her defects were major defects... on a scale of 1-10, all four of her heart defects were 8-10.  She had her first open heart surgery in August 2007 and her 2nd open heart surgery in November 2008.  Without the kindness and generosity of everyday people like you and me, she would NOT be our daughter today..

When I think of the people who donated to the New Day medical fund to help the children at New Day, my heart sing with JOY.  I couldn't help her at that time; I didn't even know she was my daughter!  God knew this all the time.  I've had the privilege of being a neonatal open heart transplant nurse for over 28 year now; the percentage of survival without surgery for a TOF baby is ZERO!!! TOF is not compatable with life.  With that said, Emma Lael needed to have surgery to survive; she didn't only survive, but she has been home now for 11 months and is off all of her cardiac medications!

She has been seen 3 times by a cardiologist and will have her next appointment September 20th, the 1 year anniversary of our adoption of her.  The doctors in China who performed her surgery did a great job; knowing how costly an open heart surgery is the donation you give truly is a LIFE SAVER

Go ahead, be a LIFE CHANGER and help a child at New Day today.  Emma Lael is a normal 4 year old who runs, jumps, swims, and plays like any other 4 year old does.  Knowing she would never have survived without the 2 life saving surgeries she was given at New Day hurts my heart when I look at her today, but knowing total strangers wrote a check to New Day to save a little girls life that they didn't even know and most likely will never know... that is PRICELESS!!!

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Andrea blogs at God's Gracious Gift.

Maria's Story

It's Day Two of a 7-day series of guest posts from NDFH adoptive families.  Today Forrest is sharing his daughter Maria's story.  I remember when Maria first came to New Day.  She lived in the Healing Home, which was in the apartment directly beside my own.  She was so very blue... literally.  Her body couldn't get enough oxygen from her little broken heart.  She was so weak she couldn't get out of bed, so sometimes I'd sit beside her bed and hold her hand and sing songs, all the while making sure her oxygen mask didn't slip out of place.  In fact, I wrote about her in a couple of blog posts... (At the time, her name was Kerstin... that was before she was matched with her family and given the name Maria.)

As we wrap up the summer fundraising drive for NDFH's medical/surgical fund, I hope these stories encourage you to see the miracle of New Day from the perspective a mamas and daddies who are blessed to watch a little one grow up who wouldn't be here if not for NDFH and its supporters.  Put yourself in their shoes for a moment... imagine adopting a little one whose life was saved by strangers before you ever knew her name.

Today NDFH has new little ones... Children like Rebecca, Luke, and Carissa.  Someday their mamas and daddies will tuck them into bed and whisper a prayer of thanks for people like you and me... people who carried their children when they couldn't yet.

Can we finish this fundraising drive strong?  I know it requires a sacrifice, but what would we not do for our children?  We are just about $2500 away from meeting our goal... and remember, every dollar you give to this drive is tripled.  $20 becomes $60.  $100 becomes $300.  And orphans become daughters and sons.  Lives are saved and worlds are changed.


We can do this.

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Maria's the bundle of joy in the middle.

We have been blessed with 3 biological sons and with three adopted daughters. We first became familiar with New Day when adopting our third daughter Maria. After our referral we started seeing New Day referenced in some of the updates, so upon searching a bit we found that she was indeed at New Day.

We were amazed to see how wonderfully Maria was doing while there. We read about how sick she was when she arrived there and that it was questionable if she would survive surgery. We heard from people who had prayed for her as she had surgery and recovered. We are thankful for those who prayed for her and for those who gave money to help pay for surgery that she needed in China.

When we traveled to China to adopt Maria we were blessed to visit New Day and see Maria with her friends at New Day.  We saw first-hand how the children at New Day were loved and how God was blessing the work there. Children that many said would not survive made it through surgery and went on to thrive. Children that would have died in an orphanage suddenly get the blessing of love and more importantly the blessing of someone praying for them. Just look at the pictures on the New Day site showing the remarkable transformations of children as they experience love and care like they have never seen before.

