Hardship, really?

We have had some "hardships" this past month and a half.  We are in the midst of trying to figure out how to get Emma's (who is our oldest) asthma under control.  She has had an asthma attack every school day for the past 13 days.  We have tried many different medications and nothing seems to work.  The asthma attacks are so bad I have to bring her home from school.  We go to a pulmonary specialist at Hopkins this week.  To make matters worse, Emma gets so upset when she has to miss classes.  And I can't possibly go into town or run errands for fear I won't make it back in time to give her medication during the attacks.  

Della gets surgery next week at Hopkins on her right foot.  She's making awesome progress with her physical therapy.  But, her foot being turned gets in the way when she walks.  We knew surgery was a possibility even before we met her.  We are excited to get this corrected, but it's difficult to put her through it.  She'll be in a cast for about 6 weeks. Thank-you for all your continued support and prayers!

To top it all off....last weekend Eli (our second oldest) hit his head pretty hard and has headaches every day.  I'm sure he probably has a concussion.

 hardship 

a condition that is difficult to endure; suffering; deprivation; oppression.

Never mind......according to the definition I don't have hardships.  I have obstacles.

 obstacle 

something that obstructs or hinders progress.

I need to be thankful that I live in a country like the U.S. where we have the best medicine and doctors to care for my children.  I need to be thankful we have enough (and more) food to feed them.  I need to be thankful my husband has a stable job, and I'm able to stay home and raise my children.  I need to be thankful my children are crying because "he hit me first", not because their bellies are hungry.

Heavy hearts

Doug and I have had heavy hearts since returning from Africa.  We cannot forget the children we left behind in the orphanage there, the same one our daughter lived in (you can read more here).  Out of the three orphanages our adoption agency works with in Africa, 5 children died of starvation the week after we came home.  The African country we have adopted from has put a hold on letting children go home with their new families for up to 12 more months.  A family who returned to the U.S. illegally "re-homed" a child that wasn't "working out".  The African country found this info through the internet and needless to say was very upset.  It has been suggested we do not use the country's specific name on the internet or social media as to not upset them more.  These orphans have moved our hearts so much that we are organizing fundraisers to provide basic needs such as food and medicine (more details to come in the next month).  We can't forget those little faces thirsting for someone to give them love and attention.  I see this little girl's smile (below) in my mind all the time.  She appears to be under 5 years old, but, due to many years of malnourishment, when she smiles her teeth reveal she is 2 or 3 years older.  These orphans reality is survival and possibly death before they turn 5 years old.  That could have been our Della's story, but God is good, and He moves in lives.  Della shows me what it truly feels and looks like when God adopts us into His family!