Seriously, you thought your shoes were cool? Not many people get shoes like these.

Feet

See these feet? This was our introduction to Lu ChunAi. The first picture we opened and let me tell ya, it shocked me. But those feet, she was identified by those sweet precious feet. Someone told us by looking at her pictures that she was a pretty severe case and had many many other issues. Did that stop us? Heck no! Some of you had no idea what her special needs were. She has clubbed feet and a slight case of arthogryposis in her hands. But anyway, we spent the Wed before Thanksgiving last year looking at these pictures and wondering if this was our LynnMarie. Well, that decision didn't take long. Man, God is awesome. Her story is a huge puzzle and so many people were pieces to that puzzle (thanks for the analogy Clay and Pam). Because of the wonderful, awesome, loving care she had at Swallows Nest and the casting by the awesome people in Beijing, her feet look awesome.

Yesterday, LM met Dr.Axelrod (not Axel Rose) who said her feet looked great but they are starting to turn in a little bit. He said the people in China did a great job on her. Whats the plan now? Today we will head over to CHOA and pick up her new brace. Apparently it looks more like a sandal and will be easier to get on. We will see about that. She will only wear them when she sleeps and can continue to stand and work on balance and walking. He doesn't want to see her for 6 months unless there is a problem.. So a great visit!!! Below is a pic of Dad and baby at the office. Funny since Daddy is seeing an ortho doctor as well.

Go LynnMarie!

LynnMarie Videos

Each night LynnMarie laughs ridiculously when she gets her bedtime bottle. The darker video is of her getting a bath. She LOVES to splash and even tries to stand up during this one. She is pulling herself up to standing at will now! Tomorrow is her first appointment with the orthopedist.

Florida Trip pics

the trip home

So almost 2 weeks ago we packed up and left for central Florida for a little get away and to witness my sisters wedding. As you can see below, she was gorgeous. Although Michael couldn't walk with his camera he took some rocking pics... It was so nice to see family and introduce LM to some more of the people who have loved and prayed for her. It was a week of firsts. lets see if I can remember.

-First time meeting cousins and aunts and uncles
-first time meeting great grandpa and great grandma
-first time having chik fil a ice dream
-first time swimming
-first time getting herself into a sitting position
-first time making the nnnnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa sound
-first long road trip which she was awesome in and sang to us almost the whole time. cant wait for her to hit the 20 pound mark so we can turn her around although I hear the weight thing may change
-first time seeing a raccoon in grandmas back yard

Oh there are more pics coming, I think I took over 3oo just with my little camera..This is just a taste of what is to come!!!

Enjoy

Oh Boy, I get Mexican food!!! YIPEEEE!!!

Lounging around? I could get use to this. Mom and Dad lets move to FL!

Mom, LM and Great grandma at a local mom and pop restaurant in a pharmacy. It was too cute. Although we walked out and a homeless gentleman told me she looked like she stepped out of Hawai 5-0

Dude and Dudettes I know I am cool!! I love my shades and cover up!!!

So this is Great Granpa? He is sooo tall and and is a good holder!

Wedding

Yesterday we attended the wedding of Amy's sister Kelly, who got to meet LynnMarie for the first time on Friday night. Despite being on crutches, I managed to take and edit a few good pictures and I have posted a few of them below. You'll see LynnMarie's cousins Janie, Seth, and Owen along with her new Uncle Neil and her new cousin Joe.

14 months

Orlando peeps

We are having LynnMarie's official meet and greet at the Chik Fil A at Waterford Thursday night from 5-8. Come say if you can..We love Waterford!

Prayer Requests

Please pray for the Chapman family as today would have been Maria Sue's 6th birthday. What a year they have had!!! 2 weddings, 2 graduations and burying their sweet little girl. Pray that God pours peace over that family over the next few weeks!


Also pray for the Freeman family, who lost sweek Kayleigh last night. If you have not been following their story, click here and prepare to be encouraged!

Home

Michael is home and reunited with two of the three most important people in his life.

