Three Years Ago Today

A little mite of a thing landed in Phoenix with her mommy and big sister 
just three years ago today.

As Dw and the kids waited for us to come through the arrival doors, he wondered what was taking us so long, but hey, we needed to get all fancified as we had not been home in a really long time!

The flights had been long, especially given the fact that Ruby’s health was so tentative and the risk was high flying with her basically untreated Multiloculated Hydrocephalus!!

Emma and I had been gone 7.5 weeks processing the paperwork to bring sweet Ruby home and landing never felt better!!

As we headed to the hospital after dropping the kids off at Stuart’s home,
we could hardly get to Phoenix Children’s fast enough!
I remember going into the Emergency Room collapsing in my soul.
God had been completely faithful to our prayers!!!

Ruby was now in a place where she could have the most attentive care we

had been able to find.  Dr. Shafron had been waiting for her arrival in the states.
Just before we flew home. 

Hospital 

A horrible turn for the worst after her 4th brain surgery….
And bloggy friends around the world started fasting and praying for Ruby…

                                June 2011                                                               June 2012

Learning to Stand
[bit by bit and she still fights it!]
But boy oh boy can this girl smile!!

Oh yeah.

Ohhhhh yeah.

The last three years have confirmed:
We firmly believe that God loves the orphan.

We unashamedly believe that our powerful God will move heaven and {literally} hades to bring them home.

We believe our loving God adores special needs treasures.

We also believe that His heart is stirred for the most vulnerable of all humanity – and that He has a very specific plan to accomplish through their lives, even with broken little bodies.

We also believe that as much as their lives are
changed being in a family, 
our lives have been changed more.

Not one fiber of regret!!!

We will never be able to thank the Lord enough
for allowing us the enormous privilege and 
delight to have Ruby as our daughter.

Celebrating the three greatest years of our lives!!!!

13 thoughts on “Three Years Ago Today

  1. Oh sweet Ruby! I just love her to pieces!!! It's hard to believe it's been three years already! wow. If only you could know how many hearts and lives Ruby's story and life have impacted. I know you'd be astounded! Ruby' story spreads wider than I'm sure you can even imagine and there's no book yet! Even my mom has shared snippets of sweet Ruby's story in front of the church congregation when speaking about caring for the orphan. Her life is such an example of God's amazing love for the orphan as you said. It's so hard to think of Ruby's devestating beginnings and how it could all have been allowed to take place, but God is using her little life and her story for SO much good. What power that precious little soul has! She is an amazing gift. You are so lucky to be her mamma. So lucky to get to tell of her rescue and of all the many many miracles God is doing in her life. What a special daughter you have. I know how proud you are of her. I love you Ruby!! XO

  2. In all of the recent photos she looks SO alert and tuned in. All of her expressions… There's no way she doesn't know what's going on!! She may not be able to express it all yet… But that girl is watching and listening and soaking it all in and even reacting to some things… I'm amazed. Please please update us on her accomplishments…. I love reading stories about her! And considering how bad her prognosis was and how far she's come… I can't even imagine all the things she'll be able to do. It's so exciting to get to watch her little life unfold! 🙂

    1. She is so tuned in. Today wasn't quite a good day {very common with brain trauma to have good and not-so-good days. But yesterday?? I wish I could have videoed the day. She was amazing and on top of her game!! So animated and I was in awe of how she was rockin' life!

  3. Loved the photo walk-thru of the past three years! What an amazing God to bring her so far. Praying for Ruby and your family tonight. Thanks, Linny, for sharing this journey with all of us.

  4. God wins! Again!
    Interesting you mentioned broken bodies in this post. I have been hurting quite a lot and my hip especially is bad right now. On Sunday at the Lord's Supper during the broken bread part, He whispered…" I understand broken bodies." Boy I sure needed that!
    Sandy in the UK

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