A Day in Vermont

Jessemyn, the 3G's (Gabe and the Girls) and I went up to Vermont for a day last week to visit with Aunt Susan and Uncle Tom.  It was a wonderful day.  The kids got to feed the fish in the newly stocked pond and saw some other fun critters at water's edge.  (OK.  I liked feeding the fish, too!)  We were able to relax and chat on the porch over the delicious lunch Aunt Susan prepared.  The kids got Gator Rides with Uncle Tom.  What a nice day!  Aunt Susan and Jessemyn then played board games and colored with the kids.  No pictures of that, though. Why?  I fell asleep in the chair.  I had good company, though.  I do believe Uncle Tom drifted off as well. :-) 

                                                      Beautiful wild flowers around the barn.

                                                  Mia shows off the pretty feather she found.

                                                                 Froggies by the pond.

                                        Gator Rides on the property with Uncle Tom!  Hold on tight, Gabe! ;-)

Canoe Outing

We bought a simple canoe last year.  We're finally putting it to use.  I went on an outing with the younger three last week, and it was fun.  We saw some birds, some cool flowers, some turtles and a few fish darting under the boat.

 Gabe and I paddled.  The girls enjoyed the ride.

 Look closely (or even click on the picture.   Do you see the turtle sunning itself?

Lovin' it!

Silly

Sisters

Memorial Box and Miracles

What a busy summer this has turned out to be!  And here I didn't think we had that much going on.  HA!  Sorry for my lack of posting...trying to make sure that caring for others comes before blogging and that includes 5 kids.  Not so much time for reflecting some days.

BUT I have wanted to make time for this for awhile now.  One of the blogs I follow takes space most Mondays to remember God's faithfulness in their lives.  Their family goes so far as to have a Memorial Box in their home that holds little objects that remind them of times God has faithfully provided, restored, healed, etc.  It's a tangible reminder of God's work in their lives.  I love it.  I've been looking for a little shelf/cupboard type of thing that we could use in our home for the same thing.  Thus far, Savers has left me dry...but I'm waiting and stalking those goodwill shelves!

So this week I'm starting with something that I think is pretty incredible...and it's recent which makes it even more fun.  :-)

A year and a half ago, a picture of little Violet Xin Ni stole our hearts.   We asked to see her file.  It shared all about her physical challenges and some about her disposition.  We hadn't been looking to adopt again any time soon...weren't sure if we could raise 5 kids well.  But God kept calling us back to her picture.  Over and over I would look at her and pray for someone to come forward to adopt her.  Our lives were full.  And my heart condition was an issue, leaving me tired and weak many days.  We waited and prayed. Time passed.  No one came forward.  No one even asked to view her file.  The burden on our hearts intensified.  We began to pray in earnest whether we should adopt her.  Eventually, our hearts completely broke and we asked to view her file, thinking that nothing would keep us from saying yes.  A physical disability?  We could and would do that.

Got the files, read through them, nervously laughed with each other as we realized we were, indeed, going forward with another adoption....unexpected at that.  Called the agency worker only to hear her say, "You did notice she has Hep B, right?"

I was silent.  Um, nope.  It was only included on one form near the bottom and if you've ever read those files you could understand how it was missed. 

I needed time to think.  And pray.  And so did Randall.

We sent her file to our pediatrician who reviewed and confirmed that the blood analysis and findings were consistent.  Violet had Hep B.

We have a child with a blood disorder.  We know what managing an ongoing condition can be like.  Is it doable?  ABSOLUTELY.  But in this case, we wondered....was one more medical condition that straw that would break our metaphorical backs?

Despite fear, we decided that having three "strikes" against her...age, blood disorder, and an obvious physical disability left her very little chance for adoption.  And we couldn't say no.  Just look in her eyes and see her grin and you'll agree.

Our hearts were once again with a little girl in China.

We confirmed that all our kids were vaccinated against Hep B (they were) and got shots ourselves, hopped on a plane headed west and fell in love with a little girl in pigtails.

This trip was very different than our last.  We had very little time with our travel group, but did have time with Violet's caretakers.  They confirmed her diagnosis.  But God...nothing is too big for God.

A few days before we were to leave, a man in our travel group asked if he could pray for Violet.  Keep in mind, we had told no one in our group about her Hep B.  He said he felt a burden from the Lord to pray specifically for her healing and shared that God had healed several people through times of prayer that he had been part of.  We agreed.  The night before we left, our group gathered in our Guangzhou hotel room, little Chinese beauties sweetly looking at the white faces bowed earnestly and feeling the hands laid on them.  It was beautiful.  It was tender.  We finished and the man looked at us and said, "I believe she's been healed."  I looked at Violet and wondered. 

We finished the trip and came home.  As soon as the timing was good, we took her for bloodwork for a baseline to begin treating the Hep B.

The Hep B?  It was gone.  So gone that the doctors have no explanation.  But WE do.

Because God is bigger than bloodwork and bigger than paperwork and bigger than the fears that might have kept us from knowing the most precious treasure now sleeping upstairs.  Could it be a coincidence?  Sure.  But I know my God and I'm inclined to think that the odds are in HIS favor.  :-)