When we arrived home with Maria and went in for her first visit to the cardiologist, he asked “How old is she?” When we told him she was 4.5 years old, he remarked that she should not have lived that long. We knew that it was the grace of God and the loving work of New Day that was the reason she made it. We are confident that had New Day not intervened for her she likely would not have survived in the orphanage.

We are happy to say that since coming home Maria has had her second surgery and is doing great. Today she was in for a checkup with the cardiologist and he is extremely happy with how she is doing. She is even doing gymnastics this year and is active in so many ways.

We witness the results of New Day’s work every day when we see Maria running, playing and smiling. We are thankful every day for the work that New Day is doing and we whole-heartedly support New Day and ask that you too join in the match to help raise much-needed funds for this work.

Thank you God for New Day that has made a difference in the life of our child.

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Forrest and Robin blog at The Collier Bunch.

The Reader's Digest Boy

"By God's grace He chose to use New Day, its volunteers, and its generous donors to save our son's life before we knew his name. The New Day family prayed for, provided for, nurtured and loved our son before we were able to." -Jenna, talking about her son Cooper.

I am super-excited about this next week on our little blog. In the final 7 days of our fundraising drive for NDFH's medical/surgical fund, I've lined up 7 NDFH adoptive families to share their stories with you.  I hope that as we read them, we each remember that it could have been our child who needed the love and compassion of strangers to save their lives.  The little ones who benefit from the medical/surgical funds we raise this summer could be our sons and daughters.  We have one week to raise $2,500 to reach our summertime goal of $30,000, which is a lot of surgeries and acute medical care for little ones who need us to carry them through.  I have no doubt that we can accomplish this goal; giving a few more children the chance to know the love of a family.

First up, we have Jenna, sharing her son Cooper's story.

10 short months ago we had the privilege of bringing home our son, Cooper, from China. While we were having his medical review done previous to accepting his referral, the international adoption specialist we consulted with about his health told us that from his medical records it seemed as though Cooper was "pulled back just in time from the precipice of death" when he had his surgery at 13 months old.

She told us that he is a "Reader's Digest" child. Unfamiliar with that term, we asked her what she meant. She said that he is a child that defied the odds. That by all human explanation should not be alive, but is alive only because of a string of really "lucky" and timely events -- and he is the kind of child that ends up being featured in Reader's Digest when they go on to do great things.

"By all human explanation." "Lucky."

No. There is not a human explanation, and luck had nothing to do with it.

We have the joy of hearing Cooper laugh big belly laughs because of the amazing people at New Day Foster Home in China who cooperated with God to bring him all the way from the other side of China, and provide him with the surgery that saved his life.

We have the privilege of snuggling Cooper close when he is afraid because of people who give faithfully and generously to New Day's ministry to allow them to provide life-saving surgeries for children who have little hope of survival otherwise and no one else to advocate for them.

We have the opportunity to teach Cooper about the God who loves him and created him because of New Day volunteers and supporters who pray faithfully and fervently for the kids while they are in surgery with no mom or dad to pray for them.

We are humbled anew by Cooper's presence every day at the dinner table, in the car, snuggled up on the couch, and while brushing teeth at bedtime, and reminded of the kind of difference New Day and the New Day family of supporters made in our lives. Because there is nothing we could have done to make it so. By God's grace He chose to use New Day, its volunteers, and its generous donors to save our son's life before we knew his name. The New Day family prayed for, provided for, nurtured and loved our son before we were able to.

As parents, there are not words to express what that means to us, to our family, and what it will ultimately mean to Cooper when he is old enough to truly understand.

God is writing amazing stories through the lives of the children that are saved at New Day. Kids that "by all human explanation" should not be alive, but are, because of God's grace and power to be "plantings of the Lord for the display of His splendor."

We are simply left to stand in humble amazement for all that God has done, and to praise and thank Him daily for allowing us to be part of the story.

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Jenna writes at her blog, Many Colored Days.

