Burns are too horrible to really think about.

Especially when you think about that here in the U.S. (and I'm sure in China too) about half of burns are done purposely. It is equally mind boggling that people have the audacity to say mean things to people who adopt. I'm a Christian, but some churchgoers are not exempt to feeling the need to make remarks. Even people who adopt one or two sometimes make comments to and about people like me who have adopted more than they deem acceptable. I don't get it why they care. I also don't get why people who have adopted and seen the need don't care that less than 5% of orphans are adopted. I'm not judging them; I just wish they wouldn't judge me. But oh well--they don't know what they're missing out on by stopping at one or two. I simply can't imagine if Mike and I had stopped at two and missed all the joy our younger eight have brought to our lives.



Look at her eyes. After seeing her and those eyes in the orphanage, Mike and I went straight back to the states and told our agency we wanted her. It took God to make it happen though.



I'm losing track, but Cokie has had about 10 surgeries since we got her and about 10 in China. She is one tough little girl.







Bret had to get up early and come along, because Cokie's doctor is Bret's too. He needed to check Bret out from her last surgery. She'll be having another one in a couple of months. We like their doctor a lot. And I think he likes Cokie and Bret a lot too. Like Bret, he is a man of few words, and he think that makes him like Bret even more.




Cokie waiting to be checked in. After she was in her gown, she started to get a little nervous and fell asleep in her Dad's lap. The nurse carried her back to the operating table, and they had to wake her up to put her to sleep.




This time they operated on her scalp and knee.



Back at home Cokie trying to eat something, but she really couldn't keep it down. Her Dad bought her the Panda bear.