I will have a month of home care administering IV antibiotics for a staph infection in my blood stream (not contagious).

I have received 4 units of blood and will be monitored by a hematologist to make sure my anemia is under control. The likely cause is being on a particular antibiotic for a month. A side effect of Bactrin is red blood cell production stoppage. Unfortunately it takes 4 months for a red blood cell to be made, so it will take that long to see if things are fixed.

I have a cast on my right foot reaching to just below the knee. It is to protect my foot from damage as it is in a fragile state due to diabetic neuropathy, specifically they call it Charcot foot.

I am however, HOME!

A Special Visit

It had been 3 full days since I last saw my baby girl. Amy brought her to see me today. I'm able to move around the hosptal, so we met in the lobby to keep Miss Thing off the floors with patients. We spent about 45 minutes together, and it was ajoy for me.

As for my health, hey struck a significant blow against my anemia yesterday when I received 2 units of blood. We are narrowing down the cause of the anemia which may be related to a drug I was on for over a month recently. The problem is it takes 4 months to produce a red blood cell, so e have a way to go to know if we got it.

As for my foot, the infectous disease specialist has gone from a shotgun antibiotic method to a sniper rifle. By this I mean he was throwing a lot at it, knowing some would hit, but know he knows exactly what he needs to target, so e are on one specific IV antibiotic and I will definitely have to continue for 6 weeks after I am discharged.

We still don't know when that will be, but we are hopeful it will be before Tuesday so we can make our trip to Orlando for Amy's sister's wedding next weekend. If we can go, we will be taking it very easy and we don't know what my mobility will be like but it will involve crutches and maybe a cast.

Need some prayers tonight friends

Michael is back in the hospital. The doctor called to give him the results of the MRI from Thursday (dont get me started on that) and said he needed to head in and start IV antibiotics. Apparently they think he has osteomyelitis which is bone infection, in his foot. He may have had this since before China, which has become so very painful.

We do not know anything except the doctors want to be aggressive since he is diabetic. I know right now he wants comfort and healing.

This has impacted play time with baby and I want him to have that back soon. So pray. Please pray that the antibiotics work their hardest and kill any infection and leave the surrounding tissue healthy. Pray that all the drs and nurses and techs are kind and wash their hands.

Pray that although we know the desires we want, that God will be glorified and will pour His peace over the Christopher family.

A most special visit

Last November, we saw LynnMarie ChunAi for the very first time. After we received PA we shared our news with many people. But one person found me. You see and please follow along, LynnMarie has been cared for by a very special lady. A special lady that took her into her foster home and cared for her. When LM was very little, she had some visually severe issues. A lady named Alycia emailed me and told me she has known about LM since she arrived at the foster home. In fact, LM touched her heart that she was very interested in adopting Chun Ai. After praying and praying about it, she felt LM was so young that she was not the right child for them, but decided to pursue a second adoption. Alycia has prayed for her since she was just a few weeks old and kept in touch with her caregiver and did everything she could to help with her treatment.

So Alycia and I emailed and facebook chatted and found out she would be in Atlanta. What are the chances that she would meet this baby that she has prayed for over the last year! We were excited to meet Alycia and her girls and we decided to meet at the aquarium where Sophia demonstrated what a great big sister she could be, Audra showed me what a mature high school graduate (well almost) she is and Alycia and I walked and talked. Alycia told me it was like all of this came full circle. You should have seen their faces when they saw LynnMarie. They did call her ChunAi for a while and that made me smile because you see, for a year, she was ChunAi to so many, prayed for by so many. Alycia reminded me that so many people around the world was praying for this sweet creature in front of me.

God has really orchestrated events since that Tuesday night that I learned about my sweet girl She makes everyone smile .


I received a wonderful email from LM's caregiver and had to share with you this line about our meeting this past week.

I was so thrilled to see that the Father gave her a splendid inside meeting with the love of her heart and her new family. All of us are one part of the puzzle of this little girl's life

She is oh so right...