The Carrington Necklace!! and a little update

I've gotten SO MANY emails from SO MANY people wanting to help. Shelly called me tonight crying humble tears of appreciation. She and Brian are blown away at how many people are praying, supporting, giving, and loving on them at this difficult time. She said the nurses jokingly call, "Mail Call for Carrington" because she is receiving so many thoughtful cards, letters, notes, and gifts. Shelly said that two weeks ago she could have never imagined her heart would be this far along in the healing process, but it is thanks to all the prayers and support you all have been giving! She is starting to see just how much of an impact Carrington is having on the world. If you take time to read some of the comments you will see for yourself just how much Carrington is changing hearts.

Here is one example of how Carrington's story is changing hearts:

"Thank you so much for this blog! The Lord has used it to work in my husband's heart. I've been praying for over a year for the Lord to move in my hubby's heart. I've been ready to commit to adopting a RR child, but he's been . . . unsure. So I've prayed! And I shared Carrington's story with him, and he was overcome. His father's heart was outraged, and he is suddenly totally on board! He wants to know how soon we can get over there and get our child (or children!) and get them home! Praise the Lord! For now, we are praying, and we are hoping to move forward soon with committing to an adoption!"

I am amazed at the way God can take seemingly hopeless situations and not only fill them with hope, but also use these situations to stir so many hearts!!

Soo....THE CARRINGTON NECKLACE. I am SOOOO excited about this beautiful necklace.  Joy Hopkins has graciously donated her time and talent to make some pretty GORGEOUS necklaces in honor of Carrington.

Introducing The Carrington! The Carrington necklace is 7/8" sterling silver disc hand-stamped with "from orphan to princess" and features three wire-wrapped Swarovski crystals.

Carry a piece of Carrington with you, near your heart. This beautiful necklace will remind you to pray for her and all the other orphans in the world daily. Sweet little Carrington has truly come from ORPHAN to PRINCESS!

CHECK IT OUT:

Wouldn't you love one of these?? I can't wait to get mine :) The cost will be $25 for pendant-only or $30 with chain. Either price includes First-Class shipping in the USA. Joy will be donating 100% of the proceeds (minus the cost of materials) to the Burman Family.  Based on that, $15 will go to the Shelly's family for each necklace purchased! Joy is donating her time and services to try to raise some funds in a fun way for the many needs the Burmans are facing during Carrington's hospitalization. Joy will be donating proceeds to The Burmans until June 30, 2011, after that all proceeds will go to Reece's Rainbow!!

To purchase please visit http://joybellejewelry.etsy.com.

If The Carrington is SOLD OUT please send Joy a message on Etsy letting her know how many you want to purchase so she knows how many more listings to load up.

Thank you for supporting, praying and advocating for orphans! And thank you to Joy, and all of you sweet followers and friends who are lifting the Burmans up during this time!

UPDATE FROM SHELLY:
"The Princess gained a few more ounces and about a pound more of personality:)  She has the whole floor enamored."
It looks like next week is the earliest possibility that Carrington will undergo surgery. Shelly said Carrington also had a few small tastes of baby food and will be getting a few tastes each day and hopefully working her way up to an actual oral feeding! Keep praying!!

Redemption

THIS, my friends, is a picture of redemption!

(Shelly sent me this picture and said "She just keeps laughing!")

(Carrington with her sister Madelaine)

A Letter from Mama Burman

Dear Family,

 

I purposefully addressed this note to FAMILY because you all have become so much more than friends.  Family is made up of people who care for, pray for, and are there for others.  That is exactly what each and every one of you have been for our Princess Carrington as well as for the other 6 of the Burmans.

 

When we started on this journey there was no idea of just where it would take not only us but so so many others.  Carrington was planned by God to become a part of our family from the very beginning.  She was created with a purpose, a worth that God so carefully designed.  It is true our world was shaken up the day we took Carrington out of that place that robbed her not only of her dignity but of her health.  Our trip home held a sense of urgency that I care to never again experience.  Carrington had fought long and hard and her little body finally gave in to her Mommy and Daddy continuing the fight.  The staff here at Cook Children's hospital is nothing short of awesome, caring, and God-sent.  We have shared our story with each and every person that has walked anywhere in the vicinity of Carrington and we see so many hearts being changed.  But, my family, it is your prayers that we feel has been the key to Carrington's recovery.  Prayer.  It cannot be duplicated, made into a synthetic, nor fabricated.  Prayer is the most genuine of all medicines.  We believe that God hears all of your prayers.  We believe it is your prayers that have helped bring Carrington back from the brink of death.  Our little girl was slowly dying but a world of people rallied in prayer and now she sleeps in a hospital room surrounded by love and prayer. 

