{tomorrow keeps coming: brooklyn update}

i handed brooklyn to her parents on january 12th, 2015. it was bittersweet. i knew i'd see her again; her parents welcomed me as "family" and encouraged a continued relationship. i might've guessed i'd see them... yearly? god definitely had other plans; doesn't he always? 

long story short, brooklyn's insurance doesn't consider their local children's hospital a center of excellence for pediatric liver transplants. lurie children's hospital of chicago(!!!) is one of the approved hospitals and quickly became her family's choice. 

say what!?!? the little girl who had captured my heart within the walls of an orphanage on the other side of the world and taught me about loving radically would be coming to chicago? on a regular basis? and i'd get to continue having a relationship with her and her forever family? not to mention walk alongside them for all-things-hospital and transplant related?

brooklyn has been in chicago now twice for pre-transplant work-up/testing. meeting up with her here has been an indescribable experience. she's thriving in her family! her development is exploding! it's like all the potential i saw in her in china coming to life before my very eyes. not to mention the blessing of getting to know her family... lifelong relationships for sure!

sometimes i forget that just months ago brooklyn had (from my human perspective, at least) no real hope.... no family, no options for medical treatment, etc. 

brooklyn is now on the liver transplant list and we pray and wait for the phone call. it could be tomorrow. it could be months from now. there is probably even a small possibility (although who wants to acknowledge that) that it could never happen. while i do have tremendous hope for brooklyn's future now, her medical situation still demands radical faith and trust and surrender. (and i'm only her auntie!) 

would you join me in praying for the perfect match and timing of her liver transplant? and for her parents as they are really the ones living out this "waiting." 

the more i'm involved in brooklyn's story, the more it keeps me in awe of god, reminding me of his abilities and all that he has and continues to do in her life. i'm so thankful to have the privilege of loving her (and now her family too) again; tomorrow keeps coming!

"Forgive and give as if it were your last opportunity. 

Love like there's no tomorrow, 

and if tomorrow comes, love again.”   

Max Lucado