1 week post op

It's been 1 week since Mira's most recent surgery & she is doing SUPER!!!!
We are still in Baltimore doing therapy but we fly home on Thursday, it will be a happy reunion for Valentines Day. This separation has been very hard, likely because of the huge distance between us but also because of the extreme bond we've all experienced since the move. We are quite close, very dependent on each other.
The plan at this point is to do the 3D alignment from home over the next few weeks. Her turns will stop on March 6th. We return to Dr Standard on march 7th for X-rays and to decide if she needs any lengthening which can easily be accomplished with this fixator. We will then return home until mid may-June. At that time we can return to Baltimore for complete hardware removal including the femur rod she has.
We are blessed to know the Great Healer, he sends his angels to watch over Mira each time. The strength, determination and sweet spirit she has could only be from The Lord.
Thanks to everyone that has prayed for her this and everytime she's been in the hospital.
A couple cute pics to leave you with!

Two shoes....

Today is the first day since October that Mira has been able to wear two shoes. It won't last long though.
We have returned to Baltimore for cast removal from her right leg & tomorrow am she will have corrective surgery to her left lower leg. This should be the tail end of large surgeries.
I must say, we had it pretty good to live just 40 mins from the hospital. We had to fly in on Sat for a mon am appt & Tuesday am surgery, we will be in Baltimore for 2 wks. VERY DIFFICULT to be away from our family BUT I have to say it is worth every sacrifice. The Lord called us to China & to be Mira's family but it doesn't stop there, we vowed to love her & provide her with the best quality life...even if it's in Baltimore! Dr Standard is AMAZING, I know he is a gift from God for many families including ours. It is for that reason we will continue to travel for him to care for Mira.
He is a master (bone) carpenter!
Below are some really impressive before & after photos.
Please keep Mira in your prayers as she undergoes this next phase of correction.

Not my idea....

Mira had surgery on Tuesday to remove all of her metal. On her right leg they removed the external fixator & placed her leg in a "Raven's purple" cast to her upper thigh to protect the bone as it regenerates bone where the (4) 1/4" pins were. On her left leg they removed a long femur plate that was internal. They placed an antibiotic coated rush rod in her femur & placed a drain in the new incision. She was admitted to Sinai hospital for overnight observation.
We had a return flight scheduled for today to Denver. Shouldn't have been a problem since she just needed an overnight.
Yesterday instead of discharging her they decided to keep her because her drain was producing so much. Last night she spiked a fever... I knew we weren't leaving!
I immediately got online to change my flight...ugh... The first available flight is SUNDAY!! That's Emily's birthday!!
We are grateful to be arriving home BEFORE Christmas but I really wish it could've been on Saturday!
Aside from the fever Mira is experiencing a good deal of pain. Despite that, she has managed to walk the halls & hunt out her special friends.. Below you will see a favorite here... Lisa, she is the inpatient physical therapist.
Yesterday the hospital had a Christmas party complete with Santa, the O's bird and gifts!!

A small glitch...and some Christmas MAGIC!!

Greg & I were scheduled to head back to MD this past week. He drive his truck & I flew in on Saturday.
Sounds simple enough right??
We were even given permission to take our time coming back. I was to drive one truck & Greg the other. We were planning a nice overnight somewhere.
But on Friday before I left, the girls noticed a red warm area on Mira's leg.. Long story short... Mira got a quick trip back to Baltimore. She saw Dr Standard today & she is scheduled for surgery tomorrow am to have all hardware removed from both legs.
We made a few adjustments, God worked a few miracles & Mira & I are scheduled to fly back to Co on Thursday.
Only God could arrange this. We have a friend from high school who moved to Idaho, we haven't seen him in 3 yrs. He called last week to say he was in town & wanted to stop by. Once we explained our move, he told Greg if he needed help getting a vehicle out to Denver he could help! Thank your God! Just a few days later, Mira's leg became yucky & he is driving for me sours can have surgery...only God!
The Magic of Christmas....
Most children grow up knowing Santa from birth... But there is NOTHING more magical than seeing a six year old Chinese princess who LOVES Santa meet him face to face at a Christmas party. He arrived with a sack of toys and had a personal conversation with each child. He even knew Mira just came home from China, that this is her first Christmas & he knew she just moved from Baltimore...
He MUST be the "REAL" Santa.

Home sweet home & SNOW!!!

So, I failed to complete my updates... Sorry. We arrived safely in Lone Tree, Co on Wednesday evening @ 8:30. Our house is great (for a rental) but we couldn't stay here the first night. When we arrived to our neighborhood we quickly realized this is not the kinda place you pull your 1984 semi. We literally live in a neighborhood of hundreds & hundreds houses but by 8:30 you could hear a pin drop. So we stayed at my inlaws for the night. Thursday & Friday consisted of hours & hours of moving & unpacking... We were/are exhausted!
Friday night we went to Greg's little sisters Christmas program & the to BTO (by the ounce) yogurt. This place is AMAZING!!! You chose your flavor of yogurt (we got Reese's PBS cup, nutella, chocolate chip cookie dough & hot chocolate) then you go through a buffet of toppings from nuts to candy to fruit anything you can imagine~ YUMMY!!!
Saturday has been a day of fun. We did church breakfasts (men /women) then we went Christmas caroling at a retirement community. This was really a great way to celebrate the season. You could see the hearts that were touched by a group of 18 off key but warm hearted singers. Mira was amazed as we joyfully sang songs & shook hands with the residents. By the end she even knew some songs. Afterwards we went to Mert & Veralyns for chili & hot fudge sundaes.
Just a few minutes ago I noticed it was snowing. Mira has never seen snow!! Was she ever excited!!!!! She insisted on going outside to touch it!!
Thanks to all who faithfully prayed us here! Please continue to pray that the Lord will direct us and that Greg would find work soon.
Bye for now!

A little over halfway

We travel about 600 miles today & we are comfortably tucked in, in a town named Kingdom City, Missouri.
Not much to report, we are exhausted but grateful to have experienced driving into an amazing sunset after a pretty rainy day. God certainly can show off with His beauty, unfortunately driving 75 miles an hour behind the "freight shaker" it is difficult to capture in a clear photo!
More tomorrow!

And the big news is.... Drum roll please!

We are MOVING!!! To Colorado, literally as we speak. We left the home of our dreams today. We sold our business. As I type this message we are in Cambridge, Ohio on the first night of our trip. Everything we own is in a "brand new" 1984 Freightliner tractor trailer.. That's right, we're bringing the 80's back baby!!
This is bitter sweet. My family all lives close by in MD, I will miss them all terribly BUT pray that our relationships will strengthen. That our time together will be valuable. My husbands family lives in the Denver area, we will be just a few miles from them.
We are excited to see exactly what God has in store for us. His hand has been in every step of this process & we know he has a fantastic plan for our family!
Please pray for our family as we make this HUGE move, pray for my girls hearts to be calm & for healthy bodies as we make our way to Colorado!
Mira was the first to ride with daddy in his big truck!