 

Our family is so incredibly thankful for all of you who have sent well wishes, precious gifts, and even spent their time with Carrington.  Each day the nurses bring in so much mail for Carrington that she has become a celebrity of sorts:)  When all of this happened to our family we were in a daze but there were two people who really jumped in and started a movement; a movement to not only save a little girl but so many other children as well.  We are so touched by our friends Stephanie and Sarah for helping our family in so many ways but first and foremost for bringing all of you to pray for Carrington.  I truly believe God puts people in our lives for a specific reason and I am so honored to consider these two ladies as two of my dearest friends.  There are so many of you I may never get to meet this side of Heaven yet you come to sit with Carrington so I may go home and try to keep 6 other children and 1 husband in some order of togetherness.  The peace I feel each night knowing that Carrington is not alone but rather is being loved on is priceless.  Carrington is on the road to being a healthy and beautiful princess and our family is so very thankful to each and everyone of you for taking us in as part of your family through prayers, well wishes, and the generous gift cards that have been sent. 

 

Thank  you from each and every one of the 9 Burmans!!

 

And a special surprise.....a picture of Reagan holding Carrington :) Reagan looks so proud! I can totally see this girl bragging to everyone at her old orphanage saying "I'm an American" (which she really did do on her gotcha day...haha!).

Holding Steady at 13 Pounds!!

Princess Carrington was up again today in weight.....she hit 13 pounds!! Go Carrington Go! Keep praying :)

9 Ounces Up!

Here is a little update from Shelly today:
Well little princess made a good weight gain of about 9 oz. Now of course we haven't had a poopy yet but all her feeds are staying down at 32cc/hr. Tuesday we will consult with surgeon as to what weight she needs before surgery. I have been holding her for about 2 hrs and she loved it but I can tell it has been enough for now.

Shelly also said it was such a relief to be able to go home and know Carrington was being loved on by one awesome volunteer! Thanks Kristin and all you other ladies who have volunteered your time to stay with Carrington!

Carrington's Challenge

Carrington is holding steady on her weight today! Shelly reports that she has the entire hospital staff wrapped around her little finger :) I just love that this girl who had not an ounce of attention is now getting endless attention and love!! Shelly mentioned that she can't wait to tell Carrington her story one day and said that THIS will be her birth story.

A couple of you have asked about the Burman's blog being private. Shelly and Brian have always preferred to keep their blog private even when they're not traveling, so it will likely remain that way plus Shelly has zero time to update her blog during this busy time in her life.  She is spending every waking second focusing on trying to return to a new normal with her new beautiful family.  I'm trying to keep this blog all about Miss Carrington's recovery and focused on prayer and support. I definitely don't want to overstep my place and start posting in detail on anything other than that, so for now the blog belongs to Miss Carrington and her recovery. Maybe when Shelly's new routine falls into place she will do a post on this blog with an overall update for those of you who prayed the Burman family through their adoption and are dying for an update :)

And another question that has been left in the comments,
"I suppose digestive issues have been ruled out? If she has food allergies/sensitivities or other gut/absorption issues she could be malnourished while the others did much better. I guess you know more than we do as you usually write as though her starvation was for sure done deliberately."

