Scoliosis

Corinne was diagnosed with scoliosis 18 months ago. She has been followed by the orthopedic every 6 months. Her last x-ray revealed that her curvature had reached a point that she needed to start being braced. Currently her curve is at 30 degrees. This week she and I went to pick up her new brace. Corinne is usually a very compliant patient. It is not that she wasn't compliant at her brace visit but she "knew". She knew this brace was "stinky". And let me tell you it is stinky! The doctor wants her to build up to wearing it 16 hours in a 24 hour time period. Initially they say let her wear it for a few hours at a time and adding an hour. We came home and I put it on her. I didn't let her see me cry. I went in the bathroom and sat and just cried. It was a pitiful sight to see her in the brace. I had put it on and put a t-shirt over it. She looked totally disfigured. They had added extra padding to the brace near her shoulder blade. It makes it look like she has a hump on her back. She can not walk nor stand normal in the brace. My prayer is that she can learn to sleep in the brace. Some kids can. If she can put it on in the afternoon and wear it till morning we can get the 16 hours in. I will not make her wear it to preschool - that would be sooo unfair.

Yesterday I just sat and thought "why god". Why does this sweet baby girl have to endure something else "broken" in her body. Isn't that the famous question most of ask when we see suffering. The only answer that makes sense to me is this. In my childrens story book bible it says "when sin entered the world the world broke" It goes on to say creation would start to unravel, and come undone, and go wrong. That is the answer to the why question. That seems so simple. Makes you think "thats it", but that is how awful sin is. And if that is how awful sin is then God must be so unbelievably incomprehensibly Holy.

If you are reading this then I want you to ask yourself something. Is there a child, a medically needy child, we can adopt or help care for? These orphans need families. If Corinne had not been adopted she would of never been treated for hearing loss, never had her palate(vpi) surgery, never learn to speak clearly, never have her heart valve replaced, never treated for scoliosis. So where would that have left her? Maybe she would die because her leaky valve would damage her already enlarged right ventricle so much that it would give out. Or Maybe she would eventually look like this.


She most defianlty wouldn't of received hearing aids in China - so what sounds she would of never heard. Maybe her caretakers would of considered her slow or mentally impaired due to poor speech. I don't know but the important thing is that is not her future. She has a future because of adoption. Instead she looks like this (singing Ariel theme song while dancing with her brother decked out in her dance costume)


I am not trying to put my family on a pedestal and say look at the wonderful thing we did. No not at all. I use to be scared of Corinne's medical report, but God changed all that. He has replaced my heart of stone with a heart of love for special needs orphans. I don't know what God's plan is for Corinne's life. What I do know is our family gets the privilege of watching her grow up and see her grow into the beautiful woman God has created her to be. She is special but not because of her medical report.
There are sooooo many kids like Corinne who need a mom and dad that need medical help. Won't you consider bringing one into your family?

The battlefield

As we move ahead in our adoption I am being reminded of the battle that lays before us. A very experienced and wise mom who had adopted many children told me "Once you enter the adoption journey you are on the battlefield with Satan". She is so right. Satan doesn't want these children placed in families. He wants them to remain in bondage to abandoment and shame, unloved. A recent disruption in my community has reminded me of this battle. It has propelled me to reread the books like "Adoptive parenting from the ground up" and "The Connected Child". It has reminded me to pray in advance for this journey and hurdles we will have.

If you are adopting or adopting for the first time read these verses and let them sink in
1. Psalm 68: 5-6 "A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his
holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, ....

God is the father and defender of the orphan. He is leading you into this battle. Some might think to use the word "battle" is a bit dramatic. I think it is not. While in China with our first adoption I felt the breathe of Satan on my neck. He pursued us. He wanted to fill us with doubt, fear, confusion. To a certain degree he was succesful. We stuggled and felt very alone. I think Satan is so interested in these children because in many cases they are living in darkness - they do not know the truth of Christ and Satan doesn't want them to hear. Not only is the child living in darkness they may come from generations of unbelief. Adoption is changing all of that. A child will know they are wanted, valued, and loved. I also think God is glorified when a child is brought into a family. The world wonders why you would take "the risk", "possibly destroy your current family", "love one that you didn't birth"., ect. The world is right we wouldn't do it on our own. It is only because of GOD that we can do it.

2. Ephesians 6:10-18 "Finally be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

God has given us our armor/weapons so that we will triumph and be the parents he is calling us to be to these adopted children. He says our armor is Truth, Righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, holy spirit.

Truth - Satan will try to impose falsehoods into your thinking. He will try to make you doubt your calling to adopt or make you doubt your ability to parent a certain child or parent certain needs. The truth is God equips those he calls. Ultimatley the TRUTH is these children NEED homes it is our Christian responsiblity to Care for these children.

Righteousness. As Satan trys to fill you with doubt and fear call on The One who can do it and will do it through you. God knows your short comings, your sin, and all the things that might lead you down a road of failing. Therefore, he sent Christ so that we can clothe ourselves in his righteousness and stand firm. HE will go before us and hem us in from behind. It is because of him we can succeed.

Peace - During the storms and trials there is only one who can send the peace. Look to him and ask for it. It might be chaotic around you but God can fill your heart with peace.

Faith - Faith is knowing that God KNOWS BETTER THAN YOU! Worrying is thinking you know better than God! Put all your eggs in his basket. As you walk in faith he will transfrom you. This is sometimes painful. It is always painful when God takes away the yuck in your life. After our first adoption I felt like a tree. A tree that had had all its branches lopped off and was constanly bleeding sap. It was painful but God had to get rid of the yuck in my heart. The end result is he has conformed you to look more like him!

