In Memory...

Abigail was born prematurely to Scott and I while we were in Russia adopting our oldest. She was, in fact, born almost 10 months to the day after our oldest in the same hospital in Orenburg, Russia. The first American to ever be born there. The six days following her birth were a whirlwind of phone calls and arrangements as we prepared to bring her home via a jet from Children's Medical Center Dallas. Scott had to go to Moscow to the American Embassy and get a passport for Abigail. He went on Wednesday and didn't make his flight back in time so he had to stay on Thursday too. He arrived in Orenburg around midnight on Thursday. We came back to the apartment to pack and prepare for the Medical Jet from Children's was coming on Friday. We were going to be leaving that day and Abigail would be flown back to Dallas and arrive here from Russia on Saturday.

We awoke that morning with mixed feelings as we were excited to be bringing her back to a country where conversations with the doctor didn't require a translator but with a measure of sadness as we faced leaving our son in the orphanage and returning for him in several months. It was the most difficult decision I ever faced and I was so torn.

On Friday morning, our translator, lawyer and driver came into our apartment and said nothing. I instantly knew that Abigail had died. In that moment the Lord provided great clarity and decisions were made. We received such an outpouring of love from those around us. Men and women who didn't know us 2 weeks before showed us kindness, compassion and love as we went through an amazingly devestating situation. We now found ourselves halfway around the world, without our parents or family and making arrangements for our deceased daughter. There are too many details to go into here but suffice it to say that God became real through the hands of so many people.

As I write this today, the memories are as real as they were the day they happened. Nine years ago today, my sweet daughter Abigail went home to be with Jesus. She was six days old and beautiful. She accomplished a great many things on this earth in her brief time. There is a measure of sadness at not having my daughter by my side but the overwhelming feeling that a beautiful little girl is spending time with our Savior this very day and that we will be reunited one day.

Living the Christian life is not easy, it is full of joy and struggles but God is always present and always good and our joy is in Him.

Today is not the easiest of days but I approach it full of joy at what God has given to me and full of the knowledge that He is good all the time. Amen.

Abigail Marie Cornell

May 20, 2000 - May 26, 2000