A Full Heart

Many of you who have followed our blog know that there is a precious little girl at the foster home in China who will always hold a special place in my heart.

Her name is Cora.

We didn't really name our Cora after her; in fact, in a strange way, it's probably her name that drew me to her.  When there are 50 children, it's hard to feel connected with each and every one of them... so when a fellow volunteer chose my favorite little girl name for the new baby with a serious heart condition, I immediately felt drawn to her.

And the connection grew... it was no secret that she was my "favorite" among the staff, nannies, even her home orphanage officials.  Of course I treated all the children equally, and I truly do love each and every one of them, but Cora held a very special place in my heart.  In fact, my parting gift from NDFH was a framed picture of Cora and me together.

I dreamed up ways to adopt her.  Jacob and I aren't yet 30, but I knew the right people who could pull the right strings, and I wondered if maybe I could make her "mine" forever.  But I never really had a peace to try and pull those strings.  I'm no stranger to "working the system," but in this instance I had a very strong sense that I needed to sit back and wait.  To be still and to let God do what He would do.  (I did struggle with doubt; wondering if this was actually cowardice in disguise.  But it seemed so settled in my soul, I could do nothing but be still.)

Naming our daughter Cora was actually quite complicated.  I still harbored hope in the days leading up to her birth that the other Cora would someday be ours; after all she wasn't yet matched and we were only two years away from adoption eligibility.  And I would often ask Jacob, "Whose name would we change?"  But the morning the doctor said, "It's a girl!" and asked me what her name would be, Cora Eve slipped out.  And in my heart I knew.  I'd always love the other Cora, but I needed to let her go.  I had to surrender her.

My two Coras.

And we left China a month later... I hugged her long and hard, wondering if we'd ever hear about where she ended up.  I prayed she would find a family soon -- after all, I never wanted her to still be an orphan by the time we were officially eligible to adopt her.  But part of me was so sad thinking about the fact that I'd probably never know what happened.

A few months later, I got word that she was matched... but I had no idea to whom.  I thought that if it were someone who knew of my love for her, they'd tell me -- so I just assumed she was going somewhere I'd never know.  It made my heart ache a little, but I was so thankful she had a family.

A few weeks later I got an email from a good friend of mine in Dallas... her cryptic message hinted none too subtly that her family was pursuing Cora's adoption.  I seriously screamed when I read her note.  And yesterday it was made official; they received PA to bring her home.  My little China Cora isn't going somewhere I don't know; she's going to remain in my life.  She's coming home to a mama who has loved her as long as I have, and she's going to remain Cora... the name that fits her oh so well isn't changing.

She's coming home, and my heart is so full at the goodness of God.  How great He is for working all of this out -- without me conniving, manipulating, striving, or trying to work the system in any way at all.  I am reminded yet again that when I cease striving and be still before Him, He always gives good gifts.  (Well, I don't think His giving of good gifts is contingent on us being still; but wow!  It's so much more amazing and This-Is-Holy-Ground-Aware when we've done nothing on our own accord.)

A Wise Investment

You give $5, and it is multipled to $15.  $50 becomes $150.  $500 becomes $1500. There aren't many things that give you this kind of return... especially these days.

But the NDFH Medical/Surgical Fund Matching Grant has just become this promising.

Another lover of NDFH just emailed me yesterday and offered another $5,000 to this matching grant drive.  Which means for every dollar we raise, two separate families will match it, dollar for dollar, up to $5,000.  So we're less than $5,000 away from another $15,000.  Which would double our summer-time total, raising $30,000 for New Day in the last few months.

But it's more than that.

It's an investment in the future.  In the next generation.  In little ones like Jewel.

There's no way to quantify those returns.

Snortin'

Ok, these two videos are just simply awesome...

So Cora discovered her "snort" the day before yesterday. So since then, we've been hearing a lot of this:

But when she laughs, as she did while watching Jacob and LeLe play, the snort takes center stage. Warning: It is a known fact that baby laughs are contagious; so watching this video might make you laugh so hard you'll pee your pants. Consider yourself warned.