Yes they already knew Carrington had digestive issues AND food allergies prior to taking her out of the orphanage. That is hardly an excuse for her condition though. Children from her same orphanage had life saving heart surgeries so I find it interesting that she was in such bad shape even in spite of her gastrointestinal and allergy issues. And yes, I guess I do know more than you, but not about Carrington's situation at the orphanage.  I write from a place of experience. Visiting orphanages in Eastern Europe can be written about and talked about but until you experience it first hand and have your heart ripped out of your chest as you see some of these children literally wasting away in their cribs 24 hours a day, well then I guess it might not make quite the same impact.  No I do not know that Carrington was starved deliberately. I do know that she was pretty much in a "laying room" and rarely picked up, cuddled, or loved on, while other children from the same groupa got a lot more attention--emotionally and medically.  I can guess--from my experience with my own child from an orphanage in EE that she may have only been fed once a day, but I do not know any more specifics of her situation than that.  I do know that had the Burmans not gotten Carrington out THAT VERY DAY, the Reece's Rainbow members definitely would have received an email that Carrington had died, as we've gotten many other emails about children who have died waiting for their forever families.  Simply LOOK HERE to see other children who weren't as "lucky" as Carrington.  These children were taken away from the orphanage too, but instead of being taken to a family, they were taken to their grave.  Thankfully we know they are in a better place now, but that doesn't diminish the fact that they lived lives of suffering, pain and loneliness, never knowing the love of an earthly family.

 I don't want to focus on placing blame (as hard as it is), but I do know that we all need to rise up and figure out what we can do so that other children are never in Carrington's shoes. I do know that many orphanages in EE have made improvements and many are "great" as far as orphanages go, but it's not enough because children are still dying.

Yesterday I mentioned that I had thought of another way to help. I know Shelly's heart would be so happy to know that Carrington's story has caused others to want to take a stand and prevent other children from suffering unnecessarily like Carrington has. Carrington's story has already touched so many hearts and may be changing people at their very core and we may just not know those stories yet, but I know Carrington's ugly situation is bringing beauty to this world. I can't wait to hear testimonies of how Carrington's story has changed people for the better. It will help heal Shelly's heart to know that others are taking a stand for these children and to know that Carrington's suffering will not be in vain. The Burmans have adopted 5 children from EE, all with special needs, and all "older" children who are harder to find families for. They adopted 3 children in 2010 all ages 5-6. Even at 3 years old, Carrington was considered hard to adopt due to her age. For those of you that don't know, when children in EE turn 4, they are send to ADULT INSANE ASYLUMS, yes mental institutions with grown men and women. That is the reality for so many children.

Soooo.....I present to you:
CARRINGTON'S CHALLENGE!

I'm posting some links below from the Reece's Rainbow website. Please take a minute to look at these beautiful faces. In honor of Carrington and the hard battle she is fighting, choose ONE child and DO SOMETHING. ADVOCATE for that child through facebook, email, blogging, printing out flyers and putting them on mailboxes or car windows, talk to friends about this ONE child. You may not be in a position to adopt, but you might tell a friend who tells a friend who tells a friend who ADOPTS this child.  If you're a Christian, PRAY for this ONE child. If you're able, DONATE to this ONE child's fund. Even for those of you who never considered this before, consider ADOPTING just ONE child. Do this in honor of Miss Carrington. I can think of no better way to help begin the healing process for the Burmans and for Carrington. DO SOMETHING FOR JUST ONE CHILD.

Boys with Down Syndrome 0-5

Girls with Down Syndrome 0-5

Older Boys with Down Syndrome 6 +

Older Girls with Down Syndrome 6 +

Boys with Other Special Needs 0-5

Girls with Other Special Needs 0-5

 

Leave a comment if you're taking "Carrington's Challenge"!

Friday March 25th Update

Carrington has affectionately earned the nickname princess...well deserved I'd say :) Every day when I check in with Shelly I ask her how the princess is doing and when she gives me updates she refers to Carrington as "the princess." I just love it :) From outcast to princess!

Well the princess gained a few ounces yay!! She has remained IV free for 24 hours and is now up to 27cc's/hour!! She has not previously been refluxing on 25cc's so that was a much welcomed turn of events. Shelly says that Carrington has started smiling a little bit but every time Shelly gets the camera out the princess is no longer smiling!! I think I love this girl ;) The doctors have decided to put her on some extra vitamins to help boost her immune system to prepare for surgery. The doctors still do not have a set date but their hopes are that she will be ready in approximately 10 days.

I am so amazed at the outpouring of love and support for the Burmans and I know they are as well. So many very kind people have offered their love, support, time, and prayers to help little miss Carrington and the Burmans.

To answer some questions.....

Many of you have asked what size she is. Carrington is wearing 9 to 12 months in tops and 6 months in bottoms. I'm pretty sure Shelly doesn't have much around the 6 month size (pants/shorts) for Carrington as she was thinking she'd be at least the size of a 12 month old. She says her torso is very long so it sounds like it is a little tricky to find clothes that fit...as you can imagine since she is a 3 1/2 year old child who is 11 pounds.

