Fall 2013

Fall 2013

Monday, May 21, 2012

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.

26 comments:

  1. Sending prayers your way. I can't wait for you to be able to hold her again!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Stay strong, guys! Remember you have God taking care of her with the great doctors, nurses and staff there at Mayo at His side! GOD IS GREAT and PRAYERS ARE POWERFUL!!! If my prayers alone could move mountains, our world would look a lot different today than it did when this all began. With all the support I have heard and seen, all our prayers WILL be heard!!! This little angel needs to keep her halo down here on Earth with you, Mark & Matthew! Everyone? THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND PLEASE KEEP PRAYING... MUCH LOVE FOR Y'ALL!!! ((((( BIG HUG )))))

    ReplyDelete
  3. Melanie, Maia and your family are definitely NOT old news! I am constantly praying for you all throughout the day as I read your updates on Facebook. I have my husband, my mom, and my entire MOPS group praying, as well. You have all been on my heart since I heard about what happened to Maia last week. I can only imagine the helplessness you are feeling and I am begging God to bring comfort and strength to you all and heal Maia.

    ReplyDelete
  4. We are still praying here, Melanie! Still stalkin' your blog every time I sit down here. It is true though...sometimes it is sad how prayer requests become "old news" and folks move on. I'm guilty of that too sometimes. Praying you get those answers you need tomorrow. Praying for the Lord to uphold you all in His Mighty healing hands.

    And Christmas 2010...never forget that one either. :-) It is so fun to see the Lord work when we simply say "YES!"

    ReplyDelete
  5. Praying until she is HOME!!!! Not old news at all! Thank you so much for keeping us updated on her condition so we can pray specifically.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I just wanted to let you know my husband and I are praying for your beautiful little girl and entire family!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh Melanie, your mother's love for Maia inspires me and yet I know it comes to you as easily as breathe. My thoughts are with you all day. Our prayers are with you...fervent prayers to God who loves you and Mark and Maia and Matthew. I wish you could hold your little girl. May God be with all of you in every moment.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am still praying, everytime she comes into my mind I'm praying, believing for miracles, claiming the victory in Jesus name. Maia is a hot topic to me. I'll be a prayer warrior for Maia and your family.
    Jacquelene L.
    Canada

    ReplyDelete
  9. I am one of Arlene's Circle members and just wanted to let you know that I have been praying for Maia and for your whole family, as I am sure that many of us in Circle are doing. Thanks for the updates so that we can pray more specifically.

    - Jean L.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Please do not say you are old news,we will continue to pray now may be even harder than when we first came across your blog.
    Praying that you will get some clear answers today and that your sweet girl will soon be on her way to a full recovery, I know what you mean by loving her more each day we adopted a little boy in 2010 from Kaz and didnt think it was possible to love him like I do.
    Again prayers and love being sent from CT

    ReplyDelete
  11. Praying that you get some good answers!

    ReplyDelete
  12. In tears.

    Praying for Maia and your family.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Praying and continuing to ask for prayers!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. This is not "old news" and you are on my mind constantly. Still praying for all of you!!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Never "old news". We are fighting in prayer for Maia. We will NOT stop.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thinking and praying for you the family and of course for sweet Maia. Hug from one of your families from RR.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Praying daily for your family and your sweet girl. We adopted Dariya via RR from Ukraine July 2011.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Praying for your family and Maia's healing.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Praying the doctors get the answers they need to treat Maia and get her back to health. Every time I think of you there in the hospital...and that is often, I say a little prayer. Seeing everyone else going on with their "normal" life while your life is in such upheaval is hard to understand. Know that understanding is out there and we are not forgetting you. Best I can do now is keep praying.

    ReplyDelete
  20. My prayers have never ceased for all of you. My heart aches at your pain and struggles. I know all to well the feeling of wanting to pick up your child, hold them and run far away. We spent 4.5 months in the NICU with our first child. Sending many of God's blessings and prayers your way. Let me know if their is anything at all we can do.

    Katie, Jason, Peyton and Andrew Pierce

    ReplyDelete
  21. Praying for your beautiful daughter and your sweet family!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Checking in today, sending love and prayers.

    ReplyDelete
  23. We are praying for your entire family. God is watching over little Maia and all of you. Thanks for posting the updates!

    ReplyDelete

We love hearing from our bloggy friends, but please keep this in mind.
"By swallowing evil words unsaid, no one has ever harmed his stomach." ~ Winston Churchill