Day #6...a village

It truly does "take a village"...and Audra has one amazing village!

Sean and I "signed up for this" when chose special needs adoption. 
Our family and friends did not.

We knew the challenges and possibilities that we may have to face...and we accepted them.
Our family and friends did not have to...
...but they did!

They have opened their arms wide and wrapped their loving hearts around Audra each and every time.  Without fail.  Without ever being asked.  From the bottom of their hearts...hearts full of love for this sweet, beautiful little girl, from the other side of the world, who just needed to be (and deserved to be) loved.

• The grandparents have come down to sit with Audra so I can get a few hours of work in since I have not yet accrued much vacation time after using it all when we traveled to China and while Audra was hospitalized for three and a half weeks in May.

• My co-workers have once again selflessly donated some of their own vacation time to me so that I can stay at Audra's bedside and focus on her.  This brought me to tears, again, just as it did in May.  There truly is no greater gift than the gift of time.  It leaves me humbled and speechless.  I hope they know how very much this means to me. 

• Friends have stopped by during and after their own long 12 hour shift at the hospital to visit with us, and let me grab a quick bite to eat.

• Audra's godmother offered to come sit at her bedside at 6:45am (before her 8:00am shift) on Tuesday to allow me some time to eat breakfast and get a shower.  

• People near and far...family, friends, acquaintances, and even some whom we have never met, pray for Audra. Prayer is a priceless gift. We are made strong, and can continue on because of the blessings of prayers.  Powerful! 

I, like most people, am not one to ask for help.  But, I, like most people, am eager to help those in need.  People want to help, people want to do something.  I know this, I have been on the other side wanting to do something for someone in need...
...and so I have asked:

• I asked for a sandwich, and I got it...along with lunch and dinner for the day, and dinner for another day as well as drinks and snacks.

• I asked for foam craft stickers...and I got a bag bigger than Audra herself, full of craft supplies to keep her busy.  And it was these very crafts that finally got the first smiles and laughs out of Audra on Friday. 

Update on Audra:
Today she tolerated having her drain clamped for 6 hours!  After that the tube was put back to suction and she was allowed to have licks of a lollipop!  This was her first taste of anything (besides toothpaste) in over seven days. 

Tomorrow Audra will have a PICC line placed.  It is a long catheter that is inserted in her arm and threaded up towards an area close to her heart.  This will be done in the Interventional Radiology suite while she is under anesthesia.  The PICC line will allow her to receive higher contents of the IV nutrition she has been on, and any bloodwork they need to do can be drawn from this catheter.  Audra has gone through 3 IV's just this weekend...I am happy that this is the last IV she will need for the rest of this hospitalization. 

Please keep Audra close to your heart tomorrow and send sweet thoughts and prayers her way...as I know so many of you reading this always do.

Thank you, "Audra's Village". 
We are so very grateful for your willingness to stand by our sides since day one of this journey...and help us whenever, wherever, however.