On July 5, 2007, I was driving home from a Dr. appt. where I wasn't given very good news. I had been suffering with intense pain for many months. On my way out of the Dr.'s office, I remember praying, and stating that I would not recieve what the Dr. had just told me, and that I knew God was bigger than any diagnosis I could ever get. A few minutes later I am on the highway, and my cell phone was ringing... it was someone from our adoption agency. She tells me I better pull over. I take the next exit, and listen to what she has to say. She tells me she has a little one for us to consider, who is 11 months old, and waiting in the Guangdong province of China. Since we were part of the waiting child program, I knew that she had some sort of special need. She explains that her issue is delayed development, due to prematurity, as she was 3 lbs. on the day she was found, the day of her birth. I knew immediately she was our daughter. See, I had forgotton to share with our agency that our biological daughter was also premature. This was definately a God thing. I rushed home, checked my email, and the above photo was the first one I saw of Lilyann. The two below were also with it. I read through all of her documentation, and there was nothing that I could see that was concerning to me in any way.
Jeff was out running errands, so I called him on his cell phone. I told him I thought she was sooo cute!! He came home, and we both knew she was ours. But, what about my health? I was in so much pain at that time I wasn't functioning well. I was taking time off work, but still not getting better. How was I going to raise another child? We prayed, and I felt that if we didn't accept the referral, I was not believing, in faith, that I would get well. I believed this baby was a gift from God, as all children are, and this one specifically was given to us to care for, and God would provide a way for us to do this. We called our agency back and accepted her referral.
We had a log in date with China of Dec. 06 (we would still be waiting a long time in the traditional program), but we signed up with our agencies waiting child program in May of 06. Back then, we didn't even realize there was a huge slow down happening with China, and that many people would be switching to this program. Since I have worked with children with special needs for so long, I just knew this was the route we should go with. We put the rest of it in God's hands and went to China in Nov. 2007 to get Lilyann! It was the trip of a lifetime! And, on the plane ride over, I was still in pain, but the amazing thing was, on the 3rd day in China, the pain disappeared! I have been feeling so much better since, and I am so thankful to God for this beautiful little girl He has given us, and for the restoration of my health. God, in His faithfulness, provides so much more than we could ever imagine, and His blessings are real!
Here we are with Miss Lily posing for our 6 month post placement report. She was clapping in the photo! We look forward to raising this little sweetie, and wish we could go back to China and bring back more little ones...just wish the process was a little quicker and cheaper!
On July 5, 2007, I was driving home from a Dr. appt. where I wasn't given very good news. I had been suffering with intense pain for many months. On my way out of the Dr.'s office, I remember praying, and stating that I would not recieve what the Dr. had just told me, and that I knew God was bigger than any diagnosis I could ever get. A few minutes later I am on the highway, and my cell phone was ringing... it was someone from our adoption agency. She tells me I better pull over. I take the next exit, and listen to what she has to say. She tells me she has a little one for us to consider, who is 11 months old, and waiting in the Guangdong province of China. Since we were part of the waiting child program, I knew that she had some sort of special need. She explains that her issue is delayed development, due to prematurity, as she was 3 lbs. on the day she was found, the day of her birth. I knew immediately she was our daughter. See, I had forgotton to share with our agency that our biological daughter was also premature. This was definately a God thing. I rushed home, checked my email, and the above photo was the first one I saw of Lilyann. The two below were also with it. I read through all of her documentation, and there was nothing that I could see that was concerning to me in any way.
Jeff was out running errands, so I called him on his cell phone. I told him I thought she was sooo cute!! He came home, and we both knew she was ours. But, what about my health? I was in so much pain at that time I wasn't functioning well. I was taking time off work, but still not getting better. How was I going to raise another child? We prayed, and I felt that if we didn't accept the referral, I was not believing, in faith, that I would get well. I believed this baby was a gift from God, as all children are, and this one specifically was given to us to care for, and God would provide a way for us to do this. We called our agency back and accepted her referral.
We had a log in date with China of Dec. 06 (we would still be waiting a long time in the traditional program), but we signed up with our agencies waiting child program in May of 06. Back then, we didn't even realize there was a huge slow down happening with China, and that many people would be switching to this program. Since I have worked with children with special needs for so long, I just knew this was the route we should go with. We put the rest of it in God's hands and went to China in Nov. 2007 to get Lilyann! It was the trip of a lifetime! And, on the plane ride over, I was still in pain, but the amazing thing was, on the 3rd day in China, the pain disappeared! I have been feeling so much better since, and I am so thankful to God for this beautiful little girl He has given us, and for the restoration of my health. God, in His faithfulness, provides so much more than we could ever imagine, and His blessings are real! 
Here we are with Miss Lily posing for our 6 month post placement report. She was clapping in the photo! We look forward to raising this little sweetie, and wish we could go back to China and bring back more little ones...just wish the process was a little quicker and cheaper!
5 comments:
What a wonderful story and a day that you will never forget!!!
My oldest daughter was also a preemie and that was a need that we had checked on our MC. We weren't matched to that need, but like you...after having a bio child born prematurely, we would have gladly accepted this!
Thanks for sharing your very special story!!
What an inspiring story, Michelle! Thanks for sharing it! I know that I seriously need to update MY blog :o)
Take care!
Oh, it brought back memories of our referral day! April 28th! I'll never forget it! I am going to share pictures of the day we brought Colt home, his airplane day, we call it. That was August 24th, so I'll share pics on that day! It seems like yesterday!
Your post made my day today! I loved it!
Have a great week! Give Miss Lily a hug from us!
Tammy
LOVED the referral story-it is fun to read these referral stories because I don't think we ever discussed them in China. Love all the photos in your recent posts and way to go with the WW...hope the pounds melt off =).
Precious!
Amazing how much she has grown! Just think my the time I hopefully meet you next year, she'll be 3!!!!
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