More Dr. Visits and My First Adoption "Run-In"

So I think poor Lily believes that every time we get in the car we are going to the doctors office. Poor thing. I don't blame her. Every time we have gotten in the car this week it has been to go to the doctor. I think we need to take her out to do something fun...very soon!

Anyway, we had to go back to the doctor this morning to have her TB test read and take another urine sample. The TB is negative and the urine is still chock full of protein. Her weight has gone down a little which is good. He sent us home and said he would call later with prescription info. When he called us, he said he wanted Lily to go to the lab for a couple more blood tests just to be on the safe side and rule out any other possibilities. I was not excited about that! But Lily was such a trooper today. She didn't cry at the office at all. In fact she was talking to the nurse and the doctor and running around like she lived there (which she practically has this week!). So after our morning visit, we went back to the office to pick up the prescription paper and the form for the additional blood work. We headed up to the lab, gave the nurse our paperwork and waited our turn. There was one other lady in the waiting room who was having fun watching Lily. She asked me if I was her mom or if I took care of her. I said, "She is my daughter.". She looked kind of shocked and said, "Oh. But she is Chinese." I said, "Yes. We adopted her." She said, "Oh. Ok." I thought that was the end of it until this brilliant statement came out of her mouth. "She acts like she thinks you are her real mom." ??????? After picking my jaw up off the floor I said, "I AM her real mom." She started to say something, but was saved by the nurse calling her in for her turn. I'm sure she didn't really understand what she was saying, at least I hope not! But after being home for a year and 3 months, this was the first dumb thing I've had said to me. Not too bad!:o)

One Year Ago Today...

...we got the phone call that would change our lives forever. There was a little girl in China...our daughter...waiting for us to bring her home. She was then known as Yu Lian Wang and is now forever Lily Grace. She has been such a treasure. We love you so much baby girl. You are a precious gift from God and we are blessed to have you for our daughter.

This is the first picture we saw of our baby, although we didn't actually see it until May 2nd, 2007. She looks so chubby in this picture...we thought we were going to have a big girl. As it turned out, she only weighed 15.4 pounds when we got her.

Lily in April 2008. What a difference! She is now a very healthy 24 pounds and is
turning from a baby into a little girl. She is a beautiful miracle.

Bring Me Hope

If you can take 7 minutes out of your day, I promise it will be worth it. Watch with a box of kleenex.



I frequently find myself overwhelmed at the thought of how many children in the world are without the basic need of a mother and father to love them. I look at the beautiful gift of our daughter and am filled with joy that God has blessed us with this precious little girl, and saddened at the thought of the ones left behind. Lord willing, we will be able to bring home another precious baby to love some day. How about you? Do you have room in your heart and your home to give the gift of love to a parentless child? The greatest gift anyone could give me would be the knowledge that our story somehow inspired you to open your heart and your home to a child who needs you. I pray God puts it on your heart to consider it. I could never describe the joy Lily has brought to our lives. Our experience has been an incredible journey. If you feel God calling you to adoption, I pray you will answer Him and reach out to that child who needs you.

Is This Lily?

I recently joined a Yahoo group of families who have adopted or are adopting from the same orphanage where Lily lived for the first 11 months of her life. I found these pictures someone had posted. They where taken in June, 2007...one month before we got her. When I opened this picture, it took my breath away. Could this be our baby Lily? I don't know if I am thinking it's her because I really want it to be her, or if it really is her. I'd love to know what you think.

Look at that sweet face and all that hair. If it isn't her, it sure looks a lot like her!

Here she is again on the left. My heart just breaks seeing these precious babies looking so lost. I wonder if the other ones have found their forever families. Seeing them all sitting in those walkers, it sure makes it clear why Lily just hated sitting in hers; it also explains why she couldn't even crawl when we got her and why she had had no muscle tone at all. I am so thankful to have this sweet little girl home!

There are also several pictures posted of her orphanage (Yujiang Social Welfare Institute). It is such a blessing to see where she lived since we were not able to see it while we were in China. While we were there I really didn't want to see it...partly because I was afraid of what I would see and partly because I didn't want to travel there with Lily and give her any inclination that she would be going back there. Seeing these pictures, it gives me comfort knowing it is not at all as bad as what I had pictured. There are play rooms with brightly colored foam floor pieces and the cribs are all full of soft looking bedding. We had seen pictures of just horrbile places with only wood inside of the cribs and no blankets. There was also an air conditioning unit pictured, which I know a lot of orphanages don't have. Even if that isn't her in those pictures, I am grateful to know she was taken care of as best as could be expected for the situation she was in.