Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever.
Psalm 118:1
Next week it will be a year since we boarded a plane headed for China to adopt Abby. God had pricked my heart for years to adopt and I had answered, no. As I have watched the events of the past year, I am amazed to watch God's plan unfold before my eyes.
How sorry I am that I was so slow to listen to God. God patiently waited for me to answer "yes, Lord".
We were so excited to bring Abby home last December and were adjusting to our new normal. Then on February 23 of this year as we traveled to the mountains Abby began to go in and out of consciousness and our new normal stopped abruptly. We called 911 on the side of the road. We were taken to a wonderful pediatric ER at a wonderful hospital. The doctor's began running many tests, by the end of the day God had revealed to the doctors that Abby's brain stem and spinal cord were severely compressed. This was the beginning of a 6 week hospital/rehab stay which included a very risky surgery and a slow and very difficult recovery process.
Those are six weeks that I hope I never forget. Not because of the pain I watched our daughter endure, not because of the sleepless nights, not because of the stress it put on our entire family. I hope I never forget because of the absolute peace that God provided. I hope I never forget because of the love I felt from God and from others.
As I look back at the events of the last year and see God's plan I am humbled. You see, as I said before, I had answered God with a no each time He nudged me to consider adopting, it took me many years before I said yes. We have been told from multiple doctors that Abby should have died when she was only a couple of years old, there is no way she should of been able to survive with the extreme compression on her brain stem.
But God had other plans!!
He preserved Abby's live! He waited on me to say yes. He waited until we were together (I can't imagine how I would of reacted had I been alone with Abby without H.O.) headed to the mountains for her to pass in and out of consciousness. He placed us by the hospital where one of the country's best surgeons specializing in the surgery Abby needed worked. People come from all over the country to see this surgeon. God placed us 20 minutes from this hospital on this exact day! Amazing!! Looking back I can see how God orchestrated each step and the days when I couldn't take the step He carried me. What love!
I remember one day after a team meeting, where I met with Abby's doctors and therapists and they had told me we would probably spend 4-6 more weeks in in-patient rehab. I went back to the room and had a major cry and poured my heart out to God and told Him how I couldn't do it. I kept thinking of all the other things in life, the other three children waiting at home, my husband, our house. Well, looking back, we did spend 4 more weeks in rehab, and I didn't make it through on my own, I made it because God carried me through with an amazing peace. In His amazing way He surrounded me in love, He provided two amazing christian nurses for Abby(one of which was Chinese), He provided food for our family at home through the love of my family and church family, He provided folks who provided companionship for my children at home. HE was amazing!
God has blessed me with an amazing husband and children and He allowed our family to grow closer during this time. I look back over the past year and am so absolutely humbled at the peace and love God has given to us! It was a hard year but one of the best in my life, and I wouldn't want it any other way!
Thankful??? Beyond what words can express! My heart is overflowing! So... :) when God began to nudge our hearts to adopt again....I quickly, happily, excitedly said oh yes Lord! I look forward to what God has for us in this coming year!
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