dental surgery and prayer request

How good it is to see Emma Kate growing in so many ways since she has been home with us.

Highest on the list, and most important of all, is that she is learning to trust us, receive our adoration and love, and love us in kind.  Her bravery and courage at embracing her family leave us awestruck and humbled.  She is beautiful as she navigates a whole new life with us here.

Her hair is longer and she simply loves having it brushed and put up in hairbows.  The joy in her eyes upon seeing her sweet self in the mirror each day is priceless.  Behold, dear Emma Kate, you are beautiful and loved!

She is speaking so many English words!  Phrases, small sentences.  And her receptive English language skills (what she understands) are incredible.  We've even sorted "no whining". :)

Her eyesight is much improved with her darling purple spectacles.  She only takes them off for bedtime or if she is sad.  Apparently a dimmer and fuzzy world matches the state of her emotions, and is a great way for us to know her distress.  If the glasses are suddenly off and it isn't bedtime, I know a close snuggle and reassuring word are in order.  I so wish I knew what she thinks as her world is fully focused and clearly drawn!

Tomorrow, we reach another milestone in her health.

Dental surgery.

Emma Kate goes to Children's West so that the very experienced and capable Dr. King can address the many issues that plague (plaque among them!) her dear teeth and gums.

She will be under general anesthesia, as the amount of work they need to do is rather immense.  Please join us in praying for her safety and both physical and emotional comfort and wellbeing.

I spoke with the surgery coordinator yesterday, and she assured me that due to Emma's short time home, they will bend the rules and allow us to be there with her in the prep room until she is fully asleep and in the recovery room WHILE she is waking up from anesthesia.  This is a huge relief to Jim and I as we were prepared to advocate for this if we needed to.   Calling in the International Adoption experts was on the list, with phone numbers programmed in the phone.  I have read other people's nightmarish stories, and am so grateful that Children's Hospital and its excellent staff understand both the emotional and medical needs of their patients.  What a true blessing!  Prayer already answered.

The surgery will be a couple of hours, I believe.  We will let you know when she is in and when she is out.

Each doctor we spoke to, from our dentist and our pediatrician, to the cleft doctor and the physicians at the U of MN Int'l Adoption Clinic were unanimous in their advice to get this work done as soon as possible.  It gives our hearts peace that the decision is the correct one.  We have only been home a month and a half.  It is very soon to do a medical procedure involving anesthesia, pain and a hospital setting.

We are asking the Lord to make of her time at Children's a protected sanctuary where each person who tends to her do so with the gentle hands of Christ and the loving spirit of the Lord.   We pray she feel wrapped in security and a blanket of peace.

And we ask the Lord to do a work in using this to connect her emotionally even more firmly to us.  Because that is His desire, too!

Thank you for standing alongside us, and lifting our Emma Kate to the One and Only!