How is it going with Annika?

I know I haven't been posting as much these days, so tonight feels like a good time to get you caught up!

Ears update: 

I heard from our ENT last week and after much conversing with other doctors and thinking through, he felt it best we pursue another doctor to do surgery on Annika's ear canals and cholosteatoma removals. Jay and I highly respect him for saying he didn't want to risk messing up the final outcome and goal: ears for Annika. Her case is a complicated one with the location of her ear canals and cholosteatomas compounding the issue. In a way, we are kind of like being back to square 2, which is frustrating, but I'd rather be back to square 2 than to risk it. Our ENT recommended 2 other doctors for us to look into and they are actually doctors we have heard of because they are the best of the best. Both doctors are out of state. Our ENT said he was going to fax Annika's CT scans (with our permission) over to each doctor while Jay and I decided which doctor we wanted to pursue. That was last week (Thursday, I believe) and today I put a call into the doctor in Virginia to initiate contact as well. Tomorrow or Wednesday, I plan to contact the other doctor who is in California and see if we can get the ball back rolling again on getting surgery on the books to remove the cholosteatomas in the next month or two. 

Tomorrow is our first post placement visit with our social worker. Per adoption requirements, we have to submit a 6 month, 1 year and 4 other post placement reports to our agency who then submits them to China. It's China's way of knowing that we are indeed loving and taking care of our child we promised to never hurt or abandon and to love her as our own flesh and blood. I can't help but be a bit excited for our social worker to come and see our family and meet our Annika! We enjoyed working with her in the adoption process and we really connected well with her, so we are looking forward to seeing her! 

Annika continues to grow and blossom and thrive. She still has many moments of complaining, and often we have to work on our polite manners and not being disrespectful (and lots of patience on our part as parents), but she continues to improve and the Lord continues to give us mercy and grace as parents, as a family, as individuals. Tonight, while at big sister's 3rd grade program, Annika wanted me to hold her so I obliged. She was enjoying her sister's musical program and then at one point, randomly leaned in and gave me a loving and happy kiss on the cheek. I needed that and she didn't even know it. Sometimes I worry that she's not happy with me as a parent, but that random moment when Annika's heart spontaneously came through, my heart melted all over again and I thanked the Lord for that gift. She continues to grow (physically, emotionally and socially!) and I thank the Lord for bringing her into our family. 

Annika's English language continues to grow! And at nearly 4 months since Gotcha Day, I'm also thankful she's still communicating in Chinese. I try to make her read/hear Chinese everyday so she doesn't lose her first language, but getting her to willingly and without complaint to read in Chinese is not easy. Once we are past surgeries and such, we are planning to enroll her (and her siblings, if possible!) into Chinese school once a week after school or on Saturdays so she continues to retain and grow in her native language. 

Prayer Requests:

- for wisdom, favor and provision for Annika'a medical needs. With traveling out of state for ear canal surgery and ear surgery... that won't be cheap, but it will be worth it all in the long run. 

- for Annika to continue to grow in the love of our family

- for refreshing for Jay and I. It's been a busy, tiring and draining several months. 

- for Annika to come to know and love Jesus and her Lord and Savior. As opportunities arise, we try to teach her about our Heavenly Father who loves her and made her for a purpose. Her heart and mind are not comprehending yet, but I pray that one day she will not only understand, but fully receive Him with arms and heart opened wide. 

❤️

To God be the glory....