Katie 1/19/02 - 12/22/06

2nd Corinthians 1: 3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

I have a wonderful friend named Linda. Linda lives in Pennsylvania and has a heart for children bigger than the entire state. She and her husband, Jim had 2 biological children and then adopted 13 children - all with special needs. Most of these children would have no doubt ended up living in an institution or group home if not for loving, Christian parents like Linda and Jim.

Katie came to their home as a tiny baby - with problems that most adoptive parents would not have even entertained the thought of attempting to deal with. When I came home this evening from Andi's, an unbelievable email awaited me.

An email detailing Katie's last day on earth and ending with "Katie's diagnosis since birth was- panhypopituitary, microencephaly, right side schizoencephaly with polymicrogyra, diabetis insipidus. But she never let it define her- she sat up, walked- no ran! in her gait trainer, laughed giggled, threw blocks, she was perfect. She was absolutely wonderfully perfect. I don't know how to do this. Every cell in my body crys out for her."

I visited Linda a few years ago for a week and during that week my favorite thing to do was hold this precious baby. She was fragile and beautiful and she was the absolute light of their lives -- and now that light has gone out.

Please pray for Katie's family during the dark days ahead. Pray that they feel the love of our Comforter as they deal with the void left by Katie and her very special place in their family.

Updated 12/24, 8:15 pm - I have just spoken with Linda and she asked for prayer for another of her children. Benjamin, 18 months has been taken to the hospital due to extremely low body temperature. His temperature was 90 degrees and he is in the NICU now, intubated. Please pray that the doctors are able isolate what is wrong with him and that his temperature be regulated to normal.