FOUR!

In typical-for-us fashion, we had a last-minute party to celebrate KHLOIE!

 She is an amazing little girl.

 She is a sister.  She is a daughter.  She is a treasure!

 Everyone vies for "Life of the Party"...

Happy birthday, precious girl!  We love you!

When God Moves a Mountain...

..and another, and another, and another, we are amazed and realize we have no good thing apart from Him!

One year ago, after nine months of back-to-back fundraising, we left our children in the very trustworthy hands of dear friends...

 ...so we could travel halfway around the world to collect a priceless Treasure.

A 28-hour trip turned into 40 plus, but delayed and missed flights couldn't stop us.

We arrived in China a day late, only to find that our Forever Family Day would also be delayed.

So we chilled...

...and toured...

...and prepared and waited.

Until finally, she was placed in our arms, just as God had planned.

For two weeks we stayed in her birth country completing the adoption process and letting her think she was an only child.

We introduced her to bacon real food for the first time in her life.

We attended an international church and worshiped with folks representing 52 nations.

We visited the US Consulate where we collected the final pieces of paperwork...

...deeming her a US citizen!

We visited the zoo...

...and the Island.

And eventually returned to the chaos which is reality.

God's goodness and His mercy had given us everything we needed to make the journey, and to begin the new one.  Our schedule would soon be filled with medical visits.

Khloie was diagnosed with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (brain injury, most likely prenatally, due to lack of oxygen, often causing blindness or vision loss, affecting speech and motor skills); congenital heart defect, atrial septal defect, and was later diagnosed with bilateral estropia (crossed eyes).  In addition, the orphanage staff told us she didn't talk.

We knew most of this when we received her.  We began to prioritize her medical appointments.

Her ophthalmologist concluded that Khloie's vision was miraculously perfect, and he could surgically correct the crossing...but we first had to determine the severity of her heart issues and brain development.

We saw one specialist after another in rapid-fire succession.  

Cardio:  After performing the necessary tests, the cardiologist concluded that Khloie's documented heart defect is no longer existent!  She will be seen in one year to get a complete release.  Check!

Neuro:  The neurologist saw that much of Khloie's brain had been damaged prenatally, but the uninjured parts of her brain began to take on the functions that would have been affected.  The moment of awakening came when the doctor told us if she had just seen the images of Khloie's brain without seeing her in person, she would assume she was blind, nonverbal and completely unable to function independently.  Check!

Vision:  Khloie has had one corrective surgery, with some residual crossing in her left eye, which will be corrected this summer.  Her eyesight remains perfect!  Check!

Verbal:  While Khloie only spoke in whispers, and very limited at that, at first, she now expresses herself just as loudly as the rest of the krew, and even forms up to 4-word sentences.  She will likely need speech therapy in school but is a far cry from nonverbal.  Check!

Motor:  Khloie has some large motor delays, especially on her right side, but her balance and strength continue to improve!  She recently turned 3 and is cognitively at about 18 months (normal for post-institutionalized children) and progressing by leaps and bounds!  Check!

We really had no idea what this side of the journey would look like, but we knew that God had placed a love for this precious Treasure in our hearts and we would be missing a tremendous blessing if we succumbed to fear.  

Her journey to us began with tragic circumstances, brokenness and loss.  Our hope in Christ is that her journey from here on out brings healing, grace and wholeness.   

To Him be glory!!!

This Christmas is Different

This time last year all we had were anxious hearts, aching arms and a handful of pictures.

As I hung the stockings last week, I realized this is only the third Christmas in nine years that we haven't been waiting to bring one of our Treasures home.

God is so very faithful.  In times of waiting, and in times of content.

Khloie receiving the Christmas gifts we sent.

Today she is orphaned no more!  She is a daughter and a sister!

This year she will hear about Jesus, the one Reason we celebrate Christmas; she will be tucked in by her daddy and mommy, and she will play hide and seek with her brothers and sisters.

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

John 14:18

This Week

Things will change forever for Khloie this week.

 Her eye surgery is scheduled for Thursday.
Dr. T is doing a medial rectus recession - bilateral.
Basically that means he will remove the muscles from her eyes and move them backward to allow her eyes to come into a straighter position.

We are so grateful for Dr. T and so excited that Khloie will be able to see without so much effort.

However, our family has come to love  our beautiful baby-of-the-family, and her appearance will be different.

She will still be the one who wears everyone else's shoes around the house, tries to wear everyone else's clothes, and yells, "Mommmaaayyyy," when someone is in her space.

And maybe she will walk with confidence without running into things

No matter what, she will be our beautiful Khloie-bug!

It's Official *finally*

We've waited 60 long days for Khloie's certificate of citizenship, and today it arrived!!!!

Five Short Weeks Ago!

Five weeks ago today we were parents to 10 amazing children!

And then, later in the day I stood dazed and confused at the prospect of holding our next child.  (never really intended to post this picture :)

I

Three people walked in the room, but our eyes were fixed on the little girl in pink!

And our lives have been forever changed from that moment on!

So, how is she doing today?
Couldn't be better!
As for me, these days I'm mostly just dazed and confused :) and amazed at God's plans!
Khloie has gained a pound and grown a quarter inch.
We definitely had an issue with milk, and that's been resolved since Silk entered the scene!  Her diet is gradually increasing.

We are still waiting on our referrals to the cardiologist, neurologist and ophthalmologist, thank-you-very-much awesome health care system.  After looking at her scans, having been seen by other doctors and having specialists look at her file, there doesn't seem to be any urgency; otherwise, we'd be pushing harder.

We've also 'met' two families on-line who have a child with Khloie's medical need.  I love how God brings families into our lives!  I will update once we know more about observation and treatment.

Socially, Khloie is amazingly appropriate!  She is the first of my Chinese treasures who came home knowing how to play.  Many of you know what I'm talking about.  She serves the best tea at our tea parties!  She would probably love the church nursery, and that sure would make service easier for me, but I realize I will never get these early bonding days back so Khloie and I are stuck like glue for now.

The girl would live outside if she could.  Hot, cold, rain or shine, she loves to play outside.

Siblings are awesome as long as they're not up in her grill.

If Khloie's space if violated, she will either scream or give a high-five...to the face!  You'd think they would learn.

This week I will take my first job since returning home so we'll see what that looks like for Daddy and the Littles:)

I just can't believe it's been five weeks!  My, how time flies this side of the process!