Good News…and Bittersweet News

First, the good news…

 

Conner is recovering well from his pyloroplasty, which appears to be a successful cure to his gastroparesis.

 

He surprised us all when he was able to come home from the hospital Saturday afternoon (Jan. 18)! 

 

Conner is such a tough and brave boy.  When most of us would be curled up in tears due to the pain from surgery and continuous nausea and vomiting due to gastroparesis, Conner is such a trooper.  He almost always has a precious smile on his face.

 

So far, the pyloroplasty has been quite successful.  For the FIRST TIME in his entire life, Conner isn’t vomiting numerous times per day!!!  He’s eating and holding down his food, with a minor episode of reflux occasionally.  Praise the Lord!!!  This has been a journey of almost two years, and we’re so grateful for Conner’s gastroenterologist and the wisdom he has in getting to the bottom of Conner’s GI issues.

 

Now for the bittersweet news…

 

The 13-year-old girl in China (“Daphne”) who has Down syndrome has a family!

 

It’s just NOT our family!

 

The agency who has the girl’s file contacted me to let me know that another family submitted their Hague-approved home study before us, so they have been matched with “Daphne”.  This is in Daphne’s best interest because of the extremely limited time available to complete her adoption.

 

While we rejoice that Daphne has a family, our hearts are heavy that we are not “Daphne’s” family.  It is hard when God knits our hearts together with a child we feel He has chosen for our family.  When we pray without ceasing for a precious little girl half-way across the world, we can’t help but fall deeper in love with her.  Adoption is strange like that.  God has a way of connecting hearts so intimately, even when those hearts have never met.

 

Our Boss Your Heart shirt fundraiser is the perfect reminder to us as we boss our hearts through the grief and confusion of not being able to adopt “Daphne”.  God had been so clear with us, with too many large and small confirmations to list, so we are left with confusion in our flesh yet absolute trust in our spirit of the One who has orchestrated this.  We absolutely trust His sovereignty in all circumstances.  He never fails.  Ever. 

 

So, what does this mean for us?

 

Prayer.  Lots of prayer.  Praying over other children who are available for adoption.  We’re seeking His will and trusting His plan, which is exceedingly, abundantly more than we can think to ask.  He loves “Daphne” more than we do, and His plan for her is perfect and beautiful, just as His plan for our family is. 

 

We will steward well the adoption funds He has raised in this journey.  He has poured out His abundant provision, and we are grateful.  Most adoptions take many months, if not years, to complete.  We have time to seek His face before we decide in our flesh what to do. 

 

Would you please join us in praying for God to lead us in this journey?  We would be most grateful.  We are reminded over and over again of “Rainbow Miracles”, when God led us to adopt Vlad and Dima in Ukraine, yet He had chosen Conner and Cooper for our family all along.  What a confusing whirlwind He led us to at that time, yet He never abandoned us or misled us.  He held our hands the entire journey, and He blessed our family immensely with the addition of these two precious sons of ours.

 

God is on His throne.  He will speak in His perfect timing.  We are so very grateful for your prayers and support.

 

Thank you so much!