Gotcha Day!

It was an emotional weekend as we were counting down to the first anniversary of meeting Cori in China. I started sending out emails days in advance and would really tear up with joy. I read my journal entry from that day, remembering how she punched the doll in the face and threw the poodle and quilt on the floor. I remembered how she got as far from us as possible for as long as possible. She was so much smaller than we expected, dressed in pigtails and baby chick yellow, her cheeks bulging out with candy.

And now to see her 7 pounds heavier, 3 inches taller, and still being treated to a daily dose of, "Mine. My Mommy, " to which she has added "Love you, Momma."

How could it be any better??



Well, today it did get better in an interesting and unexpected way. Some of you know that I have bred AKC dachshunds for 26 years. Once a female has had a few litters for us we find her a pet home to retire to. I decided to retire a female that had given us gorgeous puppies that always sold quickly. Wes did not want to retire her yet, but I thought she needed a break and deserved to be a pampered pet. A couple adopted her

this February and has given me updates about her adjustment on occasion.



They sent an email today with this line, "After, we visited with you in February and saw the three children that

you had adopted, my husband and I decided to become foster parents in the hopes

of adopting also. "



That just blows me away. Thank you, God, for impacting another child/children through our little dachshund business!!

Home.

I love to share the ways that Cori is blessing our lives and teaching us about love. As you can see, one of her new loves is corn in the cob. Last night was here first taste and she was hooked.

She is also loving the time she is with her oldest sister and brother-in-law as they visit us from Brooklyn. She is talking and giggling up a storm.



Her newest saying that really humbles us: "Cori, where are we?"

"Home".

"Whose home, Cori"

Her precious answer, "Us home!"



Yes, gorgeous. It is "us" home, and you make "us" much more than we were just 10 1/2 months ago. "Us" are so grateful that you are home!

Cincinnati Children" itinerary has arrived

Arrive in Ohio on October 18. On October 19th she will have the urodynamics study, kidney ultrasound, cystogram, and contrast enema. October 20th she will be sedated for the onternal scope exam by gastro team, gynecology team, and urology team. October 21st will have a training session for me to administer the enemas, then meetings with all three specialists to discuss their findings so far. That night Cori will have her first enema. Saturday and Sunday I will keep a journal of how they go each day. Monday through Thursday she will have a xray of her bowel everyday while I give the enemas each night. Friday I will again take her for an xray and then meet with the entire team again to discuss her needs.

Right now the plan is that Cori and I will go up by ourselves. Wes and the girls will come up for the weekend and some sight seeing. He will return with Katherine and Grace, leaving Jena, Lily, and Cori with me. I will take her in for her xray each day and do school with Jena and Lily.

This is a lot for such a little girl to endure in such a short amount of time. Please pray for her tolerance and the sensitivity of the medical team.

It has been 11 months since this ray of sunshine came into our lives!

I cannot even believe it. I was at Target tonight and I remembered that I was in that same parking lot a year ago when our agency called to see if we could travel to China in August.
Now it all seems like only an instant has passed......I cannot stand to be away from her for very long and cannot wait to get my hands on her when I come home! Leaving for 4 days this week was very hard. Tonight we came home to her so asleep that she was wet with sweat....I kissed her face off!

We have a date.

Cori's sedated exam is scheduled for October 20th. The other procedures will revolve around this date.

Conundrum

Conundrum. What is this? Well, my brother-in-law ordered it the only time we ever went out as two couples. Easy answer....really nice table wine. Harder...a decision with more than two possible answers. My conundrum. And that of all moms. How to hold on loosely to your children.....especially to your older ones, while wanting to cling to them. How to breathe your children into your heart... only to tell them to fly away. How to trust God with them when they have taken another path..

A baby I got to care for at VBS was close to a clone of my daughter, Jessica, born over 25 years ago. It reminded me of the days I could hold her forever, breathe her in, kiss her cheeks.

Cori could not stop touching me today. She ran after me in the garage to tell me she loved me. By about 9 pm, with no hubby at home, I was over the physical contact. I now know that it was because I had Red Hots.....But how could I push her away when I know how quickly that will happen naturally?

The hospital in Ohio has given us a plan. No dates, just a plan. X rays of sacrum because that indicates the future of bowel continence, films of renal system, voiding cystogram, contrast enema, sedated exam by three specialties, urodynamics study with electrodes, blood work, gynecology attending sedated exam and meeting in clinic, 5 day bowel management study beginning with a 2 hours lecture followed by an abdominal x-ray, clinic with all three specialists, then a recommendations for her enema routine. Then we go to the hotel or Ronald McDonald house to do three days of the enemas while I record our results. Monday we report for the results and another x-ray and clinic. If they say surgery is needed we might be offered the opportunity to do it then.

It will be me and Cori for these 8 days plus travel. My precious husband cannot leave work and the other children for that long.

My personal conviction is that Cori will be successful with enemas but will need the urinary surgery. So, the prayer requests might be....."Grant complete insurance approval....grant federal approval status....make a way for all to be done at that visit.....mae it all as simple as possible, but equip for every possibility and grant grace to all!!! Show the glory of God in everything. Take great and precious care of all who remain in Fairview. You amde Jiang Yi Hua, Corin Malia Wright. You knit her together in her mother's womb She is fearfully and wonderfully made. You know the plans you have for her, plans to prosper her, not to harm her, to give her a future and a hope. Fulfill this great word for her!"