It all started with a picture of Mya....

This was our sweet Mya... the first picture was when we first met her in Russia in Dec. 2002... She was so tiny at 10 months old she only weighed 9 lbs... and she was paralyzed on her left side from her hip down. We were told it was from hip dysplasia.. we had lots of questions about that diagnosis but none about if she was ours... we had been shown a picture of her by the director of the orphanage we had used for Lily, Isaac and Jacob. We had just gotten home with them and was at the agency "showing off " them. The director asked us to help find a family for this little one... they had offered her to 12 other families and no one seemed to want her or to take a chance on her....We took one look at her and decided she was ours... just from the picture. It would not have mattered what was wrong with her or even how long she was going to live... she was ours... funny how that happens... we were smitten and it did not matter. We have never used and IA doctor to evaluate any of our children before the adoption.... it just never matters to us... and we also make the commitment for life...no turning back on that child... It just is how we view adoption... if we had given birth we would not be able to return our bio. child and so we never even think about it with our adopted children... ( no judgement to others who choose otherwise ...we just don't see disruption as an option for us ever).

So we began the process to adopt Oksana (Mya) ... our first trip was in a few weeks from that first time we met her picture.... she was everything we imagined and even more....we can not say it enough how blessed we have been with her in our lives.... you would too or have if you have met her.... she is a charmer and joy giver oh my. We are so grateful that the other 12 families did not want her.... and what a blessing they missed. Even with all of her medical challenges... she was later diagnosed with polio... she is tiny but big in spirit and love and compassion....

Wed. am she is having her surgery to be placed in an external fixator... we did this with Luke and it is a difficult surgery and months of physical therapy...but it does work well. The surgeon, Dr. Standard is hoping to grow her femur 5 cm on the l leg ... and to "lock" her knee in a position so she can walk better and without braces when she gets the fixators off.... I have no doubt she will... So please pray for her and us... it will be a difficult time to watch and have to put her through but she really wants to not have to wear the brace or shoe lifts anymore... she wants some pretty shoes and a choice... since she has 2 diff. size feet we have to buy 2 pairs of shoes and then get a 75 to 100 dollar lift put on the left one... so we did not buy her that many shoes... Praise God after all of this she will have a choice and be able to walk and run freely.....