My sweet daughter

A little over two years ago, I received an email from a website called Rainbow Kids. They help waiting children find their forever families. I had received emails from them before and I have received emails from them since that time. But, this one was different. A little girl named Anastasia was in need of a mommy and daddy. I looked at her information and thought that maybe we could handle her special needs. I told Mark about Anastasia and he said "find out more."
On May 21, 2010 (yes - two years ago today!), I contacted the agency that had listed the little girl and filled out the required application. We received this picture a few days later.

If you had told me then that on Christmas Day (just seven months later), that I would be walking out of an orphanage in Ukraine with that same sweet little girl, I would have said, "Hmmm... not so sure about that." But there we were.

If you had told me that we would return to Ukraine a second time, I would said "not likely." Six months later, we were headed back to bring Matthew home. The five weeks that we spent together in Ukraine as a family was such wonderful bonding time for all of us. Maia and I came home with a new closeness to our relationship.

If you had told me that I would grow to love this sweet child more and more each day, I would have said, "Impossible." And yet, she steals my heart and touches my soul with every breath I take.

If you had told me that less than a month after this picture was taken, that we would be finishing our first week in the ICU with my sweet girl fighting for her life, I would have said, "You are mistaken my daughter's way too healthy!"

 

And still... here we are. I have not been able to hold Maia since last Wednesday and I would give anything to wrap my arms around her and never let go. Pat - you mentioned grabbing her and running. Yep, that's pretty accurate!! She's in the right place, but doesn't mean that I wouldn't just like to pick her up and go! It is such a horrible, helpless feeling to watch your child suffer. I would rip my beating heart out of my chest with my own hands if it would make things easier for my girl.  Please don't cease your prayers for her. I know that we are now getting to be "old news," but Maia needs us to plead for her healing just as much today as she did when she was the hot topic - perhaps even more! Tomorrow, she will have an MRI and abdominal CT. Hoping/praying for answers.