Another question...."Would you be allowed to share which orphanage is she from? makes me wonder about the other kids in there."
I can't share that information on a public blog...in fact, all I will say is that she is from Eastern Europe. She is from one of the poorer orphanages, however, there have recently been children adopted from that orphanage who are in "great" shape (as great as you can be for coming from an orphanage)....as in great I mean a healthy weight and walking and playing like other children their age. So how is it that some children end up this way???? I just don't get it. At some point the caregivers determine which children are worth some love and attention and which ones should be in "laying rooms" and be all but forgotten about. Sandy- email me privately and I can share more information with you (spbasile at hotmail dot com).

Some are wondering how the other child the Burmans adopted is doing.  This is the ironic part of the entire story. "Tori" now named Reagan Faith Burman was the child that the Burmans thought would be in very bad shape since she was living in an adult mental institution. They were racing against time to get to Reagan. At one point they were told to choose another child incase Reagan's adoption would not be allowed or incase Reagan had already DIED...yes in case she had died. There was really no information on Reagan or her current condition or if she was even alive or adoptable and the Burmans had no way of knowing until they got to Eastern Europe. This is where the GOD part comes in. So the Burmans chose Carrington but somewhere along the line they could not only picture her as their second choice...she became their daughter in their hearts. This of course was God's plan all along but they had no idea. Looking back on all the details it is amazing to see all that God did to prepare the Burmans to be Carrington's parents. Reagan is doing FABULOUS and is quite a little parrot, repeating everything she hears :) She is over 60 pounds and was a favorite at the orphanage (she came from the same orphanage as Carrington) and a favorite at the institution as well. So the Burmans thought the girls would be in opposite positions and they were going to save Reagan's life. Little did they know God had plans that he didn't reveal to them until the end of their adoption process. God chose the Burmans for Carrington and I know they feel nothing short of honored and humbled to have been chosen to be her momma and daddy.

We have the next two weeks completely covered for volunteers to sit with and pray over Carrington while Shelly tends to her family at home and Brian works! Please pray for Shelly's peace of mind as she is feeling understandably torn between home and hospital. Many of you have emailed me asking if we are still in need of night volunteers and I am keeping your names and emails and will contact you first if we need to plan for more than these next two weeks. That all depends on how long Carrington is in the hospital.

Many of you are asking what the Burmans need...many are asking about dinners, baby items, etc. They are set on all the baby items other than some small clothes. As for dinners, I think Shelly is trying to keep somewhat of a "normal" at home and think this might be a little overwhelming for her at this point. At this point I still think the best way to help is if you can CHIP IN to help purchase grocery/gas/etc. gift cards. I know the Burmans will need a new BIGGER van so they can take their whole family can go places all together in one vehicle....so if anyone knows anyone who is looking to donate a van....hey it's worth a shot!

So many of you have expressed your anger and frustration and sadness with Carrington's situation. I have another idea for how you can use this anger and frustration and sadness to ACT and make a difference. I will share that tomorrow.

Keep up the prayers...you guys ROCK!

And a little peak at the princess...

Small Update

The only update I have today is that Carrington lost a whole pound (putting her right back around 11 pounds). I was scared when Shelly told me this, but the doctors are not too worried. They are not worried because they said this is typical and it means her body is waking up and realizing her body can use food instead of just holding onto it.

Resting and healing :)

Carrington says "Thank you to Miss Jill Spicer and her family who gave me this little doggie that plays music."

Presents!!

Thanks for all the prayers.....

And to Krlr who said.....

"My daughter (with DS) is about 30# and she's not even 3 yet. I just... I'd really REALLY like to swear but I think this is the wrong blog for that - Am not a bit religious but I'm fervently wishing Carrington the very VERY best & I chipped in a bit. Sorry, wish it were more." (I got a laugh out of this comment)

I'd like to say...I AM "religious" and Carrington's situation still makes me want to swear!...it makes me SO angry!...but I'm praying that God would use her story to shake up my heart as well as many others....I'm hoping her story will cause others to look at their own lives and ask themselves what they can do to make a difference...not just for Carrington, but for the entire orphan crisis that so many are blissfully unaware of.
And thanks for donating :)

Princess Pictures!

