Welcome to the World Amelia

Thank you for the outpouring of love, prayers and support you have all shown us this week as we have become a family of six!

Amelia Jane was born Monday evening weighing 6 lbs 4oz (although 6 lbs 10oz was mistakingly first reported). She is a beautiful South Korean and Columbian mix with a head full of black hair and beautiful skin. 

She has changed our life in the most special way. None of us will ever be the same. 

She was born in Raleigh and on Wednesday they airlifted us by jet to Levine Children's Hospital because she is a medical marvel and they are better able to treat her here.

Before her birth, the ultrasounds led the doctors the think that Amelia may be missing part of one of her legs but she is much more special than that. She has the most unique bone structure the doctors at either hospital have ever seen. 

The doctors are currently running every test imaginable to get to know her amazing little body well and determine the best way to treat her and give her the highest quality of life possible.

It has already been a beautiful journey. We have seen God's goodness, grace, mercy, and attention to detail every step of the way. 

Our life is so different now. The things of this world are strangely dim compared to how they looked this time last week.

Some of my biggest dreams and greatest fears have become a reality all at once. We have opened our hearts and lives to a child who desperately needed a home and I know that the missing puzzle piece of our family is here, tucked into my heart. But I typed this with hands cracked dry from countless washings from scrubbing in to visit my baby with the scary sounding diagnosis in the NICU. 

Amelia has multiple physical anomalies but when we look at her we see God's grace and her beautiful eyes and dimples.  She will probably never walk or feed herself because of arthrogyposis and her other disabilities but in the 24 hours we have been at Levine, she has already come so far, that we are amazed.  

There is NO telling what God has planned for her.

If you told me one week ago that we would have a severely handicapped newborn daughter today, I don't know that I could have believed how happy and blessed it has made me. 

We are tired and it has not been easy.  Nate passed out a little bit when he first saw her and he has had to carry me out of the NICU in hysterics but this is our new life and God has given us exactly what we need exactly when we have needed it. We have never doubted for a second that this was the right thing to do or regretted doing it. She is our daughter and we are immeasurably thankful for the opportunity to love her. 

Averie, Austin Kate and Atalie are doing marvelously well!  They have gotten to meet her and are totally smitten.  They think she is adorable and are planning a lifetime of sister adventures with her. We are thankful for Aunt Buttercup and Grammy and Granddaddy moving in and taking over the day to day life with them so we can spend a lot of time at the hospital with tiny Amelia until we get everything totally sorted out.  It's such a blessing to all be in Charlotte together so we can see each other everyday.

There is so much more I could write and I will, but for now, just keep praying for our amazing, precious baby girl. Our prayer is that when people look at her for the rest of her life, they simply see Jesus.