Wow, it's been a long time since I blogged! I apologize for the hiatus, but we have been very busy adjusting to our new family size and with life in general. Miss Ella has blossomed and is such a happy-go-lucky little girl. She has her 2-year-old melt-down moments, but she is usually smiling, giggling, and doing spontaneous dances. She has already learned a lot more English. She is even starting to put together a few simple sentences like, 'Night-night, Daddy.' She LOVES to snuggle. She is a joy.
She got glasses for her far sightedness in July. Here she is when she first got them. We call her our little librarian.
Also in July, we went on a vacation to Destin, Florida. We actually planned this vacation in July of 2011, a few months before we committed to adopting Ella. Once we decided to adopt her, we wished we had not committed to the trip because we needed that money, but we couldn't very well back out on my sister's family and my parents since that would require them to fork over more for the beach house we shared. I am sooo thankful that we didn't back out because it was a wonderful trip and a much-needed getaway for our family. Ella and our other kids grew so much on that trip. It was a blast getting to spend that time with our family. My brother's family rented another beach house nearby, so much fun. Here are some pics from our time in Destin.
Ella's 1st road trip!
The boy cousins
At the end of July, I took Ella to see an orthopedist to have her hips and legs checked out. You may remember from reading this blog that when we were first praying about adopting Ella, her medical diagnosis was that she was thought to have cerebral palsy because she was not walking at almost 2 years old. The first day I prayed in earnest about whether she could be my daughter, I got this overwhelming knowledge and peace that she did NOT have cerebral palsy, that she was healthy. Crazy, I know. I don't normally get messages from God about other people's medical conditions, especially about a child I had never met and knew nothing about other than a small paragraph of information and a picture. After inquiring about her medical condition to her orphanage, we were told that she did not have cerebral palsy after all! Wow! I thought that was the end of the miracle. She did not have cerebral palsy, just like God told me. But I still thought there was something wrong with her hips and legs, maybe hip dysplasia, that she would need surgery and/or therapy for once she got home. I did not fully trust what God had told me.
Flash forward to our orthopedist appointment. I'm sitting there in the doctor's office with my sweet Ella in my lap, looking at the x-ray image with her doctor. I was fully expecting and dreading that he would tell me she needed surgery to correct her hips. And he tells me there is nothing wrong with her hips or legs. NOTHING. I was in disbelief, thinking I had misheard. Nothing??? But what about her careful gait and late walking? He said it was caused by lack of opportunity to walk earlier on and malnutrition, that she would catch up. I cannot tell you the flood of emotions I felt to know she would not have to go through the pain of surgery and physical therapy. She had already been through so much, and to know she would be spared from surgery was such a relief.
God told me she was healthy, but I chose to only half-believe it. I doubted. I thought there HAD to be something wrong with her legs for her to be diagnosed with cerebral palsy by the people who spent all day long with her in her orphanage. But God knew, and that was his way of telling me she was meant to be mine. He gave me knowledge of her that only her maker would know. I am a person who does not like surprises and wants to KNOW. God knows that about me and told me. But I did not fully believe it. Thank you, God, for being fully faithful to me even when I don't fully trust you.
To make this day even more miraculous, Ella's orthopedist told me he and his wife had been considering adoption for years and started asking me questions about our process and adoption experience. To be able to encourage him to adopt after witnessing a miracle all in the same day was such a blessing.
She got glasses for her far sightedness in July. Here she is when she first got them. We call her our little librarian.
Also in July, we went on a vacation to Destin, Florida. We actually planned this vacation in July of 2011, a few months before we committed to adopting Ella. Once we decided to adopt her, we wished we had not committed to the trip because we needed that money, but we couldn't very well back out on my sister's family and my parents since that would require them to fork over more for the beach house we shared. I am sooo thankful that we didn't back out because it was a wonderful trip and a much-needed getaway for our family. Ella and our other kids grew so much on that trip. It was a blast getting to spend that time with our family. My brother's family rented another beach house nearby, so much fun. Here are some pics from our time in Destin.
Ella's 1st road trip!
The girls with grandpa
The girl cousins
The boy cousins
All 5 of us on the pier
At the USS Alabama on the way home
At the end of July, I took Ella to see an orthopedist to have her hips and legs checked out. You may remember from reading this blog that when we were first praying about adopting Ella, her medical diagnosis was that she was thought to have cerebral palsy because she was not walking at almost 2 years old. The first day I prayed in earnest about whether she could be my daughter, I got this overwhelming knowledge and peace that she did NOT have cerebral palsy, that she was healthy. Crazy, I know. I don't normally get messages from God about other people's medical conditions, especially about a child I had never met and knew nothing about other than a small paragraph of information and a picture. After inquiring about her medical condition to her orphanage, we were told that she did not have cerebral palsy after all! Wow! I thought that was the end of the miracle. She did not have cerebral palsy, just like God told me. But I still thought there was something wrong with her hips and legs, maybe hip dysplasia, that she would need surgery and/or therapy for once she got home. I did not fully trust what God had told me.
Flash forward to our orthopedist appointment. I'm sitting there in the doctor's office with my sweet Ella in my lap, looking at the x-ray image with her doctor. I was fully expecting and dreading that he would tell me she needed surgery to correct her hips. And he tells me there is nothing wrong with her hips or legs. NOTHING. I was in disbelief, thinking I had misheard. Nothing??? But what about her careful gait and late walking? He said it was caused by lack of opportunity to walk earlier on and malnutrition, that she would catch up. I cannot tell you the flood of emotions I felt to know she would not have to go through the pain of surgery and physical therapy. She had already been through so much, and to know she would be spared from surgery was such a relief.
God told me she was healthy, but I chose to only half-believe it. I doubted. I thought there HAD to be something wrong with her legs for her to be diagnosed with cerebral palsy by the people who spent all day long with her in her orphanage. But God knew, and that was his way of telling me she was meant to be mine. He gave me knowledge of her that only her maker would know. I am a person who does not like surprises and wants to KNOW. God knows that about me and told me. But I did not fully believe it. Thank you, God, for being fully faithful to me even when I don't fully trust you.
To make this day even more miraculous, Ella's orthopedist told me he and his wife had been considering adoption for years and started asking me questions about our process and adoption experience. To be able to encourage him to adopt after witnessing a miracle all in the same day was such a blessing.
I have no doubt that God wants us to witness His miracles in our lives. But first we have to be open to experiencing them. If we had said no to adopting Ella, or even no to praying about adopting Ella, we would have missed out on so much. We are so thankful for our little miracle.
"I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds. Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph." Psalm 77:11-15
"I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds. Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph." Psalm 77:11-15
Love this Marj! She is fitting in so fabulously!
ReplyDeleteThat is amazing!! So glad she doesn't need surgery!! She is so precious. I love to see how happy she is to be home!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the update!!! Praise the Lord! You are still in our prayers!
ReplyDelete