today...

I will read a book to Libi today.
Not that there is anything new about reading a book to Libi.
The book that I will choose to read today is new.
It’s a book that I have been saving, for today, October 16th.
I purchased this book long before Libi was birthed into my arms.
What is the significance of today?
Two years ago today Libi’s mother choose life for her.

On this day two years ago, Libi’s mother took her to the garage of an orphanage and left her there.

Libi was 6 months old.
She was left with a red slip of paper that had her birth date written on it, but no name.
I have wondered, why a birth date and no name. Did she think about Libi having a “new” name along with the “new” life she hoped for her to have?
I know that God has known her by every name she has had on earth and in heaven.
Not only was Libi’s birth date on the paper but also the time of her birth, 10:25 PM.
To me, this is a piece to Libi’s mother’s heart.

Not only did she feel it was important to tell just the date of Libi’s birth to whoever would find her, but the very minute she entered the world.
I think that minute was one of the greatest minutes of her mother’s life and the minute she said good-bye to her at 6 months of age was one of the saddest.
Can you picture a 6 month old baby?

Think of how their little personality is beginning to blossom.

They have that sweet baby chub.

Only love could have driven her to the place of knowing she could not help Libi.
She knew she was not well.
Her resources were not enough.
She had to make a choice.
Am I speculating?
I don’t know.
I don’t care.
I have had glimpses into this mama’s heart as I have held a piece of it in the flesh,

our daughter.


My hope and prayer on this day for Libi’s precious mommy, that you would know that
she is safe,
she is well,
she is loved,
and you are thought of with honor and respect!
Thank you for the gift of life you gave to me and most importantly to our daughter.

These are the words to the story I will read to Libi Faith Jia Qi today.

Motherbridge of Love by Josee Masse

Once there were two women who never knew each other.
One you do not know. The other you call mother.
Two different lives shaped to make you one.
One became your guiding star; the other became your sun.
The first one gave you life; the second taught you to live it.
The first gave you a need for love; the second was there to give it.
One gave you a body, the other taught you games.
One gave you a talent, the other taught you aims.
One gave you emotions; the other calmed your fears.
One saw your first sweet smile; the other dried your tears.
One found a home for you that she could not provide.
The other prayed for a child; her hope was not denied.
And now you ask, of course you do, the question others ask me too;
This place or your birth place- which are you a daughter of?
Both of them, my darling – and two different kinds of love.


Here is a link to the books website.
www.barefootbooks.com/us/site/pages/productone.php?pid=2057&rep_code=US-A000513

Send yourself the e-card to see the illustrations and have it read to you. It is beautiful!

Family fun times

Just wanted to post a few pics, actually a lot of pics! Of some things we have done as a family over the last couple of weeks. We went to Tanners Apple Orchard and Libi rode the cider barrels with Joel. She also had the opportunity to meet a goat, and I don't think she really cares to do that again. The boys had fall break this last week so we all headed up to Wisconsin for some fun at an indoor water park. It was one of our greatest family vacations! We had a lot of fun and we were able to kick back and relax with each other. My boys are all very funny in their individual ways, but it is usually Jack that keeps us all in stitches with his dry humor and timely "one liners". Libi Faith enjoyed her time in the water just as much as her big brothers. We also had a little day long adventure with my extended family. We went on a "fall festival" like tour, called the Spoon River Drive. It was a fun day, but the highlight was definitely Libi riding the ponies. She was smiling and giggling. It was priceless!!

Thanks for letting me share our sweet girl with you...we continue to notice that everywhere we go people are drawn to Libi. We are amazed how many times we are able to share the love of Jesus because of her. The lady who ran the pony rides shared with us about her own son who was special needs and now 40 years old. She told us he has Cerebral Palsy and never walked or talked, but she knew what he was saying with his eyes. Her LOVE for her boy was very evident in the tears that streamed down her cheeks as she spoke of him. She told us that one day at the park a little boy came over to her son with a Popsicle that he wanted to share. He realized that her son could not have it and he simply said to her, "Lady, if you love him enough he'll get better." Libi had touched her. That woman had watched 11 people standing around a pony corral laughing and crying over a delighted little handicapped girl on a pony and what she saw was LOVE, and LOVE from the Father is the greatest LOVE that can ever touch a life and make it better.

Diagnostic Pediatrician

We wanted to bring everyone up to date on Libi. We had the opportunity to finally take her to a diagnostic pediatrician. We have not had Libi "officially" diagnosed up to this point. Everyone involved in her care felt that before an accurate assessment could be made we needed to give Libi the opportunity to progress in her new environment. And progress she has! Upon her initial evaluation she presented at about 4-5 months of age, both physically and cognitively. Her recent evaluation showed that she has progressed to 9-10 months, with some areas still remaining more delayed than others. We rejoice in what we have seen the Lord do in her!

With that said, we had been prepared to hear that Libi's challenge was not Cerebral Palsy. Several specialists have questioned that diagnosis. This appointment we had was prayed over much. The thing that we pleaded with the Lord most was that He would give the doctor His wisdom so we would understand Libi. We want to know that we are providing what she needs to be the best Libi she can be.

The doctor we saw is a specialist in Cerebral Palsy. He felt certain that Libi does not have Cerebral Palsy. What challenges Libi physically is a condition called Hypotonia. It affects the muscles and causes them to be very weak. It is difficult to increase strength in them. As the doctor said, "She will not be pumping iron." To what point will her muscles strengthen? No one can answer that question but our Great and Powerful God. I love that!! I love that He knows her full well.

Then there is what challenges her mentally. It was the doctors opinion that Libi is globally delayed. That is a politically correct term for retarded, or mentally handicapped. The doctor explained that while Libi has made great progress you would see that same progress with any child that has been adopted from an institution. Overall she is 32 months and at best, functioning as a 10 month old. It is just such a large gap, that factored with everything else, it is clear that she does not have "normal" brain function. Will she continue to make progress? Yes, Libi will continue to make progress, but just like her physical development there is no way to have an expectation of where her mental development will peak.

Where does that leave Libi? Well, it leaves her right where we want her, with all the potential in the world! As we have said so many times before, we believe that God will heal Libi. We believe His healing will be complete. We believe we will see it here on the earth. God has confirmed to us in dreams and visions that she will not only walk, but run. Apart from that my confidence is that He has and will continue to use this little girl to change the lives of many.

Are we living in reality? The doctor questioned weather we have thought through all the possibilities with her. Have we thought about her never being independent? Have we accepted this? You know, I understand that these things have to be asked, and no, you cannot live in denial of your children's challenges. But, the Lord has taught me through Jack and Joel and their learning disabilities that we all have disabilities. In our disabilities their are no definite limits. YES, we are living in reality, the reality of living by faith and not sight...

2 Corinthians 5
New Bodies
1 For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. 2 We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. 3 For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. 4 While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. 5 God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.
6 So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. 7 For we live by believing and not by seeing. 8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. 10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.

11 Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. 12 Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart. 13 If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. 14 Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. 15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.
16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.