Finally Family Blog

One Year Ago

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 07:05:42 -0500

One year ago, Yu Ruo Qing, Heather, became our daughter, sister and granddaughter, Eliana Gabrielle Qing.

She loves her family; brothers, sister, and Grandma. Her adjustment to her new family was a smooth transition as she was eager to embrace her new life. She is doing very well and continues to improve. Even though day to day can seem like a snail’s pace sometimes, when we look back, we see how far she has come in 12 months.

Her joyful nature and determined spirit are an inspiration to many. She is a vivid picture of how needing children are of permanent families and how vital excellent medical services and early intervention therapies are. We are so grateful to all who cared for her before she came into our lives. And we cannot express our gratefulness enough to those who have helped to bring her home and who continue to be a support!

Ellie’s name means, “My God Has Answered.” Her middle name meaning, “God is My Strength.” We believe these meanings have come true for her. As we look into the future, we see how much more we will rely on these meaning to become fulfilled.

A quote of Ralph Waldo Emerson speaks to our faith, “All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.”

Thank you for following Ellie’s story and caring for her future.
To a new year,
Kevin and Lynda

Nine Months Home

Tue, 2 Nov 2010 08:47:32 -0400

It is hard to believe Ellie has now been a part of our family for nine months! The time has flown by and she is doing really, really well. Her adjustment to her new life and family has been amazing. She did so with one giant leap. The love she received at Starfish enabled her to adjust quickly. The love of Amanda, the nannies, staff, and volunteers will always be a part of her and has been the bridge which allow her to move on to new things without missing a step.

Physically she is doing really well although she has had a very long haul. She has had two surgeries, will have two more next year, and has had more medical and therapy appointments than we can recount. She has been a trooper and is doing very well! Her MRI revealed that she had myelocystocele, a form of spina bifida from which a cyst developed on the lining of her spinal cord. The exceptional surgery she received through Starfish has truly been a saving grace in her life. The results of hydrocephalus will likely be one of the main conditions she will work through in the future. The extent of her condition may not be known for some time and we are still in the phase of discovering her potential. She has been a trooper and continues to work hard to improve and grow in her abilities. The spina bifida for which we researched and prepared for has not been the extent to which we anticipated. The unknowns of other issues have been more than we could have predicted. Her story is a picture that adoption is most always a chance of unknowns; and always, I believe, worthy of the extent it may require. To be a part of changing a life, not only the child adopted, is an amazing process. Not an event, but an experience. One in which only the future will reveal to end of the story.

Her story is one that, while we are happy to be able to bring her home, saddens us. Like so many waiting children with multiple or severe special needs, she was available for adoption a long, long time before we were able to be her family. We hope that her story will be an encouragement to other families to take a chance and open their hearts to a child they may not have initially considered. Research, research, research (and prepare for the “worst”); but be aware that all the research in the end may not prepare you for the child you bring home. I believe, in the end, it can be for “the best.” The process has not been easy by any means and we have a long road ahead with Ellie. But, I do believe the future will reveal that the end of the story was worth the effort. Secondly, I hope Ellie’s example will encourage Starfish followers to generously support organizations like Starfish who lovingly care for and provide exceptional surgeries for those who wait and organizations which provide therapy and rehabilitation for those waiting or left behind. It is amazing what love and care gives a child! Thank you to everyone at Starfish for loving Ellie until we could. It has made all the difference in her life.

While we offered to continue identifying Ellie as “Heather” (her Starfish name), she would have no part of it. She whole heartedly jumped into her new life as Ellie (Or, as she prefers to declare, her full name, “Eliana Gabrielle Qing, Qing Qing I am”). “I was a baby in China,” she recounts, “Lui Ma take care of my ouchy back, Ying Ying take care of me, and Ye Ye play ball with me. Amanda is nice.” Her memories of Starfish are precious. We are so grateful they will always be a part of her. After her most recent surgery, the nurse was coaxing her alertness following anesthesia, “Is pink your favorite color?” she asked. “No,” Ellie quickly replied, “Purple!” Yes, she has independently claimed purple as her favorite. Even if not by name, “Heather” will always be a part of who she is. The nurse offered her a drink, a cracker? “No,” Ellie more insistently demanded, “Go home!” The nurse asked who was at home. “Everybody,” she replied. We are grateful that Ellie now belongs to her forever family. It may take a while to get where she is headed, and the road may be rough, but we are thankful she is home.

To Starfish and all its supporters, we sincerely thank you for caring for Ellie!

~ Lynda

Jon Piper on Adoption (Video)

Thu, 13 May 2010 17:58:24 -0400

From www.desiringgod.com blog.

One Month Home

Mon, 8 Mar 2010 13:13:37 -0500

This month has quickly passed since arriving home as a new family. Ellie is doing very well adjusting to her new home. She is enjoying exploring and finding new activities and adventures.

We are blessed to have her home. Thank you for following along and praying for Ellie’s journey.

HOME!

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 09:44:32 -0500

We made it to our home around 12:30 AM on Monday morning.

We are so grateful that the limited flight schedule at Dulles included our flight! We were greeted at the hotel where we had parked with a snow covered van and after digging out we headed home on snow covered roads.

Thank you to all who have prayed! We are grateful for the beautiful snow and for our comfortable home.

Many thanks to Uncle Doug and Aunt Kris along with Steve Davis and our special neighbors Bill and Marty Butler and all of our neighbors for shoveling our driveway, and for friends who have brought and are bringing food.