For Your Viewing PLeasure

Like most of you who have already received your referral, I'm sure you remember where you were and what you were doing when the phone call came in about your beautiful child to be. I was one week post-op from a two level cervical neck fusion, in a neck brace and The Count was at work. I was trying to relax on my couch between phone calls from my anxious husband while my children were doing school work. When the first report of referrals hit the AWAA SN Yahoo Group I was done for. I was pretty relaxed most of the day up until that point. I remember Liz had a May LID and she received her phone call an 1 1/2 before ours and announced Mei Mei's referral arrival. At 3:22pm on October 5, 2007 we learned about Chu Meng now officially our daughter.

As I sat and learned of her medical condition I could feel my stomach knot and my mind/heart race. I was told she had an arachnoid brain cyst. I thought to myself "what the heck is that, I didn't check that off on our medical list." I knew of the process of how our agency worked. They looked at your LID, how long you'd been on the SN list, your medical check list, and most important they pray over each child's file. I was then told of the reason our family was chosen. I must say I was very quite the whole time just trying to absorb everything that was coming at me. How was I going to tell my husband our child has a brain cyst?

I called The Count at work and he hurried home so we could all review her file and look at her sweet face. That night I looked up her condition on the internet and found probably every scary website I could on arachnoid brain cysts. I must say I was pretty discouraged when I went to bed that night. The next morning I was able to talk to our local doctor and then over the LONG weekend a neurosurgeon at Boston's Children's Hospital. What we heard was very reassuring. After much prayer we knew that this was our Twink. We knew that there could be risks but also knew we served a big God. This verse came to mind MANY times throughout our processes of the unknown.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3: 5-6

On November 15th we received a brief update letting us know that she was still not walking but we were not worried. We were prepared for her not to walk until she had surgery. What a surprise it was to see her walking on our Metcha Day. We went to China with no expectations and we were blessed beyond belief for just trusting the Lord!

“Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation." With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. In that day you will say: "Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you." Isaiah 12:2-6

Now today we all know that Twink does not have an arachnoid cyst but has had a stroke. She is wonderful and we are so blessed to have her in our lives. It feels as though she has been with us much longer than 10 months. These were the pictures we saw one year ago today in the very order you see them. Enjoy! Oh and I hope you liked the video!