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And did you hear about the new Mama doing a matching grant fundraiser for NDFH? Another family decided to sponsor a $2,000 matching grant fundraiser... You'll have to read their story. I think it is beautiful... how many families have adopted children who have benefitted from surgeries funded by others? Now we have a chance to "pay it forward" and give the gift of life to another child and the gift of that child to their someday adoptive family.

Undoubtedly inspired by how quickly everyone raised $5,000 go be matched, they offered to do another $2,000! When the matches are in, folks, that would be a total of $14,000! We are just $1,800 away from reaching the total goal of $14,000! That's small potatoes, people! I know several people wrote and said they didn't get a chance to donate the last time, because it ended so quickly! Well, here's your chance! Same cause/same place/different ChipIn widget. My hairbow offer is still in effect, if that somehow is a motivator! :)  Oh, and for convenience, I put the new ChipIn widget up on my blog... feel free to do the same on yours!  But you should still go read their story.

Roundup

I keep thinking eventually I'll get back to blogging more frequently, but until then... it's just a roundup.

I'm officially the mother of a 5 month old.  (Pictures on facebook!)  Which, in our case, means I'm back to feeling inept again.  I had just sort of "figured her out," and now all bets are off and she's a puzzle every day.  Take naptime.  I'm trying to "wean" her from her requirement of either sleeping in the swing, her carseat (while driving - car stops and those eyes pop open faster than I can open the door), or my arms.  But she isn't a fan of sleeping in her bed unswaddled... (we swaddle her at night still - which is a whole 'nother story for another paragraph).  So it's usually a series of very short naps until waking herself with flailing arms... this repeats until she finally exhausts herself and sleeps deeply for an hour or more.  I'm not sure it is working... or if it is even worth it.  Maybe I should just rely on the swing.

So swaddling... yeah... we have a Miracle Blanket, which is seriously a miracle-worker, in my humble opinion.  But at 5 months old, she is just now outgrowing it and strong enough to work her way out of it in the middle of the night.  At which point those night monsters known as flailing arms promptly wake her up.  (She's always woken up 2-3 times a night... she hasn't been a "sleep through the night" kind of baby.  But usually when she wakes to eat, she is just barely stirring and goes back to sleep easily.  When the arm monsters attack, she wakes all the way up.)  So, I'm stuck between trying to decide if it is time to "wean" her from that as well.  Or maybe enlist the help of one of my sewing friends to whip up a larger-sized one.  But I'm not sure if I still want to be swaddling her at 17.  Taking the easy way out now and figuring out a way to continue swaddling is awfully tempting though, especially when it concerns my sleep.  Thoughts anyone?

Cora has entered the world of temporary childcare, and she is not a fan.  During my Bible study and at the YMCA, she's spending a few hours a week in the nursery.  I've been impressed with both places and the quality of care, but I think it is too loud for Cora, as she seems to have a nervous breakdown each and every time, which results in me getting paged to come pick her up.  I'm thinking I want to keep pushing through it a little bit longer, though.  For one, in my first pilates class today, I discovered that childbirth left me with no abdominal muscles at all, and I think that needs to be addressed.  I'm honestly too lazy to do it on my own, so a class is good motivation - and it gets me out of the house 3 mornings a week!  Also, I don't want Cora to never be able to stay with a babysitter, so I'm thinking it's probably good for her to get used to childcare a bit.

For those who have heard me say that she "never cries," you may be wondering about this "nervous breakdown."  Well, my baby who never cries has found her voice.  Just the other night she was yelling while Jacob was holding her.  (Seriously - yelling.  Not crying.  Just yelling.)  If I'd look her way, she'd stop.  But if I turned back to what I was doing, it was back with the yelling.  I'd find it sweet that she wants me so much, but honestly sometimes I want a break.