Oh this little girl is already a princess!!! What a beautiful child. And I'm loving her accessories...can't go without the cute hats or shoes...haha! I love how this girl is being spoiled with love and attention!!

Love this picture...just look at those beautiful soulful eyes! 

I think this is my favorite picture so far...snug as a bug!! But you can see just how tiny she really is at 3 and a half years old in a baby rocker :(

And a picture to remind us just how serious Carrington's situation is. Keep praying!

Shelly says they are increasing her feeds to 20cc's/hour even though she has been refluxing. The doctor thinks that will just keep happening until they can fix the problem (likely through surgery)...so he wants to increase her feeds to fatten her up (knowing she will likely continue to reflux). There's no magic weight they're looking for before she is ready for surgery...I guess that will just be a team decision as far as when they feel she is ready. Her first surgery will likely include a g-button, Fundo, and trying to take care of her teeth which are mostly all rotten and broken:( Shelly says the massage really seemed to give Carrington some peace and calm for the rest of the day....I'm sure the massage, along with all the prayers are really helping Carrington to feel peace for the first time in her three years of life.

Keep on praying for this sweet angel!

Hello and Thank You from Carrington!

Here's Carrington right after her first massage from Mama! Doesn't she look so peaceful? I almost see a little smile there :) God is good!

Carrington says hello to all of her followers and new friends and thanks all of you for your prayers.

She got her first card and gift in the mail today and she was so excited!! See?

Thank you to Miss Sandra in CA for my bubbles and card.


Carrington did lose a little weight again at her weigh-in today but that could be due to her giant poop yesterday! Yay!! Good news that her body is starting to do what it was made to do in that area! Today she has still been refluxing and bringing up some of her feeds. Shelly has not talked to the doctor today but is hoping they will decrease her feeds again (and then increase them more slowly) to prevent the refluxing. Someone asked if she was getting her feeds all at once or though a pump. I am not sure but I will ask Shelly. I know currently she is at 13cc's/hour.

We have almost every single night from 5pm until 8am for the next two weeks filled!!! I will be emailing those of you who volunteered again tonight (hopefully) to finalize your shift and the schedule and give you some more details.  God is so good and it is awesome to see the body of Christ mobilize in such an amazing way to help sweet Carrington! Lots have asked about bringing dinner for the family, but I think at this time, the best way to help would be to donate to the CHIP IN. A couple of the kids are on special diets so that makes bringing meals a little tricky. The money will be used to purchase gift cards including grocery cards. I keep asking Shelly if there is anything else we can do and she just keeps saying to keep on praying! So, you heard the Mama, PRAY!

If you want to send a card/note/letter to Carrington and/or her family you can mail it to this address:

Cook Children's Hospital

801 Seventh Ave.

Fort Worth, TX 76104

C/O Carrington Burman Room 5418

Tuesday, March 22

UPDATE:
Shelly says Carrington's weight is right around 12 pounds...which is an overall increase of a pound from when she entered. I guess she had gained some in the beginning, like days 1 and 2 and then lost some again. The reason for this immediate weight gain and then loss is likely due to her body being SO malnourished and its very typical to gain weight and then lose in severe malnourishment. Today Carrington was down in weight just slightly. She has been refluxing pretty badly again and bringing up some of her feeds. Shelly is not sure if it is due to having her feeds increased too fast (she is at 13cc's/hour now) or if it is just due to a problem that can only be corrected through surgery. Regarding TPN, the doctors have discussed this option but do not think it is in the best interest of Carrington and think it may cause more problems at this point.  The doctors are holding off on any major tests that would involve anesthesia because Carrington is too weak to undergo anesthesia at this point. They did some basic adoption blood work and everything has come back clean including the parasite tests which really surprised everyone.

