This was taken shortly after Zoe became ours.
She has grown and changed so much in 6 short months. She is 4 inches taller and 5 pounds heavier than the day we first held her in our arms. She can identify every letter of the alphabet, climb ANYTHING, and say a number of English phases that just make us smile. She is smart and funny and full of love and life. She is a fighter and does not let anything slow her down or stop her, and yet she loves hugs and kisses and snuggles and is gentle and kind. Just last night, for the first time, she let me rock her before bed for half an hour with her sweet head against my chest just listening to my heart beat. This is huge progress as she has preferred to self comfort by cuddling her blanket at bed time and would ask me to put her into bed as soon as we were done singing and saying prayers. My heart was just bursting with Joy I was so happy!
Baby Dedication at our church.
Medically, Zoe has been making huge strides as well. We have been to see a number of specialists and it seems as though there are new appointments and tests every day. Although she is healthy, there are still some things she needs to have addressed. She is currently wearing a brace for scoliosis for 18-20 hours daily. She adjusted to it quickly and does not seem to mind it much. The cranio-facial specialist has decided to give her a year of good nutrition before considering doing anything regarding her open cranium. The genetics doctor is still doing a number of genetics studies, but is thrilled with her progress. The pulmonologist also feels she is doing well and is content to just watch her. We find the shock of all these doctors at how well Zoe is doing quite amusing at times. We know we serve an awesome God who has great plans for her, and is healing her precious little body right before our eyes! She has upcoming appointments with an ENT, Speech, and Audiology specialists as well as other tests, but we know that God is faithful, and that each specialist and test only reveals how great our God is and the miracle He is performing in our sweet Zoe.
Our Miracle Girl!
We believe with all our heart that sweet Zoe was destined by God to be our sweet girl before we ever knew her. But to be honest, the journey has been difficult at times. It was hard when she seemed more comforted by her blanket that when I would hold her. It was heartbreaking when she would cry out in her sleep for her foster brother. It truly crushed my heart the days that I could see in her face that she was angry with me and would cry when I would try to hold her or soothe her. But through it all God is so faithful! He is healing her heart and we are past all of these things.
Along the way, in the difficult times God has given us moments of reassurance that indeed Zoe was always meant to be ours. Frank's mom has made all the grandchildren beautiful knitted blankets. When we asked her to make one for Zoe, she was unsure if she would be able to do so as the arthritis in her hands had grown worse since the last time she made a "grandma blanket". We were sad but understood completely. One day as she was looking for the blanket pattern to pass on to Frank's sister, she discovered that several years ago she had made a beautiful green "grandma blanket" and had set it aside and completely forgot about it. She brought it to Zoe as a surprise when they came for a visit in April. This completely wrecked me. Only God could align all these "coincidences"! A beautiful green (which means life) "grandma blanket" for our sweet Zoe (which means life) that was made by Grandma Bohlinger years before Zoe was even born!
First snuggle with her "grandma blanket."
Another precious moment was given to us on Madeline's birthday. We had a little craft project for all the little girls to do. It involved making picture frames using old buttons that had belonged to my Grandma Suchin. When she passed I inherited her button bag. As the girls were sorting through buttons for their frames, one sweet little girl was showing me some of the beautiful buttons she had found. There was one she brought to my attention that brought tears to my eyes and rendered me speechless. There in her hand was an ancient Chinese coin similar to ones had we had seen in a museum in Zoe's province! I asked her I could keep that button, and she smiled and said, "sure". Again, only God could give my grandmother a piece of Chinese money similar to what we would see in Zoe's province, most-likely years before I was even born! These moments confirm over and over in my heart that Zoe was destined to be our daughter from before time began. His plans are perfect!
THE COIN!!!
There is no way I can express all the things in my heart. I am overwhelmed at God's love and His amazing plans for our family. We all are daily blessed to have each other, and that He brought us together as a family across continents and an ocean. To Him be all Glory and Praise!