So that's the mothering roundup.  It sounds kinda negative... more so than I mean for it to.  We're actually doing really well and I am enjoying her more every day simply because she's becoming so incredibly fascinated with everything.  It is fun to watch her explore her world.  I just wish she'd let me figure her out.

Next week I am off to Portland, OR!!!  Some of you live up there, and I'd love to meet up, if you have a chance!  Just drop me an email if you are one of those folks, and we'll see if we can arrange something.  Cora and I are going to go see my grandparents for the week.  Yay!  


And the fundraiser for surgeries... so, we're not doing so swell.  It hasn't really changed much in the last few days.  I've kind of dropped the ball and haven't been out there talking it up, but I still believe we can do this ladies and gents!  When I "worked" at the foster home, it always amazed me how easy it was to raise money for things like field trips to the zoo.  We'd put up the challenge, and in less than a few hours, usually every single cent was raised.  Which was AMAZING!  But funds for formula, medical care, and surgeries were a bit harder to come by.  But you want to know what a NDFH field trip to the zoo looks like without funds for surgeries?


Like this:

Photo Credit.

Don't get me wrong, Pandas are adorable... but the picture is a whole lot sweeter when you also capture a wide-eyed little one soaking it all in.  And without medical/surgical funds, NDFH would cease to be able to fulfill its mission.  I know it is more fun to send kiddos on a field trip, but right now I want to make sure that a few more kiddos get the chance to go on a field trip someday, and that's what this is all about.

One thing I love and respect about NDFH is that the leadership feels strongly that we shouldn't always be asking for money.  (But this is my blog, so I can be a bit more direct.)  We want people to give out of a sense of excitement and love, not out of guilt/obligation.  So you probably don't see very many direct pleas from NDFH.  And God is always faithful to provide what is needed, but the reality is... this is a big need.  It always has been and always will be.  Sometimes kiddos pass away on a waiting list, and sometimes the reason they are still on a waiting list is because funds are running low... Without money, there are no surgeries.  I think you get the point.  I shall shut up now.

But I will show you some pictures of bows I recently made...

Remember, a $50 or more donation gets you a fun little bow made with love by me, if you want one!  More details on the fundraiser can be found here.

Are You Up for a Challenge?

I'm so excited about this.  Since coming back to China, I've been trying to figure how how to maintain my involvement with NDFH, a place that will always be near and dear to my heart.  There have been little projects that have come about since coming home - enough to keep me feeling a bit connected - but to be honest, I've been too busy, distracted, and consumed with our own homecoming/resettling and with mothering to stay involved to the degree that I would love.

(I know, I know - Seasons for everything, yada-yada-yada.  I'm OK with the tension right now, but I want to make sure my heart stays soft to the real needs of the world in the midst of us getting ourselves settled and all that it entails... this new furniture buying, cell phone procuring, play-group forming, errand-running life.)

So when I got an email from a friend of New Day asking me to help with a Matching Grant Fundraiser, I was so excited.  It was something I could do to help those kiddos I love so much!  Here's what she sent me:

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I’m just a mom. Just like most of you. I scurry from soccer games to choir, grocery store to library, dishwasher to washing machine. And then finally I fall into bed. Sometimes I get so caught up in the day to day, that I forget to look at the horizon, stop and enjoy creation and see the big picture of life. Do you ever feel like that? I know that there is more than “just keeping up.” In James 1:27 we are commanded to look after the widows and orphans in their distress. If you are anything like me you read that and think “but what can little old me do in my small world?” In the midst of our every day comforts we lose sight of the fact that necessities are not equal to wants. Yes, the economy is not what it used to be. Yes, gasoline is on the rise. But how many dollars do we waste and not even blink at it. To an orphan, every dollar counts and makes a difference. 

