More than we could ask or imagine

waiting for surgery

heading off to the OR (above)
post op - all smiles (below)


"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (ephesians 3:20-21)

This morning our dear friend Megan arrived before the sun came up. She came to take care of our two boys while Kevin, Faith and I were at Fairfax Hospital. We left letting her know that Kevin would be home around dinnertime and I would be staying at the hospital overnight with Faith. Today was the day we had been waiting for, the moment had come to remove the mass on her head.

Yesterday it all hit me. While I was making dinner all the sudden I felt like I couldn't breathe. The overwhelming emotion of what was going to take place the next day consumed me and I was left gasping on the floor. As I cried out to God, He reminded me that He had it and it was past time for me to just let go of the results. My strength would never be enough to carry me through this moment. He alone is the Rock on which we can stand when everything else is moving out of control. And in His usual quiet whisper, He reminded me how much He loved Faith, how much He loved me and how much I needed to let Him be God.

Faith, however, is tough. Seriously tough. She has been through a lot in her few 15 months of life, but I think it is also just part of her DNA. Her birthmother possessed this amazing strength, there was such a beauty in it. After meeting her birthmother we understood how Faith had survived. She reminds us so much of her birthmom.

Faith did great with all of the doctors, nurses, and anesthesiologists that came to visit her, even smiling and waving at each one. We dressed Faith in her hospital clothes and they gowned me up so I could carry her into the operating room. She was like a rock, as I fought back the tears carrying her down the long hallway to the operating room. The team working on her today was awesome. I cannot say enough about how much we love our Neurosurgeon, Dr. Myseros or the surgical staff at Fairfax Hospital. They placed the mask on her face and she slowly drifted off to sleep. I was allowed one last kiss before being sent off to the waiting room.

About 1 hour later we looked up to see Dr. Myseros standing there in front of us, already finished with the surgery. The cyst was removed with no problems. A few moments later a nurse was taking us back to see Faith who had already awaken from the anesthesia. Faith was lying on a bed her eyes going from one person to the next who were gathered around her. She had a look of panic trying to figure out where she was and knowing that she did not recognize anyone. I can't imagine how scary that must feel, to once again wake up some place new around people you do not know and have no idea how you got there. We quickly rushed to her so she could see that we were still with her. The nurse asked us, "Do you have a bottle prepared?" "No, Faith, doesn't take a bottle," I told her. "Well she just drank this whole bottle of apple juice." Apparently starving and scared, she drank from a bottle for the first time. Survival skills, however, I don't expect that to happen again anytime soon.

Within no time she was eating graham crackers, drinking apple juice and smiling at everyone. By 11:00 we were leaving the hospital to go home. Our God is seriously amazing! Kevin and I drove away from the hospital with our mouths hanging wide open, in awe of what had just occured. But to be able to truly appreciate this moment you have to rewind back to March. To the day we got the phone call. The day we were asked to adopt a little girl who was very sick and needed urgent medical treatment for a condition they believed would need longterm medical care and therapy. God told us to say "yes" to adopting this baby. We knew we were supposed to step out in faith, but we were also scared at what the road to come would bring. We now know that the swelling on her head was not a chronic medical condition and was only a cyst that was removed in a matter of a few hours at the hospital. But without the cyst, she never would have been our child.

The verse at the top of this post is one that God gave to me when we first decided to begin our journey of adoption. By His power, He has done more than we could have ever asked or imagined. All praise and glory and honor be to our Heavenly Father, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!! Please join us in rejoicing and praising our God!