Reminiscing

Requests for pictures of Light House cannot be granted at this time, as we are being blocked somehow here in Hangzhou from getting the pictures to print onto the blog.  Hopefully the problem will be resolved, as pictures are worth a thousand words.

My eight-month -old great niece just came through brain stem surgery, and the post-op photo of little Maddy lying there intubated, brought back memories of another very special baby girl looking much the same after open-heart surgery. It looks like Maddy should do fine, unlike our little orphan whose life so impacted mine.  In China, nobody is allowed into intensive care, so that  when I was given permission to enter to see "my baby", all the parents waiting outside wanted me to check on their little ones they were not allowed to see.   Child visitors were not allowed to even enter the hospital, yet miraculously our children were invited into intensive care to see nine-month-old Davonne, who entered the world on my birthday and left on Frank's.  For the record, here is my feeble effort at a word-picture: (please omit if not emotionally stable, or if you dislike "pathos".) 

BABY DAVONNE'S FAREWELL

I see by your faces that you do not know

That this is the last I shall see you below.

On suffering before me I would not know dwell

But gaze on you deeply in lingering farewell.

Oh, MaMa, Big Brother, and Sister so dear,

You dream of my sharing a happy home here;

But I go to a happier home in the skies,

So please do not grieve as you say your goodbyes. 

You'll see me again, when my eyes cannot see;

Life flickering out in such misery:

My arms pinned out-stretched as if nailed to a cross;

You'll suffer my suffering and later my loss.

Mist-clouded these loved eyes so wide and so wise,

As your hands stroke my hands so dainty in size.

My wee hand shall curl so tight round your finger

And squeeze with a love that would evermore linger.

For deep inside I will know you are there,

Will hear your sweet songs and the words of your prayer,

And feel your soft touch on what's left of my hair.

But now is my last time to look in your eyes

Before I'm adopted to a home in the Skies,

Where never are heard an orphaned babe's cries.

So, MaMa, I'm going, but will send back my love

In a beam of pure sweetness from Heaven above.

To that Heaven of Love, I shortly shall fly

To await your arrival---until then, good bye.