As most of you know, the first step for many Special Needs kids is to have the surgery they need before they can move toward adoption with their forever families. Please join me in a “Surgery Fund Challenge” for the new kids at New Day Foster Home.  For every dollar pledged, another dollar will be matched up to a maximum of $5,000. (Carrie's Comment: THAT'S A TOTAL OF $10,000 YA'LL!)  Did you know that if just 200 people will commit to $25 we could meet the match amount? Will you consider: giving up eating out for lunch or dinner just once, maybe twice; a pedicure; a couple of Starbucks; or a hair cut and pledge that amount to this fund? Perhaps you could hold a garage sale and give some of your proceeds to the fund; collect aluminum cans; have a bake sale at a soccer tournament and pledge that amount to this fund? Your sacrifice will make a difference to these kids.  

Like many of you, I read the blogs, study the faces of these children, know them instantly by name, and celebrate the arrival of their families. That is nice, but in my heart I know there needs to be more. I realized I can’t make a difference if I sit on the sidelines. Please stand up with me for these kids and pledge whatever you can. Together we can make a difference. Click on the ChipIn button to donate directly to the New Day Foster Home Surgery account.

Thanks for your consideration,
From a Mom just like you

“Then I heard a voice of the Lord saying

‘Whom shall I send?

And who will go for us?’ 

And I said, ‘Here I am. Send me!’”

Isaiah 6:8

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Do you get what she's doing?! A "Mom just like you" is going to match every dollar we give to this fundraiser up to $5,000. A total of $10,000! That's enough for a heart surgery. All we need to do is give! And, if you want to get more involved, maybe consider reposting this and putting the ChipIn box on your own blog. All the donations made via ChipIn go directly to New Day Foster Home.

You know what I love?  This is not an "official fundraiser" organized by New Day Foster Home (though all donated monies do go directly to them).  It is an outpouring of love and support from those of us who love this place and whose lives have been changed by the children who live there.  I'm excited to see us give them $10,000 for surgeries.

I've been thinking about what I can do to make this a bit more personal to me - other than just posting it once on my blog.  Here's what I came up with.  So I've become slightly obsessive with making hairbows for Cora.  Maybe you've seen some of my work.  (If you've seen a picture of her with a hairbow, it is one I've made.)  Recently I've been approached by some people on the street asking where I got her bows, and when told that I made them, they asked if I could make them some as well.  Maybe there is an Etsy store in my future.  Who knows.  But what I do know is this... They are dang cute, if I do say so myself.  And if you chip in $50 or more to this wonderful cause (and email me to let me know - I don't have anyway of knowing who gives otherwise), I will make you a special little hairbow for your special little gal.  (Or any special little gal in your life.  Heck, you can even send it to your sponsored girl at NDFH!  You know how much they love hair accessories!!)

Two Daughters

I thought of her the morning I first held my daughter, but I didn't yet know her name. Cradling new, beautiful, perfect life in my arms, I rejoice. Yet in that moment I remember: the sweet often has the bitter, and I think about the babies born that day who would not remain in their mothers' arms. Faceless and nameless, yet no less precious than my sweet Cora Eve.

I wrote at the NDFH blog today.  Click to continue reading... 

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Jace (Robert) will be joining his adoptive family soon!  What an answer to prayer!!  I still can't get over how good God is... anyway, his family is raising money for his adoption, and they have a t-shirt fundraiser going on.  If you want, you can support the Race to Jace by purchasing a t-shirt.  It's a great cause!!!  (I promise causes don't get sweeter or more adorable than Jace!)

Sweetness

So yesterday was my birthday.  I'm 29.  Usually I'm a little sad about birthdays (something about time marching on), but I'm not this year...

Maybe it's because of this sweetness.

But actually I think it is something else, mostly...  I'm 29.  Which means I'm almost 30.  Which means I'm 6 months away from 29.5.  You know what we're officially eligible to do once I hit 29.5?

Start paperwork for an adoption from China...

Now, to be perfectly honest, we aren't really ready for that quite yet.

Due to this sweetness.

But, the fact that we'll be eligible is a big deal!  We aren't sure what God's timing is for us in the future or how things might change, but at this point, we still feel pretty strongly that our #2 kiddo will come via an airplane ride.

