Monday, January 23, 2012

Year of the Dragon

Happy Chinese New Year!!!
We had a great night celebrating with our friends, the Raglands.  We are so blessed to have such great friends!!  Our meal at a local Chinese restaurant was sooooo good.  We all ate plenty of dumplings.

This is the Year of the Dragon.  Dragons are known in Chinese culture for wisdom and supernatural powers.  Our Lily decided she would use tonight to show her power.  Nothing supernatural about it, we know her
power comes from Christ who is strengthening her EVERYDAY!!

When we met her in China, she could barely lift a cup to her mouth.  She could NOT lift her arms higher than shoulder level.  I would lift her arms above her head and let go...they flopped quickly to her sides.  She had no strength.   We've been working really hard to strengthen her muscles after some recommendations from our favorite physical therapist and occupational therapist.  

While we were waiting in the car outside the restaurant, Mary Ashtyn yelled for us to look at Lily.  She was holding her arm straight up above her head!!!!  We cheered like crazy people and she was so proud of herself. 

 We asked her to do 2 (arms)...she just held up two fingers!! 


Our little ladybug lifted her arm and grabbed onto the hand hold on the ceiling of the van, grabbed on with her other arm and then PULLED herself up.  For a little girl who could barely lift her Mickey Mouse stuffed animal three weeks ago, she has come so,so far!!

 


















What a tremendous way to start the Chinese New Year!!  Our little ladybug may just become our little dragon, using all her strength to show us all how BIG our God is!  We are so excited to see how much progress Lily will make in 2012.




I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me!!!
Philippians 4:13

 

4 comments:

  1. Praise God! I've got tears streaming down my face to see your sweet girly pulling herself out of that booster! To see how far she's come - girlfriend is going to amaze us all over the next year!

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  2. Yeah Lily!!!
    Just like Kristi said, I think Lily is going to amaze us with all she overcomes this next year!
    Happy New Year!!!

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  3. I have to put be a Third to the above sentiments...exactly what I came to write. What God will do in Lily and your family will be BEAUTIFUL...cuz He does stuff like that!

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  4. You will be so amazed at your sweet little girl over the next year. Watching Maggie grow stronger and learn to be independent has been one of the biggest blessings of my life. There is absolutely nothing like it, and I am so glad that God allowed us to be a part of it. He is amazing and shines through our children in the most beautiful way!

    On a little different, but related note, we have been giving Maggie infant and toddler vitamins since coming home. They are in a dropper and don't taste very good, but I have given her a double dose most days. I think they have made a huge difference in her; I can always tell when I run out and we miss a few days (or a couple of weeks!). I thought they might help Lily as well. I think the vitamins helped build up Maggie's strength before surgery. You may already be using something else, but I thought I would offer it as something that worked for us. :-)

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