Shelly's momma heart was so very excited to be able to give Carrington a bath last night and allow her to fall asleep on her chest. She is also thrilled to be starting infant massage classes with Carrinton tomorrow. I think that will start healing Carrington's little soul as well as mommy's :)

HELP NEEDED:
I have heard from several people who would be willing to stay with Carrington overnight a few nights. Shelly has said this is really a blessing to her and will give her such a peace of mind which is what we are hoping for :) So, here is the plan...if you've already emailed me you're on "the list." That means tonight I will email those of you who've contacted me and ask you to let me know what nights and times are good for you (more details will be in the email). My hope is to get a 2 week calendar together and have from 5pm-8am covered every night except Wednesdays and Thursdays (when Shelly and Brian will be there). If you are in the Dallas Fort Worth area and able to sit with Carrigton a night or two between 5pm and 8am and you haven't emailed me yet, PLEASE email me as soon as possible so we can get this schedule together:) Thanks!! (spbasile at hotmail dot com).

Also, I am still working on compiling a little book of well wishes/prayers/notes to Carrington and family. If you'd like to leave a comment for her, I will copy and paste all of those, or you can email me (spbasile at hotmail dot com) with your note/letter and I will include it in the book.

AND, don't forget you can donate to the Chip-In HERE. Gift cards for food/gas/etc. are being purchased for the Burman family.

Button for Carrington

Wow! Check out this fancy blog :) Thanks to ASHTON for designing the blog as well as the "Pray for Carrington" button!!! It seems to suit Carrington's fancy personality! 

Shelly told me tonight that Carrington pulled out her NJ tube...I think we have a little fighter on our hands here!! Go Carrington:)

Please grab the button to the right and put it on your blog to spread the word to pray for Carrington!!!

Thank you to those who have volunteered to stay with Carrington overnight, I will be contacting you shortly!

The Burmans are so very thankful for all of your prayers and support. Shelly is reading the blog here and there when she has a few free minutes, so feel free to leave a message for her and/or Carrington:)

Slight Signs of Improvement and Help Needed

I spoke briefly with Shelly this morning and messaged with her real quick this afternoon. The only update I have at this point is that Carrington has not gained any weight, but she has not lost any either!! This is great news. Shelly's phone was dying but she did say Carrington is going to be there at least a few more weeks at this point and that she got a new IV today. Shelly says Carrinton's color is starting to look better as well! These few slight signs of improvement are great news for Carrington but she obviously still has a long road ahead of her.

Shelly mentioned that she is very stressed that they will have to start leaving Carrington alone in the hospital overnight starting Friday (in order to balance family life at home as well I'm imagining). I did ask her if she'd like me to try and get a list of volunteers in the DFW area who would be willing to spend a night by Carrinton's side loving her and praying over her when Shelly and Brian cannot. She said they would love that...SOOOO If you are in the area maybe you can email me (spbasile at hotmail dot com) your name and phone number if you'd be willing to stay with Carrington a night or two. Are there any RR momma's reading this who are in the DFW area who'd be able to help coordinate this? I'm hoping we have a couple RR families in that area who might be able to help out.  I'm thinking anyone who is willing and able to do this could also stop by the hospital during the day sometime when Shelly is there just to meet her so she is at ease. It would be great if we could get group of folks who'd be willing to help out in this capacity.

Remember, if you're able you can donate HERE. The donations will go toward purchasing gift cards for the family for food, gas, etc. in their time of need.

Another way you can help....I'm thinking I can put a little book together for Shelly and Brian to read to Carrington. Here's how it will work. Email me a message/letter/note for Carrington (spbasile at hotmail dot com). The note can be well wishes, a prayer you've been saying for her, a letter of encouragement, a story you'd like to share about how her story has changed your heart, etc. I will print these out along with the comments that are being left on this blog and make a little book and send it to the Burmans.

And here is the angel you've all been praying so hard for! She is more than worthy. She counts. She is God's precious child. She is opening hearts and changing lives already! God has big plans for this little girl!

Praise for Poop!

Carrington had one teeny tiny poop! Yay! This is good news! Shelly said it was a rough night but she IS holding her feeds at 10ccs/hour. Shelly says the plan for today involves seeing LOTS of doctors so please be in prayer that God would give them the wisdom they need to work together to treat Carrington and help to heal her.

Keep praying for sweet Carrington!!

