Shriners Hospital

I love you sweet Doll!
Psalm 139: 13-18
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts,[a] God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you

Shriner's Hospital was AMAZING!!! I can't think of any better word to sum up our experience today. The staff, the facility, the Shriners... It's the whole package. We received excellent care and left feeling very encouraged. The Doll was medically diagnosed with Amyoplasia which is described via Wikipedia "as a generalized lack in the newborn of muscular development and growth, with contracture and deformity at most joints. It is the most common form of arthrogryposis." We were pretty confident this is what she had but it was made certain today. The doctors did not sugar coat her condition but gave us great hope for her future. She has already amazed us by her determination and will, but they told us to buckle our seat belts because we would be blown away by what she will accomplish. She was so brave and never let on that she was afraid. She was poked and stretched and handled it all like a pro. She will begin her treatment right away. She is scheduled for surgery in about six months and will be in new braces within a couple weeks. The good news is, Libbie's condition won't progress or worsen as she gets older. I got a little choked up today when I thought about where were were just a few short months ago... We were 8,000 miles from home, alone, (no good food to be found), with what seemed like the weight of the world on our shoulders. Today, almost four months later everything was put in perspective. We had never heard of arthrogryposis nor did we know if her condition would progress. Our fears were real fears, big fears, crippling fears... how can we afford this, how will we care for her daily needs, how will we be able to keep up with her therapy, how will Hoot feel about all of this???? God knew. He wasn't caught off guard or surprised by her condition. He knew she was our daughter and that HE would provide and meet all of our needs. I was so thankful to have her in our family and so proud of her for her courage. I hate what she has been through already and know that she has a lot ahead of her. I thought about the upcoming surgeries and then her past surgeries in China. I hope that someone cuddled her close when she came out of anesthesia. I'll never know her past, but I am positive that she will be held and loved through everything to come. I sound like a broken record, but I thank God for her and what He is revealing to us through her!