Six Months Ago Today....

I was sitting in a hot, little room in China with my heart pounding out of my chest so that it was hard to catch my breath. First we saw little Dylan with her crazy hair extensions and amazing dimples. Then more tears of joy as the next family became complete when sweet Sara was placed in their arms forever. Then at the door, holding her ayi's hand...the face I had waited to see for so long. In her fluorescent green and white shirt with a bright blue and purple plaid jumper, she stared at me with very big, somber eyes. (Though she went to me right away and cried very little, it is hard to imagine that that child is the wild kid bouncing on my bed this morning, wielding a cast on her left arm bigger than she is, almost.) Moments after, we all met angel Jenny for the first time - frightened and trying so hard to be brave. My heart broke that they had to suffer the trauma of leaving everything they had ever known to go with strangers that looked, smelled, acted so new and different. Yet what joy in being present at the formation of four new families that will offer these children the one thing in life that will mean the most - love forever.

CONGRATULATIONS to the three families we traveled with - we love you and you will be in our hearts always.

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Now, a special...

WELCOME to Zachary Michael Cohen (not sure of the spelling exactly) who has just become the newest member of the Cohen family!!! Congratulations Jon and Elyse, Ben, Josh, and Samantha!!

We love you very much and can't wait to see you.

Lori, Eric, Ryan, Alex and Katie Huihui

Post-Surgery

Katie did very well with her surgery on Nov. 2nd. The hospital let me go with her all the way into the OR and they used an inhaled gas to sedate her before they put in an IV and did the formal anesthesia. The surgeon and staff were wonderful. I was called into the recovery room almost immediately and I got to sit and hold and rock her right away. She was grumpy and sleepy at first but after the anesthesia really wore off - she has done wonderfully! She doesn't even act like her huge, bulky cast is there. She takes it all in stride and is playing and almost back to her normal self. She was a bit more clingy than usual yesterday but that was all. We have a follow up visit Nov. 12 and they will take the cast off then. We can expect some sort of cast or splint for 4 - 6 weeks. The surgeon said there is a slight possibility she will need another surgery again in the future but hopefully, this is it.

The kids had lots of fun on Halloween. We took them to Spooktacular at the Zoo with Aunt Christy on the 26th. Then out trick-or-treating at our church party then in our neighborhood on the 31st. We all really enjoyed it and Katie never batted an eyelash. She had no fear at all of ghosts or ghouls or anything. She was really digging the candy thing - hold out the pumpkin and people put stuff in there! She looked at me a few times and just grinned. Alex initially picked out a Pablo (Backyardigans) costume this year. He wore it to Spooktacular but on Halloween night decided he wanted to be James the Red Engine - Ryan's costume. After some fast-talking, I talked him into wearing the Thomas the Tank Engine costume that was Ryan's last year. He was thrilled. Katie was a ladybug. She liked her little costume but the wings were a little cumbersome.

Thanks for all the good thoughts and prayers!

Love,
the Cohens