Thanksgivings/Prayers

Our Thanksgiving blessing 11yrs. ago (11/27) our precious Rachel 

So very thankful for this blessing- she is such a creative young lady.  She's passionate about The Lord and is so burdened for others... She challenges me to be ready to share Christ when the opportunity comes. Thankful!

Poppa still believes in the ol' fashion tradition of "birthday spankings"... the girls think this is hilarious!

Grammy hugs!!

Thanksgiving with the Stanley family

Luke's first Thanksgiving... he loved it!

Alaina and Luke (my two babies)

Yes, my firstborn is officially taller than her momma. 

Thankful!

Last November we switched from the country of Honduras to the China Waiting Child program. It was a huge leap of faith, after having our dossier in Honduras for over 5 months.  Looking back God, in His Sovreignty, was orchestrating the details of bringing us to this amazing little guy I'm so honored to call, son!  

Thankful for this time of the year when so many challenge us to reflect on blessings- but most grateful that we have access to our Father, always!  

I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:1, 2 NIV)

**This Tuesday Luke will have the CT scan/angiogram and sedated echocardiogram at 1:30 at Vanderbilt.  I'm praying the above scripture as we prepare for this day.  HE is my portion, my deliverer!

First time to Mimi's... to visit and ride 4-wheelers!

Better bundle up!

Cold, but so, so fun...

Mimi, Maddie and Rachel 

Alaina and Luke playing while Mimi ices the cake.

Mimi has three boys, she knows the way to a boy's heart- food!  

Maddie with Luke eating his favorite- "nana"

Loving this day as a family- outdoors!!!

Rachel having some fun on Mimi's four wheeler.

Alaina doing what she does best-- having f-u-n!!!!!

Cheeeeese, he's done with pictures!

Ok, I've had fun... is it time to leave yet? 

** After this past week with medical appointments we decided to spend the day doing something we could all enjoy- being outside.  I'm so thankful God provided a beautiful day.  We enjoyed it.

Vanderbilt contacted us yesterday and we will receive a call Monday with the appointment time for his CT scan/angiogram and sedated echocardiogram.  I will update on here as we receive information from the tests.  Thank you for continuing to pray, love, and send encouragement to our family... It has been such a blessing to know others- who haven't even met our sweet boy- care so much for him.  Thank you!!

Luke's follow-up cardio appt. today!

We completed another day of testing at Vanderbilt.  A doppler ultrasound was completed to look at the thrill in Luke's neck.  It was checking for blockage in the carotid artery.  After Luke's doctor and radiologist had the opportunity to review results they together feel that a CT/angiogram is needed to get complete confirmation of what appeared from today's ultrasound.  (It appears to be a fistula)..   It appears that the artery (that carries blood to the brain) and a small vessel (that carries blood back to the heart) may be joined.  They need to be separate.  We are waiting to be contacted for an appt time.  We should know within 1-2 days.  We should be able to have the scan and results within 1-2 weeks.  Selfishly, I'm praying it happens before the Thanksgiving holiday.  I would like to enjoy Thanksgiving with this behind us and to just know what is ahead of us.  However, Craig and I know that God has all of this with Luke in His hands.  

It's our preference to have this sooner than later- but ultimately, God has shown Himself to us through each step of getting Luke.  From March 4th, the day we were able to first see Luke and his referral information- He orchestrated the events of the last 7+ months to get him home-- and just today at Vanderbilt God reminded me of how generous He can be with His love.  

When we got to the room for the radiologist to do the ultrasound- I noticed the lady was Asian.  She asked where Luke was from, and I told her China.  She said she too was from China- a Han Chinese (and so is Luke).  She spoke Mandarin (as does Luke) and talked with him several times during the testing.  It was soooo very sweet to see that God placed a lady in Luke's path today that could offer him something I could not, the comfort of familiarity at a time when so many things in his little life are not!  It was a beautiful thing to watch.  It was obvious that he was listening to her.  What a bLeSsiNg!  

This was just a small-- yet big reminder that God's ways are higher than ours.  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8, 9 NIV). 

So thankful that our One True God is too big to understand- that His plans are too great for us to see at all at once-- which leads us into trust and greater faith in Him.  Praise be to Him!

Getting ready for his appointment... the backpack is almost bigger than Luke.

Finally up and standing!

Please join us/continue to pray for Luke as we have several days ahead of us before we know what will need to be done for him.

He did really well in the car seat today, and in this picture getting sleepy... we are making progress with the car seat, hooray ;)

Luke's cardiology appt.

Hi friends and family!  We have had a few of you send messages regarding Luke's cardiology appt today.  I wanted to update you as well as thank you for your prayers and love for him.  He had an EKG and echocardiogram.  The doctor said he was pleased with how his surgery was done in China, praise God!  

He has two things that he wants to follow-up with:

1)Luke has a place on the side of his neck (we noticed the day we got him) that is from the surgery.  We will have to go back to Vanderbilt sometime this month for testing to see if this is causing any other problems (blood-flow related).  

2)He has some pressure on his lungs, not dangerous, just something they will be watching closely.  He will check this again in March, and make decisions accordingly. 

Thank you so much for your prayers for our son and your encouragement to us!!

Connie and Craig

One Month and Counting........

One month ago today, we met Wu Yuanhong, who would the very next day become our son, Luke O'Neil Perry.  Over the past month we've grown and learned quite a bit about one another as a family of six!  Here are a few pictures since our first moments meeting Luke and bringing him into our family.  Our prayer life has increased tremendously.  May our home be a pleasing fragrant to our Father!

Our first moments together...

Week 1- Lanzhou, Gansu, China

Week 2-Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

Sleeping on the plane....USA bound!

Home at last with my sisters!

Our little super hero, who's come so far, and survived so much in such a short little life.

Vanderbilt appt

Lazy Saturday with dad

Yeah, super hero!

Mommy stealing a kiss.  Each day I love this precious, little angel more and more- it's a beautiful gift!

Despite the love, hard days, tears, laughter, joy, gratitude, countless meals and acts of love and kindness shown to our family, and very sleepy days over this past month.... we have made progress and seen such growth and strength that only comes from the Lord.  For our new family, and this month we are forever thankful!  It is through Him ALL blessings come!

I lift my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from?  My Help comes from The Lord, the Maker of Heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2

* Please pray with us this week as we meet with a pediatric cardiologist concerning Luke's (repaired) TOF.  He will have tests completed to determine if further surgery is needed and what ongoing care is needed. 

Fall Fun

I know we're cute, but enough with the pictures!