You know, way back before I was preggers, I got really fearful that if I had a baby I would morph into some version of myself that I didn't recognize... someone who only cared about her own baby and who only wanted to bake cookies all day.  I read a book by Kay Warren, and in it she said (I'm paraphrasing), that if God gives you a heart for your family and a heart for the world, that He'll make a way for you to love both well, as they are both part of His heart.  That really sunk in with me, and honestly gave me some of the courage I needed to say, "OK, I think I'm ready to see if we can have a wee one."

And you know what I'm finding now?

Now that I have this sweetness in my life?

I'm finding that my heart for orphans and my heart for their mamas and daddies is growing exponentially!  Sure, my attention is mostly focused on our little one right now, as it should be.  But, in my heart, I'm bursting with a deeper love for the children of this world who do not have families and grieving with a greater sorrow for the families who gave them up.

So year 29?  I think it is going to be a thing of beauty... and I'm excited about it.  Because it is going to be filled with a whole lotta sweetness.

Meeting Mei Mei

Yesterday (or was it the day before?) I took Cora to visit the kids at the foster home.  Hannah did a blog post about the foster home kiddos meeting their newest mei mei (little sister) on the foster home's blog, with lots of cute pictures.  It was so special to me to introduce "my kids" to my baby.  I'm a blessed and lucky woman to have so many wonderful little ones in my life.

Oh, and as expected, they were cracking me up... Vincent and Ethan kept poking Cora on the cheek (who soundly slept through the whole meeting) and asking if she was real or fake.  I think they thought she was a doll since she didn't budge despite the pokes and prods.

Sometimes I Wonder Why

Sometimes I wonder why…

Why we so easily conceived when others have so much trouble. It isn't that I think we deserve trouble; it's just that I think we would have been OK if this never was our journey to parenthood. Others want it so badly and would grieve far more deeply. It happened so quickly and easily for us that sometimes I feel like I'm not grateful enough… like I never had any time to develop a true longing.

People look at me funny when I say this: I haven't been a fan of pregnancy. I'm not sure I ever want to do it again. They always laugh, shake their heads knowingly, and say, "Oh, you'll feel differently when you hold your baby!!" I know a lot of 9-month-pregnant women say they don't want to go through it again, but I think I might be different. I don't really know… only time will tell. It isn't that I want an only child, but there are other ways to build a family; and to be honest, they seem to be a far better fit for us.

Being pregnant and working at an orphanage is a strangely unsettling experience.

I've tried not to think about it too much, honestly. Just because I can't quite wrap my mind around it. But, sometimes its inescapable. There's one little guy in particular at our foster home... About 4 years old and truly longing for a family, he's been the most curious about my pregnancy. He constantly touches my belly, wants to see what's under my shirt, asks me questions, and even pretends to have a baby in his own belly. His very favorite game to play with me is when I poke and tickle his belly to check for a baby.

He told me yesterday, curled up on my lap with his head nestled against my swollen stomach, that he wants to hold my baby when it comes to the outside.

I wanted to weep.

Sometimes I wonder why…

If we'd never conceived this child, we would have still become parents. Jacob told me about a strangely vivid dream he had last night. Jacob never remembers his dreams, but this one was so strong it woke him from a deep sleep and left him shaken for some time. In typical dream-weirdness it involved all sorts of odd imagery and events, but the jolt-awake moment came when a miserable, sick, and dejected creature who just wanted Jacob's affection (and who Jacob was trying to push away) spoke out a clarion sentence: Why not me?

As he told me about the dream this morning, I couldn't shake the image of the little boy curled in my lap yesterday. Does he not also wonder, Why not me?

I know I will grow to love this little one I've carried for 9 months. And I know he/she is an indescribable gift. But the other path to parenthood would have been just as blessed and rich.

And sometimes I wonder why… why this is the road we have walked.