Chip-In for Carrington

Stephanie has set up a Chip-In to purchase gift cards to restaurants and grocery stores in the Burmans' area. Please go and donate if you can. If you are unable, please just KEEP PRAYING :)

CHIP-IN LINK

Sunday March 20th

After speaking with Shelly today, Carrington is still in need of prayers but the doctors seem to be getting a handle on things. Someone asked about TPN? I asked Shelly what the name of the new tube is and she wasn't sure, she just said again that it is going from her nose directly to her intestines in hopes that she won't reflux it all back up. The doctors who are working with Carrington are pretty amazing from what I hear...knowledgable and compassionate-a vital combination in Carrington's case. At her last weigh in at 9:30 this morning Carrington has lost almost half a pound which for her tiny body is a huge amount. She has been started on a new reflux medication in hopes that the combination of this and the new tube placement will allow her body to accept the nutrients. There are many other things going on with Carrington's little body but the doctors are waiting to dive further into those things until she is more stable. She did have an MRI and it seems that part of her brain is missing, but again they will look further into that once Carrington stabalizes. The doctors can safely say it looks like Carrington will be there for AT LEAST a couple of weeks.

If you'd like to send a card or note of encouragement you can send it to this address:

Cook Children's Hospital

801 Seventh Ave.

Fort Worth, TX 76104

C/O Carrington Burman Room 5418

Carrington Update NEW

Thank you to all of you who are praying so hard for Carrington! This little angel is stirring hearts big time! God has big plans for this child.  Some of you have been asking for updates and the only update I have is that Shelly has been able to sneak home for the first time as her and Brian traded off between home and hospital. After not being able to keep down 10 ccs/hour, the doctors tried to take Carrington's feeds down to 5 ccs/hour and it was not successful. Poor Carrington was just not able to keep even that small amount down. Her body just has no idea what to do with the foreign substance :( The doctors are going to move the NG tube directly into her intestines and bi-pass the stomach in hopes that her body will be able to absorb some of the nutrition and not continue throwing it all right back up. Shelly really feels Carrington is in great hands at the hospital they are at.  I'm hoping to get a room number from Shelly so you can send a card or note of encouragement if you'd like.

What Can I Do? (And the post of CAPITAL LETTERS)

What Can I Do? (And the post of CAPITAL LETTERS)

I'd like to address a question that was asked under comments on the last post.  It is a great question and I hope I can point you in the right direction.

Q: "If we are unable to adopt at this time, what can we do? I ask this honestly, wanting to know what someone who can't adopt might be able to do to help this situation."

A: I understand not everyone is called to adopt. I totally do. Although I do think many people are called but come up with every excuse not to answer the call (I can say this because I did it myself....I thought of every good reason we could not/should not to adopt....but in the end God won...and thanks to his persistence, so did we). Obviously it's not up to me to decide who is or is not called to adopt and I don't want to come off sounding like I think everyone should adopt, because I certainly don't. I do think more Christians who ARE able AND called should step up. With that being said, if you do not feel called to adopt or are not in a position to adopt or have gotten a "wait" answer from God, there are CERTAINLY things you can do to help the orphan crisis.

1. The biggest way to help is to PRAY. Choose an orphan and pray every day for the safety and health of that child and that he/she would find a family SOON. If you don't know where to start, look HERE
2. ADVOCATE. Use your blog or facebook or email or word of mouth to let others know of children in need and of the orphan crisis in general. Share stories you've read on blogs. Share Carrington's story with others. You never know when you're planting a seed that will grow inside someone else. Every conversation you have has the ability to plant a seed in others and maybe through your word of mouth you will be the reason another family decides to adopt.

3. SUPPORT other families who CAN and ARE adopting. You can do this through prayer and through financial donations. You can SPONSOR ANY FAMILY IN THE PROCESS OF ADOPTING or you can CHOOSE TO DONATE TO A CHILD WHO IS STILL IN NEED OF A FAMILY. These donations are tax deductible. It can be any amount, every penny counts.

My goal of the last post, in addition to asking for prayers for the Burmans, was to get others fired up...yes for orphans, but also to find their passion, for ANYTHING. There are so many good causes in this world. Orphans happen to be my passion. I understand not everyone shares that passion or feels as convicted as I do to help orphans. But find your passion, your CAUSE, your WAY TO HELP others who need it in this world.....and do something to make a difference. When I said, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? My hope was to empower you and feel moved to look outside the comfort of your own life and move your heart from the safe and comfortable life many of us live to a life of complete surrender and service. I still need to take my own advice on this one many days.

