“For the LORD God is a sun and shield;

the LORD bestows present

grace and future glory.”

Psalm 84:11

Thursday, January 7, 2010

New Year's Eve

sleeping under the tree!


breakfast @ Stax


A true southern girl -
She can put down some eggs & grits!


Our gingerbread house



The Fam @ my sister's house


Brian, Daniel Kristi & Dad


cousins & best friends


Wii-nging in the new year


My cousin Kathleen


My Aunt Rene

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Christmas 2009

My gift from the CrossRoads staff after surgery


Christmas Eve



Tracking Santa before bed


Erin evidently approves


My new kitchen


"Photo-boothing" w/ Daddy is funny!


Am I sweet, or what?!


Grove Park Inn


Viewing the gingerbread houses display @ the GPI

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

6 months

Six months ago today we met
this sad, scared, precious little girl
half a world away...




God has transformed her into
a happy, beautiful treasure...
our baby Gracie Shu!



"Sing a new song to the LORD.
He has done wonderful things!"
Psalm 98:1

Friday, December 25, 2009

merry merry Christmas!


Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free
From our sins and fears release us
Let us find our rest in Thee
Israel's strength and consolation
Hope of all the earth Thou art
Dear desire of every nation
Joy of every longing heart

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

update


our little hero before she received her "happy juice"


Gracie's procedures went so well yesterday. Thank you so much for your comments, e-mails and prayers. She was blessedly calm and happy before the surgery, and both surgeons were very pleased with how things went. Waking up in recovery was not a pretty picture, mainly due to the fact that Gracie cannot suck her thumb & finger with the new appliance in her palate. Her way of comforting herself for almost two years is now gone. :( We were up most of the night with a very upset little girl. Only Mommy's arms would do, and we had to be standing...not sitting, or even lying in Mommy & Daddy's bed. Probably a combination of the anesthesia wearing off, pain, and frustration over the thumb issue. We've managed pain pretty well today, and she is now the happiest she's been so far - Playing with her Daddy, laughing & smiling. We're thankful for chocolate Pediasure and peanut butter...Hoping tomorrow she'll be able to eat a little better with less pain!
What a brave, brave girl we have. She will wear her Latham device for up to three months. We will tighten the screw attached to it once a day, and it will gradually be bringing her palate closer together before her actual palate surgery sometime early 2010.
This Christmas our hearts are overflowing with gratefulness for this priceless little gift!

Monday, December 21, 2009

it's beginning to look alot like...

surgery


Yep, the week of Christmas is when the ENT
and craniofacial surgeon were able to coordinate their schedules!
We're heading to Charlotte today with the whole family
to stay @ my brother's house. Brian & I will have little
Gracie @ the hospital @ 5am for a 7:00 surgery.
They will be extracting a tooth, putting tubes in both
ears, and inserting the Latham device...
and all of this is an outpatient procedure!
Please join us in praying for the surgeons involved,
that God would prepare Gracie's heart and mind in a way
that only He can, and that her healing process would be a peaceful, rapid one where the bonding we have established so far will only be strengthened.


Not quite the Christmas week we envisioned,
but we trust God's timing in this first step
of Gracie's surgeries. This sweet smile
we've fallen in love with (and will miss by the way!)will now be lovingly
transformed by her Creator in the hands of men He
has gifted to do so.
And so it begins!

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

The Christmas card picture...cutting room floor






Thank you sisters & brother for teaching me the all-American
art of face making