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Since I'm still posting, we're obviously still waiting... :) I actually feel like I'm coming down with some sort of upper respiratory infection right now. Will you please pray that it doesn't take a turn for the worse? Labor seems difficult enough... don't really want to be coughing and hacking during it.

His Fullness

The sound of their laughter wakes me up in the morning.  It's one of the things I never want to forget about this place…

Thin apartment walls mean the children living in the Healing Home next door sound like they are in my own bedroom.  Sometimes at night the sound of a crying baby briefly stirs me from my sleep, but I suppose that's just good practice.

But it's the sound at 7:00 every morning that will always stay with me.

It starts with laughter, but it quickly moves to singing.  The orphans next door awake with joy, and often usher me into Joy's presence.

Many would say the sound of orphans would be their cries.  The picture of orphans would be their empty eyes.  Those things are true.  We've heard those sounds and seen those pictures; it is what first brought us to China.

But if that's all I ever heard and saw, I might have lost hope a long time ago.  If that's where things ended, I would have questioned His goodness.  But instead, He wakes me with their laughter and reminds me of His presence.  He doesn't just meet their physical needs, He fills them with love…  His fullness.  And He does the same for you and me.

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:17-19

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Any guesses about who the bundled up sweetie-pie is?  There's no prize... just my congratulations if you get it right.  :)  And can I just say, though I was neither the photographer (that would be Ganlu) nor there when the picture was taken, I got it right on the very first try.  Prideful, aren't I.

Talking Head

Put a camera in front of me, and I get a bit nervous.  And then I start rambling.  On and on.  And on.  I'm pretty sure that's the reason I was the only interview in the clip.  They didn't know where to cut it. 

I love talking about our kids, though.  They truly do inspire me. 

Just thought this was kinda fun to share... and 2 blog posts in 2 days.  The world might start spinning in the other direction!

Moments of Truth

I was working on one of our newest children’s bios today. In the original bio were these two simple sentences: He was born on June 1, 2006. He was abandoned at the gate of a local medical university on March 7, 2007.

As I typed them into the bio for our website, I thought about the weight of what I was really saying. It sounds so simple, clinical, and matter-of-fact… but for a few minutes, I let myself think about what March 7, 2007 must have been like for this little guy.

The checkup didn't go as they had hoped.  The doctor gave them very bad news.  As they stood in front of the hospital, someone would have taken a last look, tightened up his jacket, and stoically walked away. I think they probably cried. He must have stood there, confused for a while. Eventually the fear took over, and I’m sure he started crying. Someone else would have found him and taken the time to stop and ask what was wrong. They would have called the police and perhaps gone on their way after they made their statement. (But I wonder if they’ve ever forgotten that moment…)

And so he began a journey that has finally brought him here…

Last night I gave a presentation on the foster home in Beijing. Afterwards someone came up to me and asked how I could bear to work at a place with such sorrow and suffering. I told her, "By the time they get to us, they are on the path to restoration and redemption. When I see them, I primarily see the hope they now have and I do not dwell on the tragedy they have experienced."

But every now and then, reality catches up with me… sometimes in simple sentences like “He was abandoned at the gate of a local medical university on March 7, 2007” that say so very much.

Curious Boys

We have some clever little guys at the foster home.  This afternoon, I was outside with these two little boys -- Robert (in red), who has a very severe heart defect, and Timothy, who had spina bifida and has to wear a lot of back and leg braces to help him walk.  They're both talkative and inquisitive and all-around adorable.

While we were chatting, one of them patted me on the belly.  Their nanny quickly interjected and told them that they needed to be gentle because there was a baby inside.  In Chinese the word for 'gentle' and 'kiss' sound very similar, so Robert proceeded to start kissing my belly.  Just a slight misunderstanding.  Timothy, on the other hand, was hung up on the fact that there was a baby inside.  Before I knew it, he'd lifted my shirt to inspect underneath... bound and determined to get a glimpse of this baby I was hiding under there.

Both little guys gave me a good laugh.  They're precious, and it's so much fun to be around them.