Carrington Update

Thank you to everyone for all the prayers that are going up for Carrington. Many have asked if the family has a blog and no they do not have a public blog and are not even able to update their private blog at this point. Carrington is fighting a tough battle as you can imagine. The doctors here said her body was preparing to die and has been slowly dying. Her low heart rate is proof of that. The fact that she can't even keep 10 cc's/hour down through a tube in her nose because her body has no idea what to do with food is proof of that. The doctors have told the family that Carrington is only alive by the grace of God. They cannot believe she held on this long...that poor sweet angel. Carrington obviously needs your prayers, but so does the entire Burman family. Shelly went straight to the hospital with Carrington immediately after their flight got in and will be taking a quick trip home today for the first time.  The Burmans have 6 other children at home, including their other newly adopted daughter.  Shelly is exhausted and seeking strength from the Lord as you can imagine. I can't even begin to fathom seeing my own child in the condition her sweet Carrington is in. Many of you are wondering how you can help and at this point Shelly is asking for prayers, and lots of them. Here are some specific prayer requests after talking with Shelly:

1. That the medical team working with Carrington will make all the right decisions regarding a plan of action.
2. That Carrington's body will learn how to accept food and slowly gain the much needed weight so she can undergo surgeries for gastrointestinal issues in the future.
3. That God would heal Carrington's malnutrition and the effects it has caused on her body.
4. That Carrington would feel a sense of peace that surpasses all understanding during this extremely scary time for her.
5. That the Burmans would continue having the strength they need to balance living between the hospital with Carrington and home with their other 6 children during this time.
6. That the Lord would use Carrington's story to bring glory to His name and allow others to witness God's amazing grace and powers of redemption.
7. That God would begin at this moment to heal the Burmans' hearts from all that they experienced and all that they are trying to process.

Praise God that the Burman's listened to the call to action on behalf of Carrington's life.  They almost didn't. BUT THEY DID. They had no idea how fragile this little girl was.  They had no idea just how much she needed them at this exact moment in time.  But God knew.

Sometimes it seems we just can't understand why things like this happen. There is no good reason. This was never a part of God's master plan. We are living in a fallen world and sometimes the heartache we see as a result of that is more than we as humans can even fathom. We want to respond with anger and frustration and sadness. My prayer is that Carrington's story will lead others to stand up and make a difference.We can't continue to sit back in our comfortable lives and pretend we don't know what is happening. There are children who are living in their very own hell on earth right now. There are children slowly dying in orphanages and institutions across the world as you sit here reading this right now. As easy as it is to sit here and feel defeated after hearing about Carrington's condition, don't let it defeat you....let it speak to you until your world is rocked and until your heart is broken and until you have tears streaming down your face and until you are moved to take action. Let Carrington's suffering not be in vein.

What are you going to do?

URGENT, Please Pray for Carrington!

Meet Carrington

My friend Shelly just returned to the US with her two newly adopted daughters last night. Her daughter Carrington is 3 years old and ELEVEN POUNDS and in absolutely awful shape. I am crying thinking about this precious angel right now. The sight of her condition was enough to bring grown men (hospital staff) to their knees in tears.  If this doesn't make you want to jump up and scream and shout and DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE ORPHAN CRISIS, then nothing will. You can imagine Shelly's pure horror when she took her daughter out of the orphanage and saw her without all the layers of clothing for the first time. This is what she saw:

OH MY DEAR LORD why? How? How is this allowed to happen today?  This poor child neglected and dying for so long.  Can you imagine the horrific pain, loneliness and suffering this poor soul has endured?  I can't even begin to imagine.  Thank God he led the Burmans to this sweet girl.  Thank God she is now getting the medical assistance she so desperately needs.  She literally would have died if she had spent another day in that orphanage. She is very malnourished and struggling right now. It is a miracle this angel even survived the flight home.  Please pray for this sweet girl and her family and the long road to recovery.  Shelly asks for specific prayers for her health situation and that her frail, weak body will be responsive to the medical interventions she is receiving.  How many more children are in this same exact condition at this moment? I'm afraid the answer is more than I can handle. My heart breaks tonight for Carrington and for so many other BABIES.....these children are BABIES people! Praise God for rescuing Carrington and pray that he will bring others to rescue more children so they do not have to suffer in this way.