Salvation - Keep our eyes on the cross. Remember God says our life is just a mist - here today gone tomorrow. The trial of this life will pass away. As we journey through adoption God is giving us the blessing to see the working outs of ETERNAL salvation in someone who was discarded but God says is his TREASURE. Along with that there will be the day when our Salvation into eternity is fulfilled and we stand before God and we have to give an accounting of what we did for the orphan.

Holy Spirit - The one who lives in us and guides us. I recently heard someone say we need to work on tuning in and really listening for the spirit. IN other words she was saying we have a frequency problem and need to adjust our "ear radios"

Haiti

Be sure to pause music at the bottom of the blog so that you can hear the music that goes with this video. it is a great song

Christmas Time

I am not good at posting like I did for our first adoption. I often have thoughts but they never quite make it to a post. Yet I am thankful for the wise women who find the time to post their thoughts. I personally benefit so much from reading blogs below. As it is said iron sharpens iron and the blogs listed below are women who "sharpen" me and keep my eyes on the cross.
http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/
http://the30dayjourneyforhope.blogspot.com/
http://thehandsofthepotter.blogspot.com/
http://bakerssweets.blogspot.com/



Now I will share a story about my middle child "D". He always provides us with a story. Yesterday morning my 2 boys woke up and went to visit the christmas tree and were discussing gifts/Christmas while my husband and I were laying in our bedroom. D preceded to tell his older brother that he "Wasn't feeling good about Christmas". His brother asked him what did he mean but "D" just couldn't quite explain what was on his mind. His brother said "Do you think you are getting sticks for Christmas" No was his answer. "Do you think you aren't going to get the gift you want" No was his answer and continued to talk about how he "was worried and not feeling good about Christmas". My husband and I looked at each other and thought "he is worried about his presents, good grief". Later on I called "D" to me and asked him what did he mean that he was "worried about Christmas". He pondered and thought and he turned to me and said "Mom I am worried about all the poor people that don't have anything". It is a joyous thing to see seeds bear fruit. I told him Christmas for me was a happy/sad time. Once your eyes have been open to children with no families, orphans literally dying from lack of care, or books like "Same kind of difference as me" Christmas can't be the same. We now know and have met "the least of these" and we can't do nothing. Ironically yesterday we were scheduled to take Christmas gifts and dinner to the "least of these" in our community. It was a blessing to be able to let "D" see how we flesh out those concerns that God lays on our heart.



We gave Christmas for a family through Mercy Childrens Clinic. What is neat about their family adoption is that you take the food and gifts to the family. It gives you a chance to let God open your childrens eyes to the people in their community. When you walk into a home and their is a 3 foot Christmas tree with 3 small gift bags around the tree - that is certainly to make and imprint on their heart.

Below is a picture of "D" loving on his sister. From time to time I will find "D" loving up on his sister. he really does have a sensitivity to others.

Below are photos from a DC trip "G" my oldest and I did. I called it a homeschooling fieldtrip, it just required a plane ride. My brother, who we are very proud of, ran in the Marine Corp marathon. Which is quite awsome to watch someone compete in a marathon!

I decided this would be a great time to take Graham to DC (he has been studying early American history) and see the sites and watch his Uncle. Graham also got to run in a 1 mile kids race and had a soldier place a medal around his neck. Neat experience for a 7 year old! I was able to run in the 10k race and had alot of fun. It was very inspiring to run next to injured soldiers running on prothesis or using modified bikes to help them complete the event. It was defiantly a memory making/bonding trip with my oldest.

My brother and me

I have lots of pictures below of what we have been doing this holiday season. This past weekend I had all of our cousins over to decorate gingerbread cookies. They all enjoy being together. Corinne and I went back to the mini nutcracker this year. She loves going and seeing all the ballerinas.

Corinne loves decorating cookies and Making anything!

More cousins

Davis with his cousin E*

Graham and his cousin m*

Sitting with Santa

Making gingerbread houses

Corinne at the "mini nutcracker" with her cousin meeting the sugarplum fairy

Chocolate and pink giraffe pants 3t

Up for sale now is a pair of pink and chocolate brown giraffe pants. The pants have a ruffled hem and are trimmed in chocolate ric rac. The pants are 22.75 inches long and the waist is 18inches. They are generous 3t. The cost is $32. I can also sell with the pants a white lettuce edge turtleneck that can be embroidered. I have enough giraffe fabric to embroider the tee with an initial or what ever interest you. The additional shirt would be $18. I do not have enough fabric to do more pants - this will be the only one I sell. Email me if you want to purchase

New Outfit

I have for sale a size 3t pant set. I love this set and had originally made it for my daughter, but I need to sell somethings. I don't have anymore of this fabric so this is the only one available. All fabrics, trims, and buttons are from a boutique childrens fabric shop - NO Joannes or Hobby lobby fabrics. The top is lined and buttons in the back. The main fabric is light pink with white, green, and shades of pink dots. The neck and armholes are trimmed in a coordinating piping. The hem of the top is made from a green microcheck. The same piping is used to trim the hem plus an added white ric rac. The top measures 14.25 inches from shoulder to hem. The pants are made from the same pink dot fabric. The pants cuff is made from the same microcheck green gingham. The piping was also used on the cuff of the pants. 'The elastic waistband measures 17 inches. The pants are 21inches long. This set is for